TESLA MODEL S 2014 (North America) Repair Manual

Regenerative Braking
Whenever Model S is moving and your foot is off the accelerator, regenerative braking slows
down Model S and feeds any surplus energy
back to the Battery.
By anticipating your stops and simply removing your foot from the accelerator 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 S, such as on a steep descent,
brake lights turn on to alert other road users
that you are slowing down.
The power meter on the instrument panel displays real-time feedback on the amount of
energy being gained by regenerative braking.
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. If regenerative braking is limited, a dashed yellow line
displays on the power meter. For example,
regenerative braking may be limited if the
Battery is already fully charged or if the
ambient temperature is low.
To Set the Regenerative Braking Level
You can use the touchscreen to change thelevel of regenerative braking:
1. Touch Controls > Driving > Regenerative
Braking .
2. Choose from two levels:
•
Standard . Provides the maximum
amount of regenerative braking. When you release the accelerator,
Model S slows down faster, reducing
the need to use the brakes.
• Low . Limits the amount of
regenerative braking. When you
release the accelerator, Model S takes longer to slow down and coastsfurther.
Parking Brake The parking brake automatically engages
whenever you shift Model S into Park, and
releases whenever you shift into any other
gear.
Note: The parking brake operates on the rear
wheels only, and is independent of the foot-
operated brake system.
Use the touchscreen to manually release the parking brake (which also shifts Model S intoNeutral):
1. Touch Controls > E-Brake & Power Off .
2. Press the brake pedal, then touch Parking
Brake. If Model S was previously in Park, it
shifts into Neutral.
The parking brake indicator lights up on the instrument panel whenever
you use the touchscreen to manually
apply the parking brake.If an electrical issue occurs with the
parking brake, an amber parking
brake fault message displays at the
top center of the touchscreen.Caution: In the unlikely event that
Model S loses electrical power, you
cannot release the parking brake.
Brakes
Driving59

How It WorksThe traction control system constantly
monitors the difference in speed between the
front and rear wheels. If Model S experiences a
loss of traction, the traction control system
minimizes wheel spin by controlling brake
pressure and motor power.The electronic stability control
indicator displays on the instrument
panel whenever the traction control
system is actively controlling brake
pressure and motor power.Warning: Traction control does not
prevent accidents caused by driving
dangerously or turning too sharply at
high speeds.
Turning Off
Under normal conditions, you should leave
traction control on. Turn it off only in
circumstances where you deliberately want the wheels to spin, such as:
• Starting on a loose surface, such as gravel or snow.
• Driving in deep snow, sand or mud. • Rocking out of a hole or deep rut.
To turn traction control off, touch Controls >
Driving > Traction Control > Off .
The Traction Control Off indicator
displays at the top center of the
touchscreen whenever the traction
control system is turned off.
Although traction control turns on again
automatically the next time you start Model S,
turn it on using the touchscreen as soon as
the circumstances that required you to turn it off have passed.
Traction Control
60Model S Owner's Manual

Operating Cruise Control
Cruise control makes it easy for you to
maintain a consistent speed without holding your foot on the accelerator. This is usefulwhen driving at the same speed over a longdistance.
You must be driving over 17 mph (27 km/h) to operate cruise control.Warning: Do not use cruise control on
winding or slippery road surfaces, or
when traffic conditions make it unsafe to drive at a consistent speed.
To operate cruise control:
1. When driving over 17 mph (27 km/h),
touch the end of the cruise control lever.
The light on the lever turns on.
2. Accelerate until you reach your desired
cruising speed.
3. Move the cruise control lever up or down,
then release.
The instrument panel displays the Cruise On
message above the speedometer and a white
arrow on the speedometer shows your set speed.
You can accelerate at any time when driving at a set speed in cruise control. But when yourelease the accelerator, your speed returns tothe set speed.
Warning: Driving downhill can increase
driving speed, causing Model S to exceed
your set speed.Changing the Cruising Speed
Move the cruise control lever up (increase) ordown (decrease) until your desired speed is
reached.
Note: It may take a few seconds for Model S
to reach the new cruising speed. If you decrease the set speed to less than 17 mph
(27 km/h), cruise control cancels and the set speed clears.
Canceling and Resuming Cruise control cancels automatically if you doeither of the following:
• Press the brake.
• Drive below 17 mph (27 km/h).
• Shift out of Drive.
To cancel cruise control manually, briefly push the cruise control lever away from you. The
message on the instrument panel turns off, but the set speed remains displayed untilModel S powers off.
To resume cruising at the previously set
speed, briefly pull the cruise control lever
toward you. Cruise control resumes only if driving over 17 mph (27 km/h).
Cruise Control
Driving61

Cruise Control
62Model S Owner's Manual

Hill Start Assist automatically engages the
brakes for approximately one second when on
a hill. This prevents Model S from rolling
during the time it takes for you to move your
foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator
pedal. Hill Start Assist engages the brakes
only if Model S is in Drive and facing uphill, or
in Reverse and facing downhill.Warning: After approximately one
second, Hill Start Assist no longer brakes
your vehicle and it could roll. Therefore,
quickly move your foot from the brake
pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never rely on Hill Start Assist to prevent Model Sfrom rolling for more than one second.Failure to do so can result in a collision.
Hill Start Assist
Driving63

Camera LocationModel S is equipped with a rear view camera
located above the rear license plate.
Whenever you shift into Reverse, the
touchscreen displays the view from the
camera.
Note: If Model S is equipped with the optional
Park Assist feature, visual feedback from the
parking sensors displays below the camera image. See Park Assist on page 54.
Warning:
Never depend on the rear view
camera to inform you if the area behind
you is free of objects and/or people when
reversing. The camera may not detect
objects or barriers that can potentially cause damage or injury. In addition,several external factors can reduce the
performance of the camera, including a dirty or obstructed lens. Therefore,
depending on the rear view camera to determine if Model S is approaching anobstruction can result in damage 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. Use the camera for
guidance purposes only. It is not intended to replace your own direct visual checks
and is not a substitute for careful driving.Cleaning the Camera
To ensure a clear picture, keep the camera
lens clean, and free of obstructions. Remove any buildup of dirt by occasionally wiping the
camera lens with a soft damp cloth.Caution: Do not use chemical-based or
abrasive cleaners. Doing so can damage
the surface of the camera lens.
Rear View Camera
64Model S Owner's Manual

The Big PictureThe main components of the touchscreen are shown here. To manually control the brightness and
contrast, touch Controls > Displays . When set to Auto, the touchscreen changes between the Day
(light background) and Night (dark background) setting depending on ambient lighting
conditions.
Note: The following illustration is provided for demonstration purposes only. Depending on
vehicle options, software version and market region, your touchscreen may appear slightly
different.
Touchscreen Overview
Using the Touchscreen65

1.Status bar
The top line displays provides shortcuts to
Charging, HomeLink, Driver Profiles,
vehicle information (the Tesla “T”),
software updates, Bluetooth ®
, and Wi-Fi
settings. The status symbols show outside
temperature, network signal strength,
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi settings, passenger
airbag status, and time. If an alert icon
(exclamation mark) is displayed, touch it
to see warning messages that are in
effect.
Note: The airbag status symbol displays
only when Model S is powered on.
2. Apps
There are several ways to display an app
in the main viewing area:
• Tap the app’s icon to display it in the top viewing area. If the app is alreadydisplayed, a second tap displays it infull-screen view (only some apps have a full-screen mode).
• Drag the app’s icon directly onto the top or bottom viewing area.
• Touch and hold the app’s icon to display a popup that lets you choose
whether to display the app in the top or bottom of the main viewing area.Media. See Media and Audio on
page 77.Maps/Navigation (if equipped).
See Using Maps on page 81.Calendar. See Calendar on page
85.Energy. See Getting Maximum
Range on page 57.Web. Access the Internet using
the web browser (if equipped).Camera. Display the area behind
Model S. This area also displays
automatically whenever you shift
into Reverse. See Rear View
Camera on page 64.Phone. See Phone on page 83.
3.Main viewing area
The main viewing area changes
depending on the app you have chosen
(in the example, the Nav and Media apps
are displayed). For some apps (such as
Nav and Web), you can zoom in and out
using standard touchscreen finger
gestures.
4. Maximize/minimize app
Touch the small rectangle to expand the
associated app to fill the entire main
viewing area (some apps are not
expandable). Touch again to display two
apps in half-screen view.
5. Controls
Touch to access all Model S controls and settings (doors, locks, lights, etc).
6. Climate controls (see Climate Controls on
page 72).
7. Volume control
Touch the up and down arrows to
increase or decrease the volume of the
speakers. You can also adjust the volume
using the scroll wheel on the left side of
the steering wheel.
8. Reverse the position of the two currently
displayed apps.Warning: Paying attention to road and
traffic conditions must always be the
driver's highest priority. To ensure the
safety of vehicle occupants as well as other road users, using the touchscreenshould be done only when road andtraffic conditions permit.
Touchscreen Overview
66Model S Owner's Manual

Controlling Model S FeaturesTouch Controls on the bottom corner of the touchscreen to control and customize all main
features of Model S.
Note: The following illustration is provided for demonstration purposes only. Depending on
vehicle options, software version and market region, the options available on the Controls screen
may be different.
Controls
Using the Touchscreen67

1.Close
Touch the circled X in the top left corner
of a window to close it (or you can touch anywhere outside the window).
2. Sunroof
If Model S is equipped with a sunroof,
touch to adjust its position (see Sunroof
on page 15).
3. Driving
• Suspension If Model S is equipped with Smart AirSuspension, touch to manually raise orlower Model S (see Smart Air
Suspension on page 75). Model S
must be powered on, or you must
press the brake pedal before you can change suspension settings. Smart Air
Suspension causes Model S to self- level, even when powered off.
Therefore, when lifting or towing, you
must disable self-leveling (see Jack
Mode on page 76 and Jacking and
Lifting on page 124).
• Steering mode
Adjust the amount of effort requiredto turn the steering wheel. Sport feels
more responsive whereas Comfort
feels easier to drive and park (see
Steering Wheel on page 36).
• Regenerative braking
When you release the accelerator
when driving, regenerative braking slows Model S and feeds any surplusenergy back to the Battery. If set to
Low, Model S does not slow down as
quickly, but you may experience less
range (see Regenerative Braking on
page 59).
Note: Regardless of the setting, the
energy gained by regenerative
braking is reduced if the Battery is full, or if it is extremely cold or hot(the surplus energy is used to heat orcool the Battery).
• Traction Control
If you turn off Traction Control, a
warning message displays on the
instrument panel. The off setting stays
in effect for the current drive only (see Traction Control on page 60).
• CreepWhen on, Model S slowly moves
forward when in Drive and backward in Reverse when you release the brake
(similar to a conventional vehicle with an automatic transmission). You can
adjust this setting only when Model S is in Park.
4. Cold Weather
If Model S is equipped with the cold weather option, you can control all seatheaters and the heated wipers. Note that
you can also control the front driver and
passenger seats using the main climate
control panel located on the bottom of
the touchscreen (see Climate Controls on
page 72).
5. Trips
View and reset the trip meters that
summarize how far you have driven (see
Trip Information on page 56).
6. Displays
Manually control the touchscreen’s
brightness and control its Day (light
background) or Night (dark background)
setting. When set to Auto, the
touchscreen automatically changes
between the Day and Night setting
depending on the ambient lighting
conditions. You can also put Model S into
an energy saving mode so it consumes
less energy when not in use (see Getting
Maximum Range on page 57). Note that
the Displays settings can also be accessed
from the Settings screen.
7. E-Brake & Power Off
You can manually:
• Apply and release the parking brake (see Parking Brake on page 59).
• Power off (see Powering Off on page
40).
• Keep Model S in Neutral by activating Tow Mode (see Leaving Model S in
Neutral - Tow Mode on page 41).
8. Doors & locks (see Using Interior Door
Handles on page 6)
9. Lights (see Lights on page 46)Warning:
Do not read the touchscreen
while driving. Doing so increases the
likelihood of a collision. Everything you need to know when driving is displayed
on the instrument panel.
Controls
68Model S Owner's Manual