Model S (2021 and newer): Driving & Lights

We touch the temperature icon on the touchscreen to open the climate controls, then touch the steering yoke (or steering wheel) icon to turn the heater on. Once on, it keeps the yoke or wheel at a comfortable temperature. Tesla cautions against getting excess hand sanitizer, lotion or sunscreen directly on the yoke or wheel, and warns never to adjust its position while driving.

Left scroll button: we push it left or right to skip songs or stations, roll it for volume and press it to mute or play and pause; it also answers and ends calls and moves through menus such as the wiper menu. Right scroll button: we press it while driving to engage Traffic-Aware Cruise Control or Autosteer, press again to cancel, and roll it to change the set speed. Holding both while parked restarts the touchscreen.

We touch Controls > Dynamics > Steering Weight and pick one of three settings. Light makes the steering yoke (or wheel) easier to turn, which suits town driving and parking. Standard is the setting Tesla recommends for most conditions. Heavy needs more steering effort and feels more responsive at higher speeds.

We press the left or right arrow button on the left side of the steering yoke (or wheel) to signal, and press it again to cancel. It also cancels by itself once the steering angle shows the turn is done. In Controls > Lights > Automatic Turn Signals, Auto Cancel ends it after a detected merge, lane change or fork, Override lets us press and briefly hold to signal through several moves, and Off means we cancel manually.

To flash the high beams, we press and quickly release the high beam button on the left side of the yoke (or wheel). To turn them on, we press and hold it until the instrument panel timer finishes, and press again to turn them off. Adaptive Headlights, where available, dim individual pixels for oncoming traffic and adjust the beam for curves; they are on by default. Tesla warns we must still make sure the headlights suit the conditions.

We turn on Controls > Lights > Headlights After Exit. The exterior lights then stay on after we park in low light and turn off after one minute or when we lock the car, whichever comes first. Locking with the mobile app or key card turns them off right away, and if Walk-Away Door Lock locks the car they turn off after one minute. With the setting off, they turn off once we shift into Park and open a door.

We press the wiper button on the steering yoke (or wheel) and select Auto, or touch Controls > Wipers. Model S then detects rain and sets the wipe speed and intensity; pressing the button in Auto briefly raises sensitivity. Tesla says Auto is in BETA and to use the wipers manually when unsure. Pressing and holding the button sprays washer fluid. Tesla cautions to fully close the hood and remove ice from the windshield before using the wipers.

Tesla says to use Stuck Assist only when we want the wheels to spin, such as starting on gravel or snow, driving in deep snow, sand or mud, or rocking out of a rut or hole. We turn it on at 30 mph (48 km/h) or slower in Controls > Dynamics > Stuck Assist. It turns off above 50 mph (80 km/h) and at the next start, and Tesla recommends turning it off once we are free.

Slippery Surface spreads traction evenly across all tires for more grip and stability on rain, snow or ice. We turn it on in Controls > Dynamics > Slippery Surface. The same menu also offers Auto, which keeps detecting the road surface and adapts traction control by itself. Traction control is on by default, and Tesla warns it cannot prevent collisions caused by dangerous driving or turning too sharply at high speed.

Usually we just shift into Park and get out; with the phone key or key fob, Model S powers off by itself, turning off the instrument panel and touchscreen. It also powers off after 30 minutes in Park, even with someone in the driver's seat. To power off from the driver's seat while stopped, we touch Controls > Safety > Power Off. Pressing the brake or touching the touchscreen wakes the car again after a short time.

Tesla suggests a power cycle for unusual behavior or a nondescript alert, but if only the touchscreen misbehaves we restart the touchscreen first. Steps: 1) Shift into Park. 2) Touch Controls > Safety > Power Off. 3) Wait at least 2 minutes without opening a door, pressing the brake or touching the touchscreen. 4) Press the brake pedal or open a door to wake the car.

It means Model S did not detect a key when we pressed the brake, for example because the phone key was not found (a low or dead phone battery is one cause) or 2 minutes have passed since we last used the key card. We place the key card on either phone dock so it can be read, which restarts the 2-minute window, then press the brake to drive. Tesla says to always carry the phone key or key card.

With the brake pressed, the drive mode strip appears on the touchscreen: we swipe up for Drive or down for Reverse, and touch P or N for Park or Neutral. Switching between Drive and Reverse needs a speed under 5 mph (8 km/h). If the touchscreen is unavailable, we use the P, R, N and D buttons of the backup drive mode selector on the center console. Tesla says to confirm Park ourselves before getting out.

Auto Shift (Beta) chooses Drive or Reverse for us based on the surroundings. It is off by default; in Controls > Dynamics > Auto Shift (Beta) we pick On, which switches between Drive and Reverse during multi-point turns or parking, or from Park. It needs the driver's seat belt fastened, the brake pressed and all doors and trunks closed. Tesla warns us to confirm every selection on the instrument cluster before pressing the accelerator.

With Controls > Mirrors > Mirror Auto Fold on, the mirrors fold when we lock and unfold when we unlock; we can also save locations where they fold below 31 mph (50 km/h). Mirror Auto Dim dims the side and rear view mirrors at night. Mirror Auto Tilt tilts both side mirrors down in Reverse; we set the position with Adjust Tilted Position, then Save. Tesla suggests turning off auto-fold if ice may form while parked.

On cars without ultrasonic sensors, Park Assist uses Tesla Vision, based on the front, rear and side cameras, to alert us to nearby objects when driving slowly: the front in Drive and the rear in Reverse. Red means closer and yellow farther. On some cars we can switch between Standard and Tesla Vision in Controls > Self-Driving. Tesla warns objects below about 8 in (20 cm) may be missed, so we always check around the car ourselves.

Vehicle Hold keeps the brakes on after we come to a stop and lift our foot off the brake pedal. It works when the stopping mode is set to Hold, and a gray H in a circle shows on the instrument panel while it is braking. To release it, we press the accelerator, or press and release the brake; shifting into Neutral also releases it. After about ten minutes of holding, Model S shifts into Park.

We touch Controls > Dynamics and choose a mode, or touch Custom to personalize it. Chill limits acceleration for a smoother ride, Standard gives normal acceleration and Insane gives maximum acceleration right away; on performance cars this top mode is called Plaid. Tesla notes the highest modes can reduce range, and that a lower mode makes cabin heating more efficient in cold weather, since raising it again needs a warmer Battery.

Track Mode is only on Model S Plaid, and Tesla says to use it on closed circuits only, never on public roads. 1) Shift into Park. 2) Touch Controls > Dynamics > Track Mode. 3) Optionally customize settings or start the Lap Timer, then drive. It changes stability, traction, regenerative braking and cooling, sets ride height to Low and turns off driver assistance features. We can save up to 20 profiles. It is always off when a drive starts.

Ride & Handling sets how the air suspension rides: Comfort gives a gentler ride, Standard a balanced and well-controlled ride, and Sport a firmer ride with more road feel. In Comfort or Standard, the suspension may raise on rough roads (U.S. only, with up-to-date map data). We can also turn on Controls > Dynamics > Use Comfort Damping in Self-Driving. These settings are disabled while Track Mode is on.

Easy Entry moves the steering yoke (or wheel) and driver's seat for easier entry and exit. In Park, when we unbuckle the driver's seat belt, both move to the exit position; when we return and press the brake, they go back to the profile's settings. We turn on Use Easy Entry when adding a driver in Controls > Profiles, or on an existing profile. Tesla warns not to use it when a child seat is behind the driver.

In Park, we touch Controls > Safety > Valet Mode and create a 4-digit PIN the first time. Valet Mode limits speed to 70 mph (113 km/h), reduces acceleration, locks the frunk and glovebox, hides Home, Work and text messages, and turns off voice commands and Self-Driving convenience features. The valet needs the key card. To cancel, we touch the Valet Mode icon in Park and enter the PIN; the mobile app needs no PIN.

Whenever we release the accelerator while moving, regenerative braking slows Model S and sends energy back to the Battery. It can be limited when the Battery is cold or fully charged; Controls > Dynamics > Apply Brakes When Regenerative Braking is Limited adds the regular brakes for steady slowing, except with the Carbon Ceramic Brake Kit. Brake lights turn on when regen slows the car hard. Tesla warns regen can cause loss of traction on snow or ice.

That is the Pedestrian Warning System, on cars equipped with it. Because electric cars are quiet, Model S plays a sound to alert people nearby below about 19 mph (32 km/h), in Reverse and whenever it is shifted out of Park, and it gets louder as speed rises. Tesla warns that pedestrians may still not hear the car, so we never rely on it alone, and we schedule service if it stops working.

When parked, it shows estimated range, an image of the car with open doors and lights, outside temperature, drive mode, alerts and the time. While driving, it adds a live view of the road and nearby road users, our speed and the detected speed limit, the cruise set speed, navigation turns and a power meter. To show battery percentage instead of range, we use Controls > Display > Energy Display. Tesla warns some nearby vehicles may not appear.

Besides the two scroll buttons, the yoke (or steering wheel) has buttons for the left and right turn signals, high beams, Camera, wipers and voice commands, plus a cruise control indicator; the horn is in the middle. Some buttons are touch-sensitive with haptic feedback, so we avoid resting fingers on them. To adjust its position, we touch Controls > Steering and use the left scroll button. Tesla warns never to adjust it while driving.

We press the brake, touch Controls and choose a height. Very High lowers itself after about 100 ft (30 m) or at 15 mph (24 km/h), and High after about 100 ft (30 m) or at 35 mph (56 km/h), unless we choose Persist. Raising to High or Very High saves the location, so the car raises there next time; we deselect Always raise at this location to stop it. Tesla cautions to clear obstacles above and below first.

Tesla says to use it only on closed courses. 1) Touch Controls > Dynamics > Drag Strip Mode; on non-performance cars the drive mode must be Insane. 2) Wait for Peak Performance Ready. 3) Shift into Drive and stop. 4) Hold the brake firmly with the left foot and fully press the accelerator; the front lowers into cheetah stance, cutting ground clearance. 5) When Ready to launch shows, release the brake. It stays active for three hours.

We press and hold N on the touchscreen drive mode strip until Neutral engages, or select N on the center console's backup drive mode selector. Below about 5 mph (8 km/h), we press the brake to leave Neutral. Opening the driver's door to get out shifts into Park, so to let the car roll, for example onto a flatbed, we use Tow Mode: in Park, press the brake and touch Controls > Service > Towing > Enter Tow Mode.

When Model S detects cold or wet weather, it repeatedly applies a barely noticeable brake force to clear water from the brake discs. Tesla warns that this is not a substitute for applying the brakes properly. On the same topic of braking, Tesla says that in an emergency we press the brake pedal fully and hold firm pressure, without pumping it, so the anti-lock brakes can work.

For trips, we open App Launcher > Energy App > Trips. It shows distance, duration and total and average energy use since the last charge, plus the current drive and any trips we have added. We tap a trip to see details or make changes, and hold and drag trips to reorder them. The odometer is under Controls > Software, at the bottom of the mobile app's main screen, and on the instrument panel.