traction control TESLA MODEL S 2023 Owners Manual

Overview................................................................3
Exterior Overview............................................................................3
Interior Overview.............................................................................4
Touchscreen Overview..................................................................6
Opening and Closing.......................................12
Keys.....................................................................................................12
Doors...................................................................................................17
Windows............................................................................................19
Rear Trunk.......................................................................................20
Front Trunk......................................................................................22
Interior Storage and Electronics..............................................25
Seating and Safety Restraints.....................29
Front and Rear Seats...................................................................29
Seat Belts.........................................................................................32
Child Safety Seats.........................................................................35
Airbags...............................................................................................41
Driving..................................................................47
Driver Profiles.................................................................................47
Steering Yoke (or Steering Wheel)........................................49
Mirrors................................................................................................52
Starting and Powering Off.........................................................53
Shifting..............................................................................................55
Lights.................................................................................................58
Instrument Panel............................................................................61
Wipers and Washers....................................................................65
Braking and Stopping.................................................................66
Traction Control.............................................................................69
Park Assist.......................................................................................70
Vehicle Hold....................................................................................72
Acceleration Modes......................................................................73
Track Mode......................................................................................74
Trip Information.............................................................................76
Rear Facing Camera(s)...............................................................77
Pedestrian Warning System......................................................78
Cold Weather Best Practices....................................................79
Autopilot...............................................................81
About Autopilot..............................................................................81
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control....................................................84
Autosteer..........................................................................................88
Navigate on Autopilot.................................................................93
Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control.......................................96
Autopark.........................................................................................103
Summon..........................................................................................105
Smart Summon............................................................................108
Active Safety Features....................................111
Lane Assist.......................................................................................111
Collision Avoidance Assist........................................................114
Speed Assist...................................................................................117
Cabin Camera.................................................................................118
Using the Touchscreen..................................119
Climate Controls...........................................................................119
Phone, Calendar, and Web Conferencing...........................126
Air Suspension..............................................................................129
Voice Commands..........................................................................131
Safety & Security Settings.......................................................133
Dashcam..........................................................................................135
Sentry Mode..................................................................................136
USB Drive Requirements for Recording Videos..............138
Smart Garage Connectivity.....................................................139
Connecting to Wi-Fi...................................................................142
Software Updates........................................................................143
Mobile App.....................................................................................145
Navigation and Entertainment..................147
Maps and Navigation.................................................................147
Media................................................................................................153
Theater, Arcade, and Toybox...................................................156
Charging and Energy Consumption........159
Electric Vehicle Components..................................................159
High Voltage Battery Information..........................................161
Charging Instructions.................................................................163
Scheduled Charging and Scheduled Departure..............168
Getting Maximum Range..........................................................169
Maintenance.......................................................171
Maintenance Service Intervals.................................................171
Tire Care and Maintenance.......................................................173
Cleaning...........................................................................................178
Windshield Wiper Blades, Jets and Fluid...........................182
Jacking and Lifting.....................................................................184
Parts and Accessories................................................................185
Do It Yourself Maintenance......................................................186
Specifications...................................................187
Identification Labels...................................................................187
Vehicle Loading............................................................................188
Dimensions....................................................................................190
Subsystems....................................................................................192
Wheels and Tires.........................................................................194
Roadside Assistance.....................................201
Contacting Tesla Roadside Assistance...............................201
Instructions for Transporters..................................................202
Running Out of Range..............................................................206
Jump Starting..............................................................................207
Troubleshooting.............................................209
Troubleshooting Alerts............................................................209
Contents

IndicatorDescriptionThis indicator flashes amber when the
electronic stability control systems are actively minimizing wheel spin by
controlling brake pressure and motor
power. See
Traction Control on page 69.
If this indicator remains on, a fault is detected and you should immediately contact Tesla.
If a fault is detected that reduces the performance of the air suspension system, this amber indicator light
displays (see
Air Suspension on page
129). If the problem persists, contact
Tesla.
If a fault is detected that disables the air suspension system, this red indicator light displays (see
Air Suspension on
page 129). Contact Tesla.
Vehicle Hold is actively applying the brakes. See
Vehicle Hold on page 72.
Electronic stability control systems are no longer minimizing wheel spin. See
Traction Control on page 69.
Model S is in Transport mode and can roll
freely. It does not automatically shift into Park when you exit. See
Activate
Transport Mode on page 203.
A blue snowflake appears when some of
the energy stored in the Battery may not be available due to cold weather
conditions. During these cold weather
conditions, charging rates may also be limited. If
Model S is plugged in, you can
heat your Battery by turning on climate control with the mobile app. The
snowflake disappears when the Battery is
sufficiently warm.
A green icon appears when regenerative
braking is limited. See
Regenerative
Braking on page 67 for more information.
Vehicle power is currently being limited
because the energy remaining in the
Battery is low, the vehicle

Braking SystemsWARNING: Properly functioning braking systems
are critical to ensure safety. If you experience a
problem with the brake pedal, brake calipers, or
any component of a Model S braking system,
contact Tesla immediately.
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 briefly flashes amber on
the
instrument panel when you first start
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. Drive cautiously and avoid heavy braking.
If the instrument panel displays this red
brake indicator at any time other than
briefly when you first start Model S, a brake
system fault is detected, or the level of the
brake
fluid is low. Contact Tesla
immediately. Apply steady pressure and
keep the brakes
firm to bring the vehicle to
a stop when safe to do so.
The instrument panel displays this amber
brake indicator if a brake booster fault is detected. Apply steady pressure and keep the brakes
firm to stop the vehicle when
safety permits. Hydraulic Boost Compensation will be active (see
Hydraulic
Boost Compensation on page 67).
WARNING: When driving a Model S Plaid
equipped with the optional Carbon Ceramic Brake
Kit in temperatures below 14 degrees Fahrenheit
(-10 degrees Celsius), the instrument panel
displays an alert indicating that stability and
braking performance may be degraded in cold
weather. You may need to increase the amount of
pressure you apply to the brake pedal when
driving in cold weather. Be aware of this reduced
performance and drive cautiously in cold weather
conditions. The Apply Brakes When Regenerative
Braking is Limited feature is not available on a
Model S Plaid equipped with the optional Carbon
Ceramic Brake Kit.
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).
CAUTION: Automatic Emergency Braking (see
Automatic Emergency Braking on page 115) may
intervene to automatically brake in situations
where a collision is considered imminent.
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.
Dynamic Brake Lights (if equipped)
If you are driving over 30 mph (50 km/h) and brake
forcefully
(or if Automatic Emergency Braking engages),
the brake lights
flash quickly to warn other drivers that
Model S is rapidly slowing down. If Model S stops
completely, the hazard warning lights
flash. Flashing
continues until you press the accelerator or manually press the hazard lights button to turn them
off (see
Hazard Warning Flashers on page 60).
NOTE: When towing a trailer (if applicable), the brake
lights on the trailer also operate as described above,
even when the trailer is not equipped with a separate
braking system.
Braking and Stopping
66MODEL S Owner

Parking Brake
To engage the parking brake, touch Controls > Safety >
Parking Brake. Follow the onscreen instructions.
Use the touchscreen to manually release the parking brake (which also shifts
Model S into Neutral):
1.
Touch Controls > Safety.
2.
Press the brake pedal, then touch Parking Brake. If
Model S was previously in Park, it shifts into Neutral.
When you manually apply the parking
brake using the touchscreen, the red
parking brake indicator lights up on the
instrument panel.
If the parking brake experiences an
electrical issue, the amber parking brake
indicator lights up and a fault message displays on the
instrument panel.
NOTE: The parking brake operates on the rear wheels
only, and is independent of the pedal-operated brake
system.
CAUTION: In the unlikely event that Model S loses
electrical power, you cannot access the
touchscreen and are therefore unable to release
the parking brake without first jump starting (see
Jump Starting on page 207).
WARNING: In snowy or icy conditions the rear
wheels may not have sufficient traction to prevent
Model S 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 S 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

How It Works
The traction control system constantly monitors the speed of 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 on. Under normal conditions, it should remain on to ensure
maximum safety.
This yellow indicator flashes on the
instrument panel whenever the traction
control system is actively controlling brake
pressure and motor power to minimize wheel spin. If the indicator stays on, a fault is detected with the traction control system. Contact Tesla Service.
WARNING: Traction control cannot prevent
collisions caused by driving dangerously or turning
too sharply at high speeds.
Allowing Wheel Slip
To allow the wheels to spin at a limited speed, you can
enable Slip Start.
Slip Start can be enabled only when
Model S is moving 30 mph (48 km/h) or slower. Slip
Start automatically disables when the speed exceeds
50 mph (80 km/h).
Under normal conditions, Slip Start should not be enabled. Enable it only in circumstances where you
deliberately want the wheels to spin, such as:

Track Mode, available only on Plaid Model S vehicles, is
designed to modify the stability control, traction control, regenerative braking, and cooling systems to increase performance and handling while driving on closed
circuit courses. Track Mode improves cornering ability by
intelligently using the motors, and regenerative and
traditional braking systems. When enabled, the cooling
system runs at an increased level during and after
aggressive driving sessions to allow your vehicle

summer tires: 177
Summon: 105
Summon Distance: 105
superchargers, displaying on map: 147
supercharging: 166
described: 166
idle fees: 166
pay-per-use fees: 166
suspension: 129
suspension specifications: 194
suspension, air: 129
suspension, auto-raising: 129
suspension, damping: 129
T
telematics: 261
temperature: 50, 61, 119, 161, 197
Battery (high voltage), limits: 161
cabin, controls for: 119
heated: 50
outside: 61
tires: 197
tesla profiles: 47
Teslacam: 135, 136
tie-down straps: 205
tilt/intrusion detection: 133
Tire and Loading Information label: 188
tire noise: 177
Tire Pressure Monitoring System: 175
overview of: 175
tire pressures, checking: 173
tire pressures, displaying: 173
tires: 173, 174, 176, 177, 194, 195, 197
all-season: 177
balancing: 174
chains: 177
inspecting and maintaining: 173
pressures, displaying: 173
pressures, how to check: 173
quality grading: 197
replacing: 174
replacing a tire sensor: 176
rotation: 174
specification: 194
summer: 177
temperature grades: 197
tire markings: 195
traction grade: 197
treadwear grade: 197
wheel configuration: 173
winter: 177
toll system transponders, attaching: 185
torque specifications: 192
touch up body: 180
touchscreen: 6, 8, 10, 143, 180
adding shortcuts: 10
cleaning: 180
customizing My Apps: 10
display settings: 6
frozen: 8
main: 6
overview: 6
rear: 6
reboot: 8
software updates: 143
unresponsive: 8
towing: 203, 206, 207
towing, instructions: 202
towing, transporting: 202
Toybox: 156
TPMS: 175
overview of: 175
Track Mode: 74
Tracking Disabled: 147
traction control: 69
trademarks: 259
Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control: 96
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control: 84
transmission specifications: 192
transponders, attaching: 185
Transport Canada, contacting: 264
Transport Mode: 203
transporting: 203
trip chart: 170
trip meter: 76
Trip Planner: 151
trunk, front: 22
trunk, rear: 20
turn signals, lights: 60
U
ultrasonic sensors: 81
uniform tire quality grading: 197
Unlock On Park: 18
unlocking: 17
USB devices, connecting: 25
USB flash drive: 133, 135, 136
USB ports, console: 25
Index