Vehicle Maintenance

Our engineers continuously review maintenance recommendations to optimize the performance, reliability, durability and safety of your Tesla vehicle.

Unlike gasoline cars, Tesla vehicles require no traditional oil changes, fuel system maintenance, spark plug replacements or emission checks. Even brake pad replacements are rare because regenerative braking returns energy to the battery, significantly reducing wear on the brakes.

Check your owner’s manual for latest maintenance recommendations for your Tesla vehicle.

Recommended Maintenance Service

Cabin Air Filter

Your Tesla vehicle is equipped with an air filter that prevents pollen, industrial fallout, road dust and other particles from entering through the vents. We recommend the following cabin air filter replacement schedule:

Model 3 Replace your cabin air filter every 2 years.
Model S
Model X
Replace your cabin air filter every 3 years.1

High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filter

If your Tesla vehicle is equipped with HEPA, we recommend replacing the HEPA filter and the carbon filter every 3 years.

Tire Rotation, Balance and Wheel Alignment

We recommend rotating your tires every 10,000 km or if the difference of tread depth between two of your tires is 1.5 mm or greater, whichever comes first. Aggressive driving can lead to accelerated tire wear and may require more frequent tire service. Wheels and tires that are unbalanced and misaligned can impact handling, tire life and steering components. Refer to tire manufacturer's owner manuals and warranty documentation for additional details.

Brake Fluid Test

We recommend testing your brake fluid for contamination by scheduling a Tesla service appointment every 4 years and replacing as needed.

Note: Heavy brake usage due to towing, mountain descents or performance driving – especially for vehicles in hot and humid environments – may require more frequent brake fluid checks and replacements.

Air Conditioning Service

Air conditioning service replaces the A/C desiccant bag for better longevity and efficiency of your air conditioning system. We recommend the following air conditioning service schedule:

Model 3 Replace your A/C desiccant bag every 4 years.2
Model S
Model X
Replace your A/C desiccant bag every 3 years.3

Winter Care

We recommend cleaning and lubricating all brake calipers every 12 months or 20,000 km for vehicles in cold weather regions.

High Voltage Battery Maintenance

If your high voltage battery requires maintenance, your vehicle will alert you by displaying a message on the vehicle touchscreen indicating you should schedule a service visit.

The high voltage battery system must be serviced only by a trained technician. Under no circumstances should you open or tamper with the battery. Do not disassemble, remove or replace high voltage components, cables or connectors.

How to Schedule a Service Visit
Frequently Asked Questions
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1 For Model S and Model X vehicles produced in 2012-2020, we recommend replacing the cabin air filter every 2 years.

2 We recommend replacing your A/C desiccant bag every 6 years for Model 3 produced in 2017-2021 if it doesn’t have a heat pump.

3 We recommend replacing your A/C desiccant bag every 2 years for Model S vehicles produced in 2012-2020 and every 4 years for Model X vehicles produced in 2012-2020.