display TESLA MODEL S 2014 (North America) User Guide

Starting Model S
When you open a door, Model S powers on the instrument panel and touchscreen. Thecenter circle on the instrument panel displaysthe status of doors and the charge level, and
you can operate all controls.
To drive:
• PRESS THE BRAKE - the center circle on
the instrument panel changes to display
the speedometer, power meter, charge level, and selected gear (P, R, N, or D).
• SELECT A GEAR - all the way down for
Drive and all the way up for Reverse.
Everything you need to know when driving
Model S displays on the instrument panel.
Key Not Inside
If Model S does not detect a key when you
press the brake, the instrument panel displays
a message telling you that a key was not
detected.
Place the key in the center console cup holder
where Model S can best detect it.
If Model S still does not detect the key, try
holding it against the center console,
immediately below the 12V power socket (see 12V Power Socket on page 80). Or try using
another key. If another key does not work,
contact Tesla.
A number of factors can affect whether
Model S can detect the key. These include a
low battery in the key, interference from other
devices using radio signals, and objects
between the key and receiver.
Always keep the key with you. After driving,
you need it to restart Model S after it powers
off. And when you leave Model S, you must
bring it with you to lock Model S, either manually or automatically (see Walk-away
Locking on page 7).
Powering Off When you finish driving, shift into Park by
pressing the button on the end of the gear
selector. The parking brake automatically
engages and all systems keep operating.
When you leave Model S with the key, it
powers off automatically, turning off the
touchscreen and instrument panel.
Model S also powers off automatically after
being in Park for 15 minutes, even if you are
sitting in the driver’s seat.
Although usually not needed, you can power
off Model S while you are still sitting in the
driver’s seat. Touch Controls > E-Brake &
Power Off > Power Off . Model S automatically
powers back on again if you press the brake or touch anywhere on the touchscreen.
Note: Model S automatically shifts into Park
whenever you leave the vehicle, even if you
shift into Neutral before exiting. To keep
Model S in Neutral, see Leaving Model S in
Neutral - Tow Mode on page 41.
Starting and Powering Off
40Model S Owner's Manual

Shifting GearsWhen Model S is in Park, you must press the
brake to shift to another gear.
Move the lever up or down to change gears.
If you try to shift into a gear that the current
driving speed prohibits, you will hear a chime
and the gear does not change.
Reverse
Push the lever all the way up and release. You can only shift into Reverse when Model S is
stopped or moving less than 5 mph (8 km/h). If moving less than 1 mph (1.6 km/h), you must
press the brake.
Neutral
Push the lever up or down to the first position
and release to shift into Neutral. Neutral
allows Model S to roll freely.
If Model S is in Park and you use the
touchscreen to release the parking brake ( Controls > E-Brake & Power Off ), Model S
shifts into Neutral (see Parking Brake on page
59).
Model S automatically shifts into Park when you exit. To leave Model S in Neutral, use the
touchscreen to engage Tow mode (see Leaving Model S in Neutral - Tow Mode on
page 41).
Drive
Push the lever all the way down and release. You can shift into Drive when Model S isstopped or moving less than 5 mph (8 km/h)
in Reverse. If Model S is moving less than
1 mph (1.6 km/h), you must press the brake to shift into Drive.
Park
With Model S stopped, press the end of the gear selector. Whenever Model S is in Park,
the parking brake is applied.
Model S automatically shifts into Park
whenever you:
• Leave the vehicle.
• Connect a charge cable.
Leaving Model S in Neutral - Tow
Mode
Model S automatically shifts into Parkwhenever you finish driving and leaveModel S. To keep Model S in Neutral when youexit, allowing it to roll freely (for example,pulling onto a transporter, etc.), activate Tow
mode:
1. Shift into Park.
2. Press the brake pedal.
3. Touch Controls > E-Brake & Power Off >
Tow Mode .
Model S beeps, and shifts into Neutral (which
releases the parking brake).
When Tow mode is active, Model S
displays this indicator light on the
instrument panel, along with a
message telling you that Model S will
remain free rolling.
Note: In Tow mode, Model S does not shift
into a driving gear. To cancel Tow mode, shift into Park or touch Tow mode again. Towmode also cancels if you use the touchscreen
to apply the parking brake ( Controls > E-
Brake & Power Off > Parking Brake ).
Gears
Driving41

Instrument Panel OverviewNote: The following illustration is provided for demonstration purposes only. Depending on
vehicle options, software version, and market region, the information displayed may be slightly different.
1. The center display changes depending on whether Model S is off or ready to drive. If Model S
is off, the center displays shows remaining estimated range and status of doors. Pressing thebrake powers Model S on—the indicator lights flash on for a second and the center display
shows speed, power, charge level, estimated range (see item 9), and active gear. When
Model S is plugged in, the instrument panel displays charging status (see Charging Status on
page 98).
2. Use the left steering wheel buttons to operate the audio system. You can also press and roll
the scroll wheel to change what displays on the left side of the instrument panel (see Steering
Wheel on page 36).
3. Pay attention to important status messages that display here.
4. All indicator lights flash on briefly when you press the brake to prepare to drive. They should
then turn off, unless the light applies to a current situation (see Indicator Lights on page
43).
5. Use the right steering wheel buttons for voice commands, to handle telephone calls, and to
control some features of Model S. You can customize what features the scroll wheel can control (see Using Right Steering Wheel Buttons on page 37).
6. Door lock status
7. Odometer
8. Outside temperature
9. Total estimated driving distance (or energy) available. Instead of driving distance as shown
here, you can display the percentage of battery energy remaining. To do so, touch Controls >
Settings > Units & Format > Charging Units (see Settings on page 69).
Note: When anticipating when you need to charge, use range estimates as a general guideline
only.
Note: In cold weather, some of the stored energy in the Battery may not be available on your
drive because the Battery is too cold. When this happens, a portion of the Battery meter is
blue and the driving distance value has a snowflake image next to it. If Model S is plugged in,
you can heat your Battery using wall power by turning on climate control using the mobile
app. When the Battery warms up, the blue portion on the meter and the snowflake image are
no longer displayed.
Instrument Panel
42Model S Owner's Manual

10.Pay attention to alert messages that appear at the bottom center of the instrument panel. If
any alerts are in effect, you can view information about them by touching the alert icon
(exclamation mark) on the touchscreen’s status bar (the topmost area of the touchscreen).
11. Currently selected gear: Park, Reverse, Neutral, or Drive.
12. Dashed lines appear on the power meter if Model S is limiting power. The dashed lines appear
on the top portion when power available for acceleration is being limited, and on the bottom
portion when power that can be gained by regenerative braking is limited. Model S limits
power for many reasons. Here are just a few examples:
• Acceleration may be limited when the Battery is reaching a low state of charge or if the powertrain is hot.
• Both acceleration and regenerative braking may be limited when the ambient temperature is either very high or very low.
• Regenerative braking may be limited when the Battery is fully charged.
13. Date and time
Indicator Lights Indicator lights flash on briefly when you press the brake pedal to prepare for driving. Unless anindicator light applies to a current situation, they should turn off. If an indicator light fails to turnon or off, contact Tesla.
In addition to indicator lights, alerts display on the top or bottom center of the instrument panel.
If alerts are in effect, an alert icon (exclamation mark) displays on the top of the touchscreen.
Touch this icon to display a description of the alert.IndicatorDescriptionAirbag safety. If this indicator does not flash on briefly when Model S
prepares to drive, or if it remains on, contact Tesla immediately. See Airbag
Warning Indicator on page 34.A seat belt for an occupied seat is not fastened. Note: Depending on the
date of manufacture, rear seating positions may not be equipped with a seat
belt reminder. See Seat Belts on page 19.Front fog lights (optional). See Lights on page 46.Parking lights (side marker lights, tail lights, and license plate lights) are on.
See Lights on page 46.Headlight low beams are on.Headlight high beams are on. See Headlight High Beams on page 48.Instrument Panel
Driving43

1.If you turn on DOME lights, interior dome
(map) lights turn on when you unlock
Model S, open a door upon exiting, or shift into P (Park). They turn off after 60
seconds, when you lock Model S, or when you shift into a driving gear.
You can also turn an individual dome light
on or off by pressing its lens. If you
manually turn a dome light on, it turns off
when Model S powers off. If Model S was
already powered off when you manually
turned the light on, it turns off after 60
minutes.
2. If you turn on AMBIENT lights, the lights
on the door armrests turn on whenever
the headlights are on.
3. DRL (Daytime Running Lights) operate
only when driving with the headlights off.
In jurisdictions where required by law (Canada), daytime running lights can not
be turned off.
4. If Model S is equipped with optional front
fog lights, touch to turn them on or off.
The Front Fog indicator displays
on the instrument panel
whenever the optional front fog
lights are on.
The fog lights operate only when the
headlights are on. Whenever headlights
are turned off, fog lights also turn off.
5. Exterior lights are set to AUTO each time
you start Model S. Touch these options to
temporarily change the exterior light
setting:
OFFAll exterior lights
(headlights, tail lights, side
marker lights, parking
lights, and license plate
lights) turn off until you
manually turn them back
on or until the next time
you drive Model S.PARKINGOnly the side marker
lights, parking lights, tail
lights and license plate
lights turn on.ONAll exterior lights
(headlights, tail lights, side
marker lights, parking
lights, and license plate
lights) turn on.AUTOAll exterior lights
(headlights, tail lights, side
marker lights, parking
lights, and license plate
lights) turn on
automatically when
driving in low lighting
conditions. If you change
to a different setting,
lights always revert to this
AUTO setting on your
next drive.
Note: Optional fog lights operate
automatically whenever the headlights are
on. When headlights are off, fog lights are
also off.
Lights
Driving47

How Speed Assist Works
If Model S is equipped with Driver Assistance
features, a camera mounted on the windshield behind the interior rear view mirror detectsspeed limit signs. The signs are then analyzed
and compared against GPS data to determine
the speed limit at your current driving
location. For routes where no signs are present, speed limits are determined using
GPS data (if available). Instead of determining the speed limit based on signs and GPS data,you can also manually enter an arbitrary
speed limit.
When you turn on Speed Assist, the
speedometer displays a gray line to indicate
the speed limit. Warnings (described below) take effect when you exceed this limit.
In situations where the system does not have
confidence in the acquired speed limit, the speedometer displays a dashed line instead,
and warnings do not take effect. The system
may be uncertain about a speed limit if a
speed, although initially detected, is no longer known or may no longer apply. In some cases,the dashed line displays at the originallydetected speed, whereas in other cases itdisplays at 0 mph.
If you set the assistance level to Display (see
Controlling Speed Assist below), a speed limit
sign displays in the center of the instrumental
panel whenever you exceed the speed limit
and the speedometer displays the excess
speed in gray.
Note: A speed limit sign also displays in the
center of the instrumental panel when an
automatically detected speed limit changes.
If you set the assistance level to Chime (see
Controlling Speed Assist) and exceed the
speed limit, the speedometer displays excess
speed in gray, and you also hear a warning
chime.
Note: Speed limit warnings go away
automatically after 10 seconds, or when Model
S slows down below the specified limit.
Warning: Do not rely on Speed Assist to
determine the appropriate speed limit.
Speed Assist
Driving51

Always drive at a safe speed based on
traffic and road conditions.Caution: If your Model S is equipped with
Speed Assist, you must take your vehicle to Tesla Service if a windshield
replacement is needed. Failure to do so
can cause Speed Assist to malfunction.
Controlling Speed Assist
To turn Speed Assist on or off, and control
how it works, touch Controls > Settings >
Driver Assistance > Assistance Level , then
choose an assistance level:
• Off. The speed limit is not displayed.
• Display . Speed limit information visually
displays on the speedometer and when you exceed the limit, a speed limit sign
displays in the center of the instrument panel, and the speedometer displays theexcess speed in gray.
• Chime . In addition to the visual display, an
audible chime sounds whenever you
exceed the speed limit.
You can also specify how the speed limit is
determined:
• Relative . The speed limit is determined
automatically based on detected traffic
signs and GPS data. If desired, you can set
a speed limit offset (+ or -) if you want to
be alerted only when you exceed the
speed limit by a specified amount. For example, you would increase the offset to+10 mph if you only want to be alerted
when you exceed the speed limit by 10 mph.
• Absolute . Manually specify any speed limit
between 20 and 140 mph (30 and
240 km/h).
Note: GPS data is not always accurate. The
GPS can misjudge the road's location and
provide the speed limit for a directly adjacent
road that may have a different speed limit. For example, The GPS can assume Model S is on a
freeway when it’s actually on a nearby surface
street, and vice versa.
Limitations and Inaccuracies Speed Assist may not be fully functional or
may provide inaccurate information in these
situations:
• Visibility is poor and speed limit signs are not clearly visible (due to heavy rain,
snow, fog, etc.).
• Bright light (oncoming headlights or direct sunlight) is interfering with thecamera's view.
• Model S is being driven very close to a vehicle in front of it which is blocking the
camera's view.
• The windshield area in the camera's field of view is obstructed (fogged over, dirty,
covered by a sticker, etc.).
• Speed limit signs are concealed by objects.
• The speed limits stored in the GPS database are incorrect or outdated.
• Model S is being driven in an area where GPS data is not available.
• Traffic signs do not conform to standard recognizable formats.
• A road or a speed limit has recently changed.
Speed Assist
52Model S Owner's Manual

How Park Assist Works
If Model S is equipped with the Park Assist option, both the front and rear bumpers
include several sensors. When moving slowly
in Drive or Reverse, the sensors alert you if an object is detected close to the front or rear
bumper, respectively.Warning: The Park Assist images
provided below are representative only.
The exact number and location of Park
Assist sensors may vary depending on
the date your Model S was manufactured.
When driving less than 3 mph (4.8 km/h), the
sensors are activated.
Warning: Never depend on Park Assist to
inform you if an area you are approaching is free of objects and/or people. Several
external factors can reduce the
performance of Park Assist, causing
either no readings or false readings (see Limitations and False Warnings on page
55). Therefore, depending on Park
Assist to determine if Model S is
approaching an obstruction can result indamage to the vehicle and/or objects,
and can potentially cause serious injury.
Always inspect the area with your own
eyes. When reversing, perform shoulder
checks and use all mirrors. Park assist
does not detect children, pedestrians,
bicyclists, animals, or objects that are moving, protruding, located too far above
or below the sensors, or too close or too far from the sensors. Park Assist is for
guidance purposes only and is not
intended to replace your own direct
visual checks. It is not a substitute for careful driving.
Visual and Audio Feedback
Whenever Model S is moving slowly inReverse or Drive at a speed of less than 3 mph
(4.8 km/h) , the left side of the instrument
panel provides feedback to alert you if an object is detected near the corresponding
back or front bumper. When reversing, visual feedback also displays on the touchscreen,
immediately below the camera view (see Rear
View Camera on page 64).
If chimes are turned on (see Controlling
Audible Feedback on page 54), an audible
beep sounds as you approach an object. You can temporarily mute the chime by pressing
the scroll wheel on the left side of the steering
wheel.
Note: If a sensor is unable to provide
feedback, the instrument panel displays an
alert message.
Caution: Keep sensors clean from dirt,
debris, snow, and ice. Avoid using a high
pressure power washer on the sensors
and do not clean a sensor with a sharp or abrasive object that can scratch ordamage its surface.Caution: Do not install accessories or
stickers on or near the parking sensors.
Controlling Audible Feedback
You can use Park Assist with or without
audible feedback. To turn chimes on or off,
touch Controls > Settings > Safety &
Security > Park Assist Chimes .
You can also mute the chimes temporarily by
pressing the scroll wheel on the left side of
the steering wheel. The chimes are muted
until you shift into a different gear or drive
over 3 mph (4.8 km/h).
Park Assist
54Model S Owner's Manual

Limitations and False WarningsThe parking sensors may not function
correctly in these situations:
• One or more of the parking sensors is damaged, dirty, or covered (such as mud,
ice, or snow).
• Object is located below approximately 8 inches (20 cm) (such as a curb or lowbarrier).
• Weather conditions (heavy rain, snow, or fog) are interfering with sensor operation.
• Object is thin (such as a sign post).
• A sensor’s operating range has been exceeded.
• Object is sound-absorbing or soft (such as powder snow).
• Object is sloped (such as a sloped embankment).
• Model S has been parked in, or being driven in, extremely hot or cold
temperatures.
• The sensors are affected by other electrical equipment or devices that
generate ultrasonic waves.
• Object is located too close to the bumper. • A bumper is misaligned or damaged.
• An object that is mounted to Model S is interfering with and/or obstructing the
sensor (such as a bike rack or a bumper
sticker).
Other Parking Aids
In addition to Park Assist, when shifted into
Reverse gear, the backup camera displays a
view of the area behind Model S. See Rear
View Camera on page 64.
Park Assist
Driving55

Displaying Trip Information
Trip information displays on the touchscreen
when you touch Controls > Trips . There are
two trip meters available, A and B. To reset a particular trip meter, touch its associated
RESET .
Note: You can also display range and trip
information on the instrument panel (see
Using Left Steering Wheel Buttons on page
36).
Trip Information
56Model S Owner's Manual