light TESLA MODEL S 2017 (UK)  User Guide

Airbag Warning IndicatorThe airbag indicator on the
instrument panel remains lit if the airbag system is malfunctioning. The
only time this indicator should light
up is
briefly when Model S firstpowers up, in which case it turns offwithin a few seconds. If it remains lit,
contact Tesla immediately and do
not drive.
Airbag Warnings
Warning: No objects should be placed
over or near the air bag on the instrument panel, because any such objects couldcause harm if the vehicle is in a crash
severe enough to cause the air bag to
inflate.
Warning: All occupants, including the driver, should always wear their seat belts,
whether or not an airbag is also provided
at their seating position, to minimize the
risk of severe injury or death in the event
of a collision.Warning: Front seat occupants should not
place their arms over the airbag module,
as an
inflating bag can cause fractures or
other injuries.
Warning: Do not use seat covers on
Model S. Doing so could restrict
deployment of the side air bags if an
accident occurs. It can also reduce the
accuracy of the occupant detection
system, if equipped.Warning: Airbags inflate with
considerable speed and force, which can
cause injury. To limit injuries, ensure that occupants are wearing seat belts and are
correctly seated, with the seat positioned as far back as possible.Warning: Do not use a child safety seat or
seat young children on a seat with an
operational airbag in front of it. Doing so
can cause injury or death if the airbag
inflates.
Warning: To ensure correct inflation of the
side airbags, maintain an unobstructed
gap between an occupant

IndicatorDescription
Parking lights (side marker lights, tail lights, and license plate lights) are on. See
Lights on page 51.Front fog lights (optional). See Lights on page 51.Rear fog lights. See Lights on page 51.Adaptive Front Lighting. See Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS) on page 54.
Electronic stability control systems are actively minimizing wheel spin by
controlling brake pressure and motor power (indicator flashes). See Traction
Control on page 59. If this indicator stays illuminated, a fault is detected (contact
Tesla immediately).Smart Air Suspension

8. Use the right steering wheel buttons to change what displays on the right side of theinstrument panel whenever a phone call is not active (see Using Right Steering Wheel Buttons
on page 40).
9. Total estimated driving distance (or energy) available. Instead of driving distance, you can display the percentage of battery energy remaining. To do so, touch Controls > Settings >Language & Units > Energy & Charging (see Settings on page 101).
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 isblue 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.
10. The speed limit (if available) that is currently being detected by Speed Assist (see Speed
Assist on page 91).
11. The car in front of you (if applicable).
Note: In situations where Autosteer is unable to detect lane markings, the driving lane isdetermined based on the vehicle you are following. In these situations, the car in front of you
is highlighted in blue.
12. Pay attention to important driving-related messages that appear at the bottom center of the instrument panel.
13. Your Model S.
14. When Autosteer is active and detects the driving lane, it is highlighted in blue (see Autosteer
on page 76).
15. Currently selected gear: Park, Reverse, Neutral, or Drive.
Instrument Panel
50Model S Owner

Controlling LightsTouch Controls on the bottom corner of the touchscreen to control most of the lights.In addition to the lights that you can control from the touchscreen, Model S has convenience lightsthat turn on and
off automatically based on what you are doing. For example, you will notice
interior lights, marker lights, tail lights, door handle lights, and puddle lights that turn on when you
unlock Model S, when you open a door, and when you shift into Park. They turn
off automatically
after a minute or two or when you shift into a driving gear or lock Model S.
Note: Depending on options chosen at time of purchase, some vehicles are not equipped with fog
lights.
Lights
Driving51

1. If you turn on DOME lights, all 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. If set to AUTO, dome lights turn on only when
little or no light is detected.
You can also manually 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. If you turn on AUTO HIGH BEAM, high beam headlights turn on and
off automatically based
on whether or not light is detected in front of Model S (see High Beam Headlights on page
54). This feature is available only if Model S is equipped with the optional Autopilot Tech Package.
4. Touch to turn fog lights (if equipped) on or
off. Fog lights operate only when low beam
headlights are on. Fog lights do not operate when headlights are turned off or when high
beam headlights are on.
The Front Fog indicator displays on the instrument panel whenever front fog
lights are on.The Rear Fog indicator displays on the instrument panel whenever rear fog
lights are on.
Note: Depending on the market region and vehicle options, your vehicle may not be equipped
with front and/or rear fog lights.
Note: In some regions, there is no control for the front fog lights. They operate in conjunction
with the headlights and turn on only in situations where low beam headlights are on.
Lights
52Model S Owner

5. If Model S is equipped with a coil suspension system, you can adjust the angle of theheadlights to accommodate the load you are carrying. You may need to lower the angle of theheadlights to avoid blinding oncoming drivers in situations when you are carrying a
significantamount of weight in the rear trunk. After touching LEVEL, drag the slider to the desiredposition:
0Headlights are not lowered. No change is needed when all front and rear seats are
occupied and only the front trunk is laden.1Headlights are lowered one level. Suitable when the front and rear seats are occupied and the rear trunk is laden.2Headlights are lowered two levels. Suitable when carrying heavy loads.
Note: Headlight adjustments are not available if Model S is equipped with Smart Air
Suspension because Model S levels automatically.
6. Exterior lights (headlights, tail lights, side marker lights, parking lights, and license plate lights) are set to AUTO each time you start Model S.
AUTOExterior lights automatically turn on when driving in low lighting
conditions. If you change to a different setting, lights always revert to this
AUTO setting on your next drive.
Touch one of these options to temporarily change the exterior light setting:
OFFExterior lights turn off until you manually turn them back on or until the
next time you drive Model S. If daytime running lights are required in your
region, the exterior lights used for this purpose do not turn
off.Only the side marker lights, parking lights, tail lights and license plate
lights turn on.Exterior lights turn on.
Note: Model S has a series of lights along the lower rim of the headlights, also referred to as
"signature" lights. These lights automatically turn on whenever Model S is powered on and a driving gear is engaged.
Warning: Always ensure that your headlamps are switched to AUTO or ON, as
appropriate, during all low visibility conditions. Failure to do so may result in a collision.
Lights
Driving53

High Beam HeadlightsPush the left-hand steering column lever away
from you. To cancel, pull the lever toward you.
If Model S is equipped with Driver Assistance
components (see About Driver Assistance on
page 68), and you have purchased the
optional Autopilot Tech Package, the high
beam headlights can automatically switch to low beam when there is light detected in front
of Model S (for example, from an oncoming vehicle or street lights). To turn this feature on,touch Controls > Auto High Beam .
Note: Your chosen setting is retained until you manually change it. It can also be saved in
your driver
profile.
In situations where high beams are turned offbecause Auto High Beam is turned on and light is detected in front of Model S, you can
temporarily turn on high beams by pulling the
lever all the way toward you.
The following indicator lights are visible on the
instrument panel when high beams are turned
on:
High beams are turned on and the
Auto High Beam setting is turned
off.
High beams are currently turned on,
and Auto High Beam is ready to turn
off the high beams if light is
detected in front of Model S.
High beams are temporarily turnedoff because Auto High Beam is on
and is detecting light in front of
Model S. When light is no longer
detected, the high beams will
automatically turn back on.
To flash the headlight high beams, pull the
lever fully toward you and release.
Warning: Auto High Beam is an aid only and is subject to limitations. It is the
driver

The turn signals stop operating when canceledby the steering wheel, or when you return the
lever to the central position.
The corresponding turn signal
indicator lights up on the instrument
panel when a turn signal is
operating. You also hear a clicking
sound.Warning: If Model S is equipped with both
Autopilot hardware and the optional
Autopilot Tech Package, and
Traffic-
Aware Cruise Control is active, engaging
a turn signal can cause Model S to accelerate when using
Traffic-AwareCruise Control in specific situations (see
Overtake Acceleration on page 73).
Warning: If Model S is equipped with both
Autopilot hardware and the optional
Autopilot Tech Package, and Autosteer is active, engaging a turn signal can cause
Model S to change lanes (see Auto Lane
Change on page 79).
Lane Change Flash
To indicate a lane change, quickly press the
lever up or down against the spring pressure,
then release. The corresponding turn signal
flashes three times.
Hazard Warning Flashers To turn on the hazard warning
flashers, press
the button located on the side of the
touchscreen closest to the steering wheel. All
turn signals
flash. Press again to turn off.
Note: Hazard warning flashers operate even
without a Model S key nearby.
Lights
Driving55

Braking Systems
Model S has an anti-lock braking system (ABS) that prevents the wheels from locking when
you apply maximum brake pressure. This
improves steering control during heavy
braking in most road conditions.
During emergency braking conditions, the
ABS constantly monitors the speed of each
wheel and varies the brake pressure according
to the grip available.
The alteration of brake pressure can be felt as
a pulsing sensation through the brake pedal.
This demonstrates that the ABS is operating
and is not a cause for concern. Keep
firm and
steady pressure on the brake pedal while
experiencing the pulsing.
The ABS indicator flashes briefly on
the instrument panel when you firststart Model S. If this indicator lights
up at any other time, an ABS fault
has occurred and the ABS is not
operating. Contact Tesla. The braking system remains fully operational and
is not
affected by an ABS failure.
However, braking distances may increase.
If the instrument panel displays this
indicator at any time other than
displaying
briefly when you first start
Model S, a brake system fault is
detected or the brake
fluid level is
low. Contact Tesla immediately.
Emergency Braking
In an emergency, fully press the brake pedal
and maintain
firm pressure, even on low
traction surfaces. The ABS varies the braking
pressure to each wheel according to the
amount of traction available. This prevents
wheels from locking and ensures that you stop
as safely as possible.
Warning: Do not pump the brake pedal.
Doing so interrupts operation of the ABS
and can increase braking distance.Warning: Always maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you and be
aware of hazardous driving conditions.
While the ABS can improve stopping
distance, it cannot overcome the laws of physics. It also does not prevent the
danger of hydroplaning (where a layer of
water prevents direct contact between the tires and the road).
If Model S is equipped with Autopilot
hardware, Automatic Emergency Braking
automatically applies full braking in situations
where a collision is considered imminent (see
Automatic Emergency Braking on page 89).
Warning: Automatic Emergency Braking
is not designed to prevent a collision. At best, it can minimize the impact of a
frontal collision by attempting to reduce
your driving speed. Depending on Automatic Emergency Braking to avoid a
collision can result in serious injury or death.
Brake Wear
Model S 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 stop
the squealing, 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 Brakes on page 165.
Warning: Neglecting to replace worn
brake pads results in damage to the
braking system and can create a braking
hazard.
Brakes
Driving57

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 pressure from the accelerator to slow down, you can take advantage ofregenerative 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 Energy app displays real-time feedback
on the amount of energy being gained by
regenerative braking. You can also display the
power meter on either side of the instrument
panel by choosing Energy using the scroll
button on the steering wheel (see Steering
Wheel on page 39).
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 the
level of regenerative braking:
1. Touch Controls > Driving > Regenerative Braking .
2. Choose from two levels: