ECO mode TESLA MODEL S 2015 Owner's Guide

WipersTo wipe the windshield, rotate the end of the
left-hand steering column lever away from
you. You can choose from four levels:
• 1st: Auto with low rain sensitivity.*
• 2nd: Auto with high rain sensitivity.*
• 3rd: Continuous, slow.
• 4th: Continuous, fast.
For a single wipe, press and release the end of the lever.
If the wipers are set to Auto and the sensor
detects no water, the wipers do not wipe.
When you operate the wipers, headlights automatically turn on (if they are not onalready).
*Model S has a rain sensor located on the
inside of the windshield at the base of the interior mirror. When wipers are set to Auto,
the frequency at which they wipe depends on
how much water the sensor detects. When
wipers are set to the 2nd level, the sensor is
more sensitive.
To extend the life of wiper blades, remove ice from the windshield before turning wipers on.
Ice has sharp edges that can damage the
rubber on the blades.
Periodically check and clean the edge of the
wiper blade. If damaged, replace the blade
immediately. For details on checking and
replacing wiper blades, see Wiper Blades and
Washer Jets on page 121.
Caution:
In harsh climates, ensure that the
wiper blades are not frozen or adhered to
the windshield.De-icing Wipers
To make wiper blades easy to access so you
can remove any ice and snow, shift Model S
into Park, then use the touchscreen to move
them to the service position. Touch Controls >
Settings > Service & Reset > Service Mode >
ON . When parking in cold outdoor climates, it
is helpful to leave Model S with the wipers in
the service position. In this position, they are
closer to the defrost vent, allowing you to thaw them by directing air from the climatecontrol system towards the windshield.
Note: Wipers automatically return to their
normal position when you shift Model S out of
Park.
If Model S is equipped with the cold weather
option, you can de-ice wipers by touching Controls > Cold Weather > Heated Wipers .
The heated wipers automatically turn off after
heating the wipers for 15 minutes.
Washers
Press the button on the end of the left
steering column lever to spray washer fluid onto the windshield. You can press this buttonat two levels. Press partially for a single wipe,
without any washer fluid. Press fully for both
wipe and wash. When washing the windshield,
the wipers will perform two wipes after you
release the button, then a third wipe a few seconds later.
Periodically top up washer fluid (see Topping
Up Washer Fluid on page 125).
De-icing Washer Nozzles
If Model S is equipped with the cold weather
option, washer nozzles have de-icers that turn on whenever the ambient temperature nearsfreezing, or when you turn on the heatedwipers ( Controls > Cold Weather > Heated
Wipers ). The washer de-icers turn off when
the heated wipers turn off (after 15 minutes),
provided the temperature is warm enough to
prevent freezing.
Wipers and Washers
Driving51

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 system minimizes wheel
spin by controlling brake pressure and motor
power. By default, the traction control system
is always active. Under normal conditions, it should remain active to ensure maximum
safety.
On standard Model S vehicles, traction control can be turned off at any time. Turn it off only
in circumstances where you deliberately want
the wheels to spin, such as when Model S is
stuck in snow or mud.
On a dual motor Model S, you can enable slip
start to allow the wheels to spin at a limited speed. Slip start can be enabled only whenModel S is moving 20 mph (32 km/h) or
slower. Slip start automatically disables when the speed exceeds 40 mph (64 km/h).This indicator displays on the
instrument panel whenever the
traction control system is actively
controlling brake pressure and
motor power to minimize wheel spin.Warning: Traction control can not
prevent accidents caused by driving dangerously or turning too sharply at
high speeds.
Allowing Wheel Slip
Under normal conditions, the traction control
system should remain enabled. Disable it 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 allow the wheels to spin on a standard single motor Model S, touch Controls >
Driving > Traction Control > Off .
To allow the wheels to spin on a dual motor
Model S, touch Controls > Driving > Traction
Control > Slip Start .
This indicator displays at the top
center of the touchscreen whenever
the wheels are allowed to spin (i.e.
when the traction control system on
a standard single-motor Model S is
turned off, or when Slip start on a
dual-motor Model S is enabled.
Although the traction control system automatically reactivates the next time you
start Model S, it is strongly recommended that you enable it immediately after thecircumstances that required you to disable it
have passed.
Traction Control
54Model S Owner's Manual

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 speed limit warning 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 speed limit warning to Chime
(see Controlling Speed Assist) and exceed the speed limit, the speedometer displays excessspeed in gray, and you also hear a warningchime.
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
Driving55

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 > Speed Assist , then choose
one of these options:
• 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
56Model S Owner's Manual

Traffic-Aware Cruise Control uses a camera
mounted on the windshield behind the interior
rear view mirror and a radar sensor in the
center of the front grill to detect whether
there is a vehicle in front of you in the same lane. If the area in front of Model S is clear,Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is designed todrive consistently at a set speed. When a
vehicle is detected, Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control is designed to slow down Model S if needed to maintain a selected time-baseddistance from the vehicle in front, up to the
set speed. Traffic-Aware Cruise Control does
not eliminate the need to watch the road in
front of you and to apply the brakes if needed.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control makes it easy to maintain a consistent time-based distance
from a vehicle travelling in front of you in the
same lane. Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is
primarily intended for driving on dry, straight roads, such as highways and freeways. It
should not be used on city streets.
Note: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is available
only if your Model S is equipped with Autopilot hardware and you have purchased
the Tech Package.
Operating Traffic Aware Cruise
Control
1. Touch the end of the cruise control lever.
Unless a vehicle is detected ahead of you, you must be driving at least 18 mph
(30 km/h) to initiate Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control. If a vehicle is detected in front of you, you can initiate Traffic-Aware CruiseControl at any speed, even when
stationary.
The light on the lever turns on. Traffic-
Aware Cruise Control is now in standby
mode and is not actively controlling your speed until you specify a cruising speed,
as described in the next step.
2. Set your cruising speed by accelerating
until you reach a desired cruising speed
then moving the cruise control lever up or
down (or pull briefly toward you), then
releasing.
Once you've initally set a cruising speed, you can adjust the speed to cruise at the
speed limit that is currently being
determined by Speed Assist (see Speed
Assist on page 55). To do so, pull the
cruise control lever toward you and hold momentarily (about half a second). Whenyou release, your cruising speed is set to
the speed that is automatically or manually being determined by Speed
Assist, taking into consideration any offset you may have specified.
Note: When you adjust the cruising speed
based on the speed limit, the set speed
does not change when the speed limit changes. You will need to pull the lever
again. You can also manually adjust your
cruising speed at any time (see Changing
the Set Speed on page 62).
Warning: Do not rely on Speed Assist
to determine an accurate or
appropriate cruising speed. Always
cruise at a safe speed based on traffic and road conditions.
3. To set the distance you want to maintain
between Model S and a vehicle travelling
ahead of you, rotate the cruise control
lever to choose a setting from 1 (the
closest following distance) to 7 (the
longest following distance). Each setting
corresponds to a time-based distance that represents how long it takes for Model S,
from its current location, to reach the
location of the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead.
As you rotate the cruise control lever, the
instrument panel displays the current
setting. Release the lever when the
desired setting is displayed.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
60Model S Owner's Manual

The instrument panel displays the Cruisemessage above the speedometer (see
Instrument Panel Indicator Lights on page
62) and a tick mark at the edge of the
speedometer indicates the set speed.
You can now release the accelerator pedal
and allow Traffic-Aware Cruise Control to maintain your set speed. When no vehicle isdetected ahead, Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
maintains the set speed. If a vehicle is
detected, Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
maintains your chosen following distance, up to the set speed, decelerating Model S as
needed. When the vehicle you are following is no longer detected, Traffic Aware Cruise
Control accelerates back to the set speed.
You can accelerate at any time when driving at a set speed using Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control. But when you release the accelerator, Model S returns to the set speed.
When following a vehicle, Traffic-Aware
Cruise Control remains active at low speeds. If
Model S comes to a standstill and remains stationary for approximately three seconds
(slightly longer when driving on highway
conditions), you will need to resume Traffic-
Aware Cruise Control by pressing the
accelerator pedal or pulling the cruise control lever toward you (see Canceling and
Resuming on page 64). A message displays
on the instrument panel that you need to
resume Traffic-Aware Cruise Control.
When Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is actively
slowing down Model S to maintain the
selected distance from the vehicle ahead,
brake lights turn on to alert other road users
that you are slowing down. You may also notice slight movement of the brake pedal.
Warning: Do not depend on Traffic-
Aware Cruise Control to adequately and appropriately slow down Model S. Always
watch the road in front of you and stay
prepared to brake at all times. Traffic-
Aware Cruise Control does not eliminate the need to apply the brakes as needed,even at slow speeds.Warning: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
can not detect all objects and may not
detect a stationary vehicle or other objectin the lane of travel. There may be
situations in which Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control does not detect a vehicle, bicycle, or pedestrian. Depending on Traffic-
Aware Cruise Control to avoid a collision can result in serious injury or death.Warning: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
may react to vehicles or objects that either do not exist or are not in the lane
of travel, causing Model S to slow down
unnecessarily or inappropriately..Warning: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
may misjudge the distance from a vehicle ahead. Always watch the road in front of
you. It is the driver's responsibility to
maintain a safe distance from a vehicle
ahead of you.Warning: When you enable Traffic-Aware
Cruise Control in a situation where you are closely following the vehicle in front
of you, Model S may apply the brakes to
maintain the selected distance.Warning: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
has limited deceleration ability and may be unable to apply enough braking to
avoid a collision if a vehicle in front slows
suddenly, or if a vehicle enters your driving lane in front of you. Never dependon Traffic-Aware Cruise Control to slowdown the vehicle enough to prevent a
collision. Always keep your eyes on the
road when driving and be prepared to take corrective action as needed.Depending on Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control to slow the vehicle down enough
to prevent a collision can result in serious
injury or death.Warning: Driving downhill can increase
driving speed, causing Model S to exceed
your set speed. Hills can also make it
more difficult for Model S to slow down
enough to maintain the chosen following
distance from the vehicle ahead.Warning: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
may occasionally brake Model S when not required based on the distance from a
vehicle ahead. This can be caused by vehicles in adjacent lanes (especially on
curves), or by stationary objects.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
Driving61

Instrument Panel Indicator LightsTraffic-Aware Cruise Control is
operating and is maintaining the set
speed because it is not actively
tracking a vehicle in front.Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is
actively tracking a vehicle and will
decelerate/accelerate as needed to
maintain your chosen following
distance.Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is in a
Hold state because Model S came to
a standstill behind a vehicle in front.
You will need to resume cruise.Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is in a
Hold state because Model came to a standstill but a vehicle is not
detected in front. You will need to
resume cruise.
Changing the Set Speed
To change the set speed while using Traffic-
Aware Cruise Control, move the cruise control
lever up (increase) or down (decrease) until your desired speed is reached.
Move the lever up or down to the first position
and release to increase/decrease speed by 1 mph (1 km/h). Move the lever up/down to
the second position and release to increase/ decrease speed to the next multiple of 5 mph
(5 km/h). For example, if you are travelling at 54 mph (86 km/h) and move the lever up to
the second position and release, the speed increases to 55 mph (90 km/h).
You can also hold the lever up or down to
increase/decrease the speed in 2 mph (2 km/h) increments, then release when youreach the desired speed.
Note: It may take a few seconds for Model S
to reach the new cruising speed.
Traffic-Aware 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
68Model S Owner's Manual

Driving Tips to Maximize RangeYou can maximize your driving range usingthe same driving habits that you use to
conserve fuel in a gasoline-powered vehicle. In
addition to driving habits, energy
consumption depends on environmental conditions (such as cold weather and hillyroads). To get the maximum mileage from a
charge:
• Avoid frequent and rapid acceleration. • Instead of using the brake to slow down, move your foot off the accelerator.
Whenever Model S is moving and your
foot is off the accelerator, regenerative
braking slows down Model S and feeds
surplus energy back to the Battery (see
Regenerative Braking on page 53).
• Keep tires at the recommended inflation pressures (see Tire Care and Maintenance
on page 109).
• Lighten your load by removing any unnecessary cargo.
• Limit the use of resources such as heating and air conditioning. Using seat heaters to
keep warm is more efficient than heating the cabin. To automatically limit the
amount of power that the climate control system uses to maintain the temperatureof the Battery and the cabin area, touch
Controls > Driving > Range Mode > ON .
Note: On Dual Motor vehicles, you can turn on
Range Mode only when acceleration is set to Sport (if you change Acceleration to Insane,Range Mode automatically turns off).
The power meter on the instrument panel and
the Energy app (described next) provide
feedback on energy usage. With this
feedback, you will soon become familiar with how driving habits and environmental
conditions impact how much energy Model S
is using.
Energy App Use the energy app to view real-time and
projected energy usage. Choose from two
types of charts:
• Consumption Chart: - display how much energy Model S has consumed over thepast 5, 15 or 30 miles (10, 25 or 50 kms).
• Trip Chart - If your Model S is equipped with the navigation option, you can trackthe amount of energy being consumed
while navigating to a destination. The gray
line represents predicted usage and the
green line represents actual usage. Touchthe zoom icon in the top right corner to change the zoom level.
Note: The Trip Chart displays energy usage
only if you are currently navigating to a destination.
Note: In some situations, values and distances
on the Trip chart may be inaccurate. For example, when charging Model S during anactive navigation route. To resolve
inaccuracies, cancel and reinitiate navigation to the destination.
Saving Energy Model S has an energy-saving feature that
reduces the amount of energy being
consumed when Model S is not in use. Touch Controls > Displays > Energy Saving and
choose from the following options:
• OFF . All display systems remain powered
when Model S is not in use, providing the most responsive experience. More energy
is consumed.
• NIGHTLY . Model S shifts to the energy-
saving mode at night (10 pm to 5 am).
• ON. Significantly less energy is consumed
whenever Model S is not in use. The start-
up time of the instrument panel and
Bluetooth could be slower.
• Always Connected . Preserves cell
connectivity when energy saving is active.
This allows the mobile app to connect to
Model S more quickly, and provides
immediate 3G internet access when entering the car. Slightly more energy isconsumed.
Getting Maximum Range
70Model S Owner's Manual

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 85.Maps and Navigation (if
equipped). See Using Maps on
page 90.Calendar. See Calendar on page
93.Energy. See Getting Maximum
Range on page 70.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 71.Phone. See Phone on page 88.
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 80).
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
Using the Touchscreen73