winter tires TESLA MODEL 3 2020 Owner's Manuals

Caution: If the brakes are not functioning
properly, stop the vehicle as soon as safety permits and contact Tesla Service.
See Park on page 56 for information on
using the Park button to stop the vehicle
in case of emergency.Warning: Always maintain a safe driving
distance from the vehicle in front of you
and be cautious in hazardous driving
conditions. Do not rely on brake disc
wiping or hydraulic fade compensation to act as a substitute for adequate braking.
Regenerative Braking
Whenever Model 3 is moving and your foot is
off the accelerator, regenerative braking slows
down Model 3 and feeds any surplus energy back to the Battery.
By anticipating your stops and reducing or
removing pressure from the accelerator pedal
to slow down, you can take advantage of regenerative braking to increase driving range.
Of course, this is no substitute for regular braking when needed for safety.
Note: If regenerative braking is aggressively
slowing Model 3 (such as when your foot is
completely off the accelerator pedal at
highway speeds), the brake lights turn on to
alert others that you are slowing down.
Note: Installing winter tires with aggressive
compound and tread design may result in
temporarily-reduced regenerative braking
power. However, your vehicle is designed to continuously recalibrate itself, and after changing tires it will increasingly restore
regenerative braking power after some
moderate-torque straight-line accelerations.
For most drivers this occurs after a short
period of normal driving, but drivers who
normally accelerate lightly may need to use
slightly harder accelerations while the
recalibration is in progress.
Warning: In snowy or icy conditions
Model 3 may experience traction loss
during regenerative braking, particularly
when in the Standard setting and/or not
using winter tires. Tesla recommends
using the Low setting (see To Set the
Regenerative Braking Level on page 66)
in snowy or icy conditions to help maintain vehicle stability.The amount of energy fed back to the Battery
using regenerative braking can depend on the
current state of the Battery and the charge
level setting that you are using. For example,
regenerative braking may be limited if the Battery is already fully charged or if the
ambient temperature is too cold.
Note: If regenerative braking is limited, a
dashed line displays on the energy bar (see
Driving Status on page 63).
To Set the Regenerative Braking Level
You can use the touchscreen to change the
level of regenerative braking:
1. Touch Controls > Driving > Regenerative
Braking .
2. Choose from two levels:

Note: The parking brake operates on the rear
wheels only, and is independent of the pedal-
operated brake system.
Warning: In snowy or icy conditions the
rear wheels may not have sufficient
traction to prevent Model 3 from sliding
down a slope, particularly if not using winter tires. Avoid parking on hills in
snowy or icy conditions. You are always responsible for parking safely.Warning: Your Model 3 may display an
alert if the road is too steep to safely park
on, or if the parking brakes are not
properly engaged. These alerts are for
guidance purposes only and are not a
substitute for the driver’s judgment of safe parking conditions, including specific
road or weather conditions. Do not
depend on these alerts to determine
whether or not it is safe to park at any location. You are always responsible for
parking safely.When you use the touchscreen to
manually apply the parking brake,
the red parking brake indicator lights
up on the touchscreen.If the parking brake experiences an
electrical issue, the amber parking brake indicator lights up and a fault
message displays at the top of the
touchscreen.Caution: In the unlikely event that Model 3
loses electrical power, you cannot access
the touchscreen and are therefore unable to release the parking brake without first
jump starting Model 3 (see Instructions
for Transporters on page 199).Brake Wear
Model 3 brake pads are equipped with wear indicators. A wear indicator is a thin metal
strip attached to the brake pad that squeals as
it rubs against the rotor when the pad wears
down. This squealing sound indicates that the
brake pads have reached the end of their service life and require replacement. To
replace the brake pads, contact Tesla Service.
Brakes must be periodically inspected visually by removing the tire and wheel. For detailed
specifications and service limits for rotors and
brake pads, see Subsystems on page 188.
Additionally, Tesla recommends cleaning and
lubricating the brake calipers every year or
12,500 miles (20,000 km) if in an area where
roads are salted during winter months.Warning: Neglecting to replace worn
brake pads damages the braking system
and can result in a braking hazard.
Braking and Stopping
68Model 3 Owner

Regenerative Braking
Regenerative braking may be limited if the Battery is too cold. As you continue to drive,
the Battery warms up and regenerative power
increases (see Regenerative Braking on page
66).
Note: Limited regenerative braking can be
avoided if you allow enough time to precondition your vehicle or use scheduleddeparture before your drive, as mentioned
previously.
Note: Installing winter tires may result in
temporarily reduced regenerative braking
power but Model 3 will recalibrate itself to correct this after a short period of driving.
Blue Snow

TPMS malfunctions can occur for a variety of
reasons, including installing replacement or
alternate tires or wheels that prevent the
TPMS from functioning properly. Always check
the TPMS malfunction indicator light after replacing one or more tires or wheels on yourvehicle to ensure that the replacement tires or
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
Note: If a tire has been replaced or repaired
using a different tire sealant than the one
available from Tesla, and a low tire pressure is
detected, it is possible that the tire sensor has
been damaged. Contact Tesla to have the fault repaired as soon as possible.Seasonal Tire Types
Summer Tires
Your vehicle may be originally equipped with high performance summer tires or all season
tires. Tesla recommends using winter tires if
driving in cold temperatures or on roads
where snow or ice may be present. Contact
Tesla for winter tire recommendations.Warning: In cold temperatures or on snow
or ice, summer tires do not provide
adequate traction. Selecting and installing the appropriate tires for winter conditions
is important to ensure the safety and
optimum performance of your Model 3.
All-Season Tires
Your Model 3 may be originally equipped with all-season tires. These tires are designed to
provide adequate traction in most conditions
year-round, but may not provide the same level of traction as winter tires in snowy or icy
conditions. All-season tires can be identified
by “ALL SEASON" and/or "M+S” (mud and
snow) on the tire sidewall.
Winter Tires
Use winter tires to increase traction in snowy
or icy conditions. When installing winter tires,
always install a complete set of four tires at
the same time. Winter tires must be the same
diameter, brand, construction and tread
pattern on all four wheels. Contact Tesla for
winter tire recommendations.
Winter tires can be identified by a
mountain/snow

19" Sport WheelsWheelsLocationWidth(in)Offset(mm)19"Front/Rear8.540Tires (front/rear)SizeTire
PressureContinental,
ProContact RX235/40R1942 PSI
(290 kPa)*Hankook Ventus
S1 Evo3235/40R1942 PSI
(290 kPa)*Pirelli Winter
Sottozero 3235/40R1942 PSI
(290 kPa)*Increase the tire pressure to 44 PSI (300
kPa) prior to driving 134 mph (215 kph) or
faster.GAWRFront2,447 lbs1,110 kgRear2,767 lbs1,255 kg19" Gemini Wheels (Performance)
See Removing and Installing Aero Covers on
page 167 for information on how to remove
and install Gemini wheel covers.WheelsLocationWidth (in)Offset(mm)19"Front/Rear8.535Tires (front/rear)SizeTire
PressureHankook Ventus
S1 Evo3235/40R1942 PSI
(290 kPa)*Pirelli Winter,
Sottozero 3235/40R1942 PSI
(290 kPa)**Increase the tire pressure to 44 PSI (300
kPa) prior to driving 136 mph (220 kph) or faster.GAWRFront2510 lbs1,141 kgRear3,023 lbs1,374 kg
Parts and Accessories
180Model 3 Owner

18" Aero WheelsWheelsLocationWidth(in)Offset(mm)18"Front/Rear8.540Tires (front/rear)SizeTire
PressureMichelin, Primacy
MXM4235/45R1842 PSI
(290 kPa)Michelin, Pilot
Sport 4 (PS4)235/45R1842 PSI
(290 kPa)Pirelli Winter
Sottozero Serie II235/45R1842 PSI
(290 kPa)GAWRFront2,447 lbs1,110 kgRear2,840 lbs1,288 kgBody Repairs
If your Model 3 is in a collision, contact Tesla
or a Tesla-approved Body Shop to ensure that
it is repaired with genuine Tesla parts. Tesla
has selected and approved body shops that
meet strict requirements for training,
equipment, quality, and customer satisfaction.
Some repair shops and insurance companies
might suggest using non-original equipment or salvaged parts to save money. However,
these parts do not meet Tesla

Tire Specifications (Factory)Tire SizeLocationSize18"Front/RearP235/45R1819"Front/RearP235/40R1920"Front/RearP235/35R20Tire pressures vary depending on the type of tires fitted. Refer to the tire pressures printed on
the Tire and Loading Information label. This label is located on the center door pillar and is
visible when the driver’s door is open (see Maintaining Tire Pressures on page 164).Winter tires can be purchased from a Tesla store.
Wheels and Tires
Specifications191

Uniform Tire Quality GradingThe following information relates to the tire
grading system developed by the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), which grades tires by tread wear,
traction and temperature performance. Tires
that have deep tread, and winter tires, are
exempt from these marking requirements.
Where applicable, quality grades are found on
the tire’s sidewall between the tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For example:

slip start 69
Smart Summon 105smartphoneauthenticating as a key 9
removing as a key 12
software reset 124
software update preferences 151
software updates 151
software version 8
specifications12V battery 189
brakes 188
cargo volume 187
dimensions 186
exterior 186
High Voltage Battery 189
interior 186
motor 188
steering 188
subsystems 188
suspension 189
tires 191
transmission 188
weights 187
wheels 190
speed assist 114
Speed Limit Mode 124
speed limit warning 114
stability control 69
starting 54
steering specifications 188
steering wheeladjusting position 50
adjusting sensitivity 50
buttons 50
lights, controlling 58
scroll buttons 50
steering, automatic 93
streaming radio 136
streaming services 136
summer tires 170
Summon 102
Summon Distance 102
superchargingdescribed 161
idle fees 161
pay-per-use fees 161
suspension specifications 189
T telematics 206
temperatureBattery (high voltage), limits 155
cabin, controls for 125
outside 61
tires 194
Teslacam 76
tie-down straps
200
tilt/intrusion detection 143
Tire and Loading Information label 184
tire noise 171Tire Pressure Monitoring Systemoverview of 168
tire pressures, checking 164
tiresall-season 170
balancing 165
chains 171
inspecting and maintaining 165
pressures, how to check 164
quality grading 194
replacing 166
replacing a tire sensor 169
rotation 165
specification 191
summer 170
temperature grades 194
tire markings 192
traction grade 194
treadwear grade 194
wheel configuration 164
winter 170
toll system transponders, attaching 179
torque specifications 188
touch up body 173
touchscreencleaning 173
overview 4
restarting 50
software updates 151
towing a trailer 185
towing instructions 199
TPMSoverview of 168
Track Mode 73
Tracking Disabled 130
traction control 69
trademarks 204
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control 87
trailer hitches 185
transmission specifications 188
transponders, attaching 179
Transport Canada, contacting 208
Transport Mode 200
transporting 199
trip chart 74
Trip Planner 134
trunk, front 21
trunk, rear 19
turn signals 60
U
ultrasonic sensors 84
uniform tire quality grading 194
Index
Index217