warning lights TESLA ROADSTER 2008 Owners Manual

Interior
2-5
Your vehicle at a glance
Dashboard overview1. Touch Screen. See Touch Scr een Users Manual provided in your owners package .
2. Turn signals, headlight high beam and cruise control. See Exterior lights, page 6-7 and Cruise control, page 6-9.
3. Instruments. See Instruments, page 6-11.
4. Windshield wiper and washer. See Windshield wiper and washer, page 6-8.
5. Hazard warning light switch. See Hazard warning, page 6-10.
6. Heating and air conditioning. See Interior temperature control, page 7-4.
7. Gear selector. See Selecting gears, page 6-3.
8. Traction control switch. See Traction control, page 6-6.
9. Accessory power socket. See Accessory power socket, page 7-7.
10. Horn. See Horn, page 6-10 .
11. Starter switch. See Starting the vehicle, page 6-3.
12. Hood release. See Opening and closing the hood, page 9-3.
13. Trunk release. See Opening the trunk, page 4-6.
14. Instrument panel illumination control. See Instrument panel lighting, page 6-14.
15. Exterior lights master switch. See Exterior lights, page 6-7.
16. Power windows. See Operating the windows, page 7-2.
17. Central door locking. See Central door locking, page 4-4.
Roadster OHB.book Page 5 Th ursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM

General information about charging5-2
Charging your vehicle
Charging your vehicle
General information about chargingImportant!
Caution: If the Battery’s charge level
falls to 0%, it must be plugged in
immediately. Failure to do so can
permanently damage the Battery and this
damage is not covered by the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty. Also, if you allow the
Battery to fall to a critically low level it may
not be possible to charge the vehicle. If you
are unable to charge the vehicle, contact
Te s l a M o t o r s .
WARNING: The Battery has no parts
that an owner, or a non-Tesla authorized
technician can service. Under no
circumstances should you open or tamper
with the Battery. Always contact Tesla Motors
to arrange for Battery servicing
.S
At the end of its service life, the Battery
will be recycled. Contact Tesla Motors
for recycling arrangements.
The BatteryThe Tesla Roadster’s Battery provides power
to the motor as well as all the other electrical
systems on the vehicle, such as lights,
instruments, audio system, etc.
The Battery is one of the largest and most
advanced battery packs in the world,
consisting of several thousand lithium-ion
battery cells that store enough energy for the
vehicle to travel over 200 miles without
recharging.
Note: Actual range will vary based on driving
style. The vehicle consumes more energy if
you are driving aggressively, driving up hills, or are using more resources such as air
conditioning. Also, over time, the Battery
experiences a gradual loss of capacity,
inherent in all lithium-ion batteries. So, as
your vehicle ages, the ca
pacity of the Battery
declines.
As you drive your vehicle, the level of charge
in the Battery is depleted and you’ll need to
recharge it. The Roadster’s built-in charging
system allows you to easily recharge it by
connecting an electrical power supply to the
vehicle’s charging port.
Designed to be plugged inThe Tesla Roadster is de signed to be plugged
in when not in use. This ensures that the next
time you use the vehicle, it is fully charged
and ready to go. There is no advantage to
waiting until battery level is low before
charging. In fact, by plugging it in every night,
you eliminate the risk of damage that could
be caused by over-discharging the battery.
When plugged in, the vehicle takes care of
itself, preserving battery life by managing the
charge level and keeping the Battery at an
ideal temperature. The vehicle wakes up
every 24 hours and, if needed, automatically
initiates the charging process to keep the
Battery at an optimum charge level.
If you’re not driving your vehicle every day,
see Storing your vehicle, page 5-3 .
Leaving the vehicle unpluggedEven when you’re not driving the vehicle, the
Battery will slowly lose its charge. Therefore,
when you’re not using the vehicle, you should
leave it plugged in. However, situations may
arise in which you must leave the vehicle
unplugged for an extended time (for
example, at an airport when travelling for a
couple of weeks). If this is the case, it is your
responsibility to ensure that the Battery does
not become fully depleted. Charge the
Battery to a maximum level before leaving it,
and keep in mind that when the vehicle is left
unplugged, the Battery’s charge level will
drop to a level of approximately 50% within
the first week, and then decline at a rate of
approximately 5% each subsequent week.
Plan accordingly to ensure that the Battery
never approaches a level of 0%.
Over-discharge can permanently damage the
Battery.
If for some reason, you are unable to keep the
vehicle plugged in when it is not being used,
it is up to you to preserve battery life by
paying attention to the charge level and the
temperature (see bulleted list below). If
leaving your vehicle unplugged for more than
24 hours, follow these do’s and don’ts to
avoid prematurely decreasing the life of your
vehicle’s Battery:
• DO leave the vehicle plugged in whenever
possible.
• DO maintain at least a 15% charge level in
the Battery if leaving it unplugged for
more than 48 hours.
Roadster OHB.book Page 2 Th ursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM

6-1
Driving your vehicle
Driving basicsKey positions 6-2
Steering column lock 6-2
Starting the vehicle 6-3
Selecting gears 6-3
Driving tips 6-3
Hand brake 6-5
Braking 6-5
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) 6-5
Traction control 6-6
Switches and controls Exterior lights 6-7
Turn signals 6-8
Windshield wiper and washer 6-8
Cruise control 6-9
Hazard warning 6-10
Horn 6-10
Instruments LCD panel 6-11
Warning indicators 6-12
Gear position indicators 6-13
Instrument panel lighting 6-14
Roadster OHB.book Page 1 Thursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM

Driving basics6-2
Driving your vehicle
Driving your vehicle
Driving basicsKey positionsThe starter switch is located on the
right-hand side of the steering column and
uses the following key positions to control
the electrical circuits and steering column
lock.OFF•Park mode active
• Interior and trunk lights operational
• Exterior and hazard warning lights
operational
• Central door locking master switch
operational
• Trunk release switch operational
Note: When turning the key to the OFF
position, the circuits that operate in ACC
continue to operate until the key is removed.
ACC• Park mode still active
• Audio and navigation systems
operationalON•All instruments, warning indicators and
electrical circuits operationalSTART•The vehicle initiates the start-up
sequence to prepare for driving (if the
brake pedal is pressed). The gear position
indicator illuminates green and park
mode is deactivated.Removing the keyTo remove the key, turn the key to the OFF
position. Exterior lights (except hazard
warning lights) automatically turn off when
the key is removed from the starter switch.
If the key has been left in the starter switch,
an audible alert sounds when the driver’s
door is opened.
WARNING: Never remove the key from
the starter switch while the vehicle is
moving. The steering column lock will
engage, making it impossible to steer the
vehicle.
S
Steering column lockThe steering column lock is activated when
the key is removed from the starter switch,
but may not engage until the steering wheel
is turned and the mechanism aligned. To release the steering column lock, insert the
key into the starter switch and turn to the
ACC position. If it is difficult to turn the key, a
small movement of the steering wheel will
help to disengage the steering lock.
TR0004OFF
ACC
ON
STARTRoadster OHB.book Page 2 Th ursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM

Switches and controls
6-7
Driving your vehicle
Switches and controlsExterior lightsThe exterior lights are controlled using a
rotary switch mounted on the dashboard,
below the Touch Screen.
The switch has three positions:
1. All exterior lighting and backlighting for
instruments and switches is switched off.
2. Front and side lights, tail lights and
license plate light are switched on. If the
starter switch is in the ACC or ON
position, backlighting for instruments and
switches is also switched on.
3. Headlights on.
Headlight high beamPush the left-hand steering column lever
away from you to select high beam. To cancel
high beam, pull the lever towards you.
An indicator in the instrument panel
illuminates when high beam is active.
Note: The high beams operate only when the
exterior lights master switch is in position 3
and the starter switch is in either the ACC or
ON position.Headlight high beam flashHigh beams can be flas hed by briefly pulling
the steering column lever towards you and
releasing.Exterior lights active periodThe exterior lights will automatically
extinguish if the key is removed from the
starter switch. To keep the exterior lights on after the key is removed, manually turn the
exterior light switch to the OFF position and
then back to the ON position.
Lights on warningIf the exterior lights have been left on, an
audible alert sounds when the driver’s door is
opened.
1
2
3
1
2
3
TR0017
R
O
TR0019
Roadster OHB.book Page 7 Th
ursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM

Switches and controls6-10
Driving your vehicle
Hazard warningThe hazard warning switch is located in the
center console and operates even when the
key is not in the starter switch.
Press to operate. The hazard warning switch
and the front and rear turn signals will flash.
The turn indicators in the instrument panel
will also flash.
Note: Only use hazard warning lights in an
emergency to warn other road users of a
breakdown or other potential danger.
Remember to switch off when the hazardous
situation has been resolved.
HornPress either of the two horn symbols
embossed on the steering wheel to sound the
horn.
TR0063
TR0013
Roadster OHB.book Page 10 Thursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM

Instruments6-12Driving your vehicleThe extending bar on the top right of the LCD
is a visual indicator of the amount of and
direction of the current:
• When the bar extends to the right of the
vertical line, the Battery is discharging.
• When the solid bar extends to the left of
the vertical line, then the Battery is
recharging (from regenerative braking).Charge levelThe size of the filled region within the battery
icon provides a visual indicator of the amount
of charge remaining in the Battery.
Odometer and trip displayThis portion of the LCD display can display
trip, odometer, and range information. To
scroll through these types of information,
press the button located on the right-hand
side of the steering column:
• The TRIP display shows the miles traveled
since the trip display was last reset. To
reset the trip display to zero, press and
hold the button on the side of the
steering column for about one second.
Note: The TRIP display can also be
viewed and reset on the Touch Screen’s
Drive screen called “Trip”. Resetting the
TRIP display using the button on the
steering column resets the trip display on
the Touch Screen, and vice versa.
• The ODO display shows the total miles
traveled by the vehicle in its lifetime.
TR0032TR0031-B
TR0029
Reset
TRIP
Display
•The RANGE display shows an estimate of
how many miles you can travel on the
amount of charge remaining in the
Battery. The displayed range is an
estimate only and the actual range may
vary depending on your driving style and
the electrical systems you are using (for
example, air conditioning).
If the key is off, pressing the TRIP button
temporarily illuminates the instrument panel
to show the ODO display.Warning indicators
High beam. Illuminates when the
headlight high beams are selected.
Turn signals. Flashes to indicate which
turn signals are operating. Both
indicators will flash when the hazard warning
lights are operating. If a turn signal indicator
flashes quickly or irregularly, the associated
turn signal bulb may need replacing.
Brake indicator. Illuminates when the
hand brake is applied. If the indicator
illuminates at any other time, a fault with the
brake system has been detected.
• Indicator permanently illuminated - brake
fluid level is low.
• Indicator flashing - fault with the ABS
system is detected.
WARNING: Driving the vehicle with the
brake indicator illuminated could result
in fatal or serious injury. Stop the vehicle as
soon as safety permits and rectify the
problem immediately.
S
BRAKE
Roadster OHB.book Page 12 Thursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM

Rear view mirrors
7-3
Comfort and convenience
Rear view mirrorsExterior rear view mirrors
WARNING: The passenger side exterior
mirror is fitted with a convex lens to
improve the field of vision and reduce
possible blind spots. Convex mirrors can
make objects appear smaller and further
away than a regular flat mirror. Always
double-check the speed and position of
v e h i c l e s a r o u n d y o u , b y l o o k i n g i n t h e i n t e r i o r
mirror and over your shoulder, before
changing lanes.
S
Adjust the position of the exterior mirrors by
manually moving them to the desired
position when seated in a correctly adjusted
driver’s seat. To adjust the mirror on the
passenger side of the vehicle, it is helpful to
get assistance from another person.
Adjust the position of the mirrors to give the
best view of the road behind and to each side
of the vehicle, while maintaining a view of
part of the vehicle for reference.
Mirror foldingThe exterior mirrors are spring-loaded to
reduce any possible damage in the event of
accidental contact.
Caution: The mirrors are not designed
to be folded flat against the vehicle.Interior rear view mirrorThe interior mirror can be manually dipped to
reduce glare from a following vehicle’s
headlights.
Push the lever on the underside of the mirror
to dip the mirror. Pull the lever to restore
normal visibility.Caution: Take care when using the
mirror in the dipped position, the
reflected view may distort the position of a
following vehicle.
TR0060
TR0094
Roadster OHB.book Page 3 Th ursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM

HomeLink®
7-15
Comfort and convenience
HomeLink
®
HomeLink
® Universal
Transceiver
Your vehicle is equipped with a HomeLink
®
Universal Transceiver that you can use to
operate most Radio Frequency (RF) devices
such as garage doors, gates, lights and
security systems. Your transceiver can be
programmed using the Touch Screen to
operate up to three individual devices.
Devices can be operated by touching a
button on the Touch Screen. You can also set
up the third button on the key fob to operate
a device. For details on how to program
HomeLink, refer to the Touch Screen Users
Manual, provided in your owners package.
For security purposes, when you sell your
vehicle, you should erase your HomeLink
settings.
WARNING: Do not use the HomeLink
Universal Transceiver with any garage
door opener that la cks safety stop and
reverse features as required by federal safety
standards. A garage door opener which
cannot detect an object in the path of a
closing garage door and then automatically
stop and reverse, does not meet current
federal safety standards. Using a garage door
opener without these features increases the
risk of injury or death.
S
You’re vehicle should be turned off
while programming the HomeLink
Universal Transceiver.
S
During programming, your garage
door or gate may open or close. Make
sure that people and objects are clear of the
garage door or gate that you are
programming.
S
FCC ComplianceThis device complies with Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and
2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
Roadster OHB.book Page 15 Thursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM

Maintenance9-2
Maintenance and care
Maintenance and care
MaintenanceGeneral informationRegular maintenance is the key to ensuring
the continued reliability and efficiency of
your vehicle.
Maintenance is the owner's responsibility and
you must ensure that the appropriate
maintenance is carried out when required
and according to the recommendations
specified by Tesla Motors.Routine maintenanceTake your vehicle to Tesla Motors at the
regularly scheduled maintenance intervals of
every 12 months, or every 12,000 miles,
whichever comes first.
Maintenance and service must be performed
by Tesla-certified technicians. Damages or
failures caused by maintenance or repairs
performed by non-Tesla certified technicians
are not covered under the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
Service interval indicatorWhen the key is inserted and the starter
switch turned to the ACC position, the Touch
Screen momentarily displays the distance to
the next service interval.
In addition, this information can be displayed
by selecting the Info icon on the Touch
Screen when the vehicle is parked. For
details, refer to the Touch Screen Users
Manual provided in your owners package.
Owner maintenance
WARNING: Any significant or sudden
drop in fluid levels, or uneven tire wear
should be rectified immediately.
S
In addition to the routine maintenance
performed by Tesla Motors, a few simple
checks must be carried out more frequently.
Advice is given on the pages that follow.Daily checks• Operation of lights, horn, turn indicators,
wipers, washers and warning indicators
• Operation of seat belts and brakes
• Check for fluid deposits underneath the
vehicle that might indicate a leakWe e k l y c h e c k s•Brake fluid level. Refer to Brake fluid,
page 10-4 .
• Windshield washer fluid level. Refer to
Windshield washer fluid, page 10-5 .
• Battery coolant. Refer to Battery coolant,
page 10-5.
• Condition and pressure of each tire. Refer
to Wheels and tires, page 11-4 .
• Operation of the air conditioning. Refer to
Interior temperature control, page 7-4.
Roadster OHB.book Page 2 Th ursday, October 2, 2008 8:59 AM