Model S · 2012–2020

We touch Controls, then drag or tap the sunroof image, or touch the buttons beside the car image. One touch on OPEN moves it to the comfort position (75% open) and two touches open it fully. VENT opens it slightly and CLOSE shuts it. The Tesla app can vent or close it too. Tesla says to clear snow and ice first, and warns never to let anyone put a body part through the opening.

We double-click the front or rear trunk button to open that trunk, and click Lock/Unlock All once to lock or twice to unlock. With Passive Entry on, the doors unlock as we approach within about 3 ft (1 m). If the CR2032 battery dies, we place the fob against the center console, just below the low voltage power outlet, and press the brake to drive. Tesla cautions the car will not power back on without the fob.

We need an already paired key, or Remote Access turned on in the Tesla app. 1) Touch Controls > Service > Key Fob Pairing and press Start. 2) Hold the new fob above the center console. 3) Press Lock once on each existing key to keep it working. 4) Hold the new fob's front and rear trunk buttons about 5 seconds until detected. Up to 3 fobs can pair; pairing ends after 3 keys or 90 seconds.

Tesla gives two limits for the Model S rear trunk: 176 lbs (80 kg) in the upper compartment and 285 lbs (130 kg) in the lower compartment, and cautions never to exceed either. Tesla also warns that everything, including passengers, fluids and cargo, must stay within the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. Aftermarket accessories that add weight to the liftgate can make it close on its own, and that damage is not covered by the warranty.

Inside the rear trunk there is an illuminated mechanical release that opens the trunk when the car has no power and lets someone locked inside get out. 1) Pull the lower edge of its cover firmly toward us to remove it. 2) Pull the cable to release the latch. 3) Push the trunk open. Tesla warns to keep children from playing in or getting locked in the trunk, which risks serious injury, heat exhaustion or death.

Tesla says never to load more than 300 lbs (136 kg) in the Model S front trunk. We spread cargo evenly between the front and rear trunks and stay within the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. To close it, we lower the hood until the striker touches the latches, then press down firmly with both hands on the green areas beside the center front edge, never the red center area. Tesla warns never to let anyone climb inside.

The glovebox opens with the switch on the side of the touchscreen, and we can protect it with a 4-digit PIN in Controls > Safety > Glovebox PIN. It locks when we lock the car with a key, walk away, or use Valet mode. The front cup holders are under the sliding armrest. Rear cup holders, if equipped, open when we press the face plate at the back of the console. Tesla says to keep the glovebox closed while driving.

LATCH (ISOFIX) anchors are in the two outer second-row seats, between the seatback and cushion, with a child seat identification button directly above each. Upper tether anchors are on the back of the rear seats; we look for a slit in the seat material. The center seat takes only belt-secured child seats. Tesla says to use LATCH only up to 65 lb (29 kg) of child plus seat, and never to use a child seat in the front passenger seat.

On the left, we roll the scroll button for media volume, tap it to mute or pause, and hold it to pick the left instrument panel display; the buttons beside it change songs or stations. On the right, the Menu button opens Temperature, Fan Speed, Display Brightness, Sunroof (if equipped), Recent Calls and Contacts, and the scroll button adjusts the last item used. Holding both scroll buttons about 5 seconds restarts the touchscreen.

With the Ludicrous upgrade, we select Controls > Pedals & Steering > Acceleration > Ludicrous+; it needs at least 20% charge and times out after 3 hours. For Launch Mode: 1) Warm the brakes. 2) Set the suspension to Low. 3) Choose Insane+ or Ludicrous+. 4) In Drive, wheel straight, hold the brake with the left foot and floor the accelerator. 5) Release the brake within 12 seconds. Tesla says to use it only in suitable places like closed circuits.

Adaptive Suspension Damping adjusts the damping in real time for ride and handling. We press the brake pedal, touch Controls > Suspension, and choose Comfort for a gentler ride, Auto to adapt to the road and our driving, Sport for a firmer feel, or Advanced to set Ride Comfort and Handling separately. Show Suspension Data displays data for each wheel. Tesla warns to make sure the car is clear of obstacles above and below before changing ride height.

In Controls > Pedals & Steering > Regenerative Braking, Standard slows the car quickly when we lift off and Low lets it coast farther; not every car has this setting. In Park, Controls > Driving > Stopping Mode offers Creep, Hold, which keeps the car braked when stopped, or Roll, which rolls freely like Neutral. Tesla recommends Low regen on snow or ice and warns never to rely on Creep to hold the car on a hill.

On cars with the optional cold weather package, we turn on the wiper defrosters from the climate controls on the touchscreen, and they shut off after 15 minutes. The washer nozzle defrosters come on by themselves near freezing or with the wiper defrosters. To free iced blades, we park, turn the wipers off and use Controls > Service > Wiper Service Mode. Tesla cautions to remove ice from the windshield first, since ice can tear the blades.

With the brake pressed, we push the drive stalk all the way up and release for Reverse, or all the way down for Drive; both work only when stopped or below 5 mph (8 km/h). A brief push to the first position selects Neutral. The button on the stalk end, pressed while stopped, selects Park. Model S may shift into Park by itself, for example if the seat belt is unbuckled, but Tesla warns not to rely on it.

On cars equipped with it, the Adaptive Front Lighting System adjusts the headlight aim based on speed, steering angle and yaw, to light up curves and improve visibility at intersections and turns. It works whenever the headlights are on, and it is inactive when the car is stationary or in Reverse. There is no setting to change. If a dashboard alert shows a fault, Tesla says to contact Tesla Service.

1) In Controls > Self-Driving > Customize Summon, set Require Continuous Press to No. 2) With the car in Park, stand within 10 ft (3 m). 3) Hold Lock/Unlock All until the hazard lights blink continuously. 4) Press the front trunk button to move forward or the rear trunk button to reverse. Any fob button stops it. Summon moves up to 39 ft (12 m), and Tesla says to use it only on private parking lots and driveways.

Smart Summon moves Model S to our phone's location or a chosen point, steering around obstacles, on private paved parking lots and driveways only. 1) In the Tesla app, tap Summon, then Smart Summon. 2) Stay within about 213 ft (65 m) with a clear view. 3) Press and hold Come to Me, or place a pin and hold Go to Target. Releasing stops it. Tesla warns it is Beta, so we watch the car closely.

Model S has two USB ports on the front of the center console. We use them to connect USB devices, play audio files from a USB drive and charge devices. A low voltage power outlet, also on the front of the console, supplies up to 11 A continuous (15 A peak) or 150 W (180 W peak). Tesla advises not to connect multiple devices through a USB hub, and warns the outlet can get hot.

Outside air enters Model S through the grille in front of the windshield, and one or more cabin air filters stop pollen, industrial fallout, road dust and other particles from coming in through the vents. The filters need periodic replacement, and Tesla points us to the Service Intervals section for timing. We keep the grille clear of leaves and snow, and angle the outer face-level vents toward the side windows to help defrost them.

Range Mode saves energy by limiting climate control power and turning off the signature lights; on All-Wheel Drive cars it also optimizes how torque is shared between the motors. If equipped, we turn it on in Controls > Driving > Range Mode. Tesla's other range tips include gentle driving with Chill, setting Stopping Mode to Hold, keeping tires at the recommended pressure, closing the windows and leaving the car plugged in when idle.

On older Model S cars, we set Energy Saving in Controls > Display > Energy Saving. OFF saves energy only between 10 pm and 5 am, ON gives greater energy saving, and Always Connected keeps the cellular connection active while using slightly more energy. Tesla's range tips also include turning off Sentry Mode and Cabin Overheat Protection when not needed and keeping the car plugged in when idle.

Tesla points us to the Tire and Loading Information label on the driver's center door pillar, visible with the door open; its pressure applies even if it differs from the tire sidewall. We check pressures cold, after the car has been parked for over three hours. Pressure drops about 1 PSI for every 10°F (6°C) fall in outside temperature. Tesla warns never to let air out of warm tires to match the cold figure.

Tesla says to reset TPMS only after fitting different wheels, not after tire replacement or rotation. Newer cars reset by themselves after driving over 15 mph (25 km/h) for more than 10 minutes. On older cars: 1) Inflate all tires to the label pressures. 2) Drive for ten minutes. 3) Touch Controls > Service > Reset TPMS Sensors, choose the correct wheel size and follow the prompts. Tesla warns not to reset TPMS just to clear a warning.

With 19-inch wheels, Model S uses P245/45R19 tires front and rear. With 21-inch wheels it uses P245/35R21 at the front and P265/35R21 at the rear; on Performance All-Wheel Drive cars the rear width may vary by build date, and some use P245/35R21 all round. We confirm the fitted sizes on the label on the driver's door pillar. Tesla notes the maximum pressure molded on the tire is not the recommended pressure.

Tesla specifies a lug nut torque of 129 lb-ft (175 Nm) for the 2012–2020 Model S, using a 21 mm socket. Tesla warns never to drive on a damaged, badly worn or incorrectly inflated tire, so after refitting a wheel we also check the tires for wear, cuts, bulges and exposed ply or cord. For raising the car, the manual points to its Jacking and Lifting section.

Tesla says to lift Model S only at the designated body lift points shown in the manual's diagram, never under the Battery or side rails. 1) Center the car between the lift posts. 2) With air suspension, touch Controls > Service > Jack Mode. 3) Place the pads under the lift points and raise with help. 4) Engage the lift's safety locks, and turn off Jack Mode after lowering. Tesla warns never to lift it with the charge cable connected.

The 2012–2020 Model S uses a 26 in (650 mm) blade on the driver's side and a 20 in (500 mm) blade on the passenger side, with a connector that matches the original. Tesla says to replace them at least once a year. To change them, we shift into Park, turn the wipers off and use Controls > Service > Wiper Service Mode. Tesla cautions to check the new blade clicks into place, as an unlocked blade can detach.

The 2012–2020 Model S is 196 in (4,970 mm) long, 77.3 in (1,964 mm) wide without mirrors and 86.2 in (2,189 mm) with mirrors, and about 56.9 in (1,445 mm) high, on a 116.5 in (2,960 mm) wheelbase. Ground clearance is about 5.3 in (134.6 mm) on all-wheel drive cars with coil suspension and 4.6–6.3 in (116.8–160 mm) with air suspension. Tesla says dimensions vary with options, suspension height and wheels.

Tesla lists 26.3 cu ft (744.7 L) of rear cargo space behind the rear seats in the 2012–2020 Model S, rising to 58.1 cu ft (1,645.2 L) with the rear seats folded down. The front trunk adds 2.1 cu ft (59.5 L), for a total of 28.4 cu ft (804.2 L) with the rear seats up. Tesla notes that dimensions can vary with options, suspension height and wheel selection.

The manual does not print one payload number; the maximum combined weight of occupants and cargo is on the Tire and Loading Information label on the driver's center door pillar. 1) Find that figure. 2) Subtract the weight of the driver and passengers. 3) The rest is our cargo allowance. Tesla warns that overloading affects braking and handling, and says Model S does not support a trailer hitch and should not tow.

With no power, we open the front doors normally with the interior door handles. For the rear doors: 1) Fold back the edge of the carpet below the rear seats to reveal the mechanical release cable. 2) Pull the cable toward the center of the car. Tesla cautions that the manual releases are only for when the car has no power; with power, we use the interior door handle as usual.

BMS_u031 and BMS_u032 mean a high voltage battery fuse is near the end of its life, and BMS_w176 means it needs replacing now. In each case the car stays drivable but may limit speed and acceleration, and we schedule service, immediately for BMS_w176. BMS_w179 (Vehicle may not restart) means the smart fuse needs replacing; the car limits power, and without service it will stop starting, charging or supporting the low voltage system.