Travel Tips for Your Tesla Vehicle
Your Tesla vehicle is designed to maintain its battery over time, and will not overcharge when plugged in for an extended period. For that reason, when you’re away from home, we always recommend leaving your vehicle plugged in.
To maintain a cool cabin temperature and maximize your range, park in a shaded area and turn your AC on while charging. You can monitor your charge and temperature from the Tesla app.
Set your regenerative braking to ‘Standard’ to conserve range while decelerating.
Before starting a long road trip, we recommend checking your tire pressure (psi) shown on the Tire and Loading Information label located on the center door pillar. You should also inspect your tires for bulges, foreign objects, cuts or wear. If you notice anything concerning, you can self-schedule a service appointment in the Tesla app.
Enter your destination on the touchscreen and Navigation will identify the fastest route, as well as the most convenient locations to charge along the way.
Use the Go Anywhere tool to plan future road trips in your Tesla vehicle. Select your vehicle configuration and your start and end locations, then the Go Anywhere tool will provide you with a route that passes by Supercharger locations. It will even give you a recommended charge time at each stop. Tesla always advises using your trip planner when you’re on the road to get the most accurate recommended stops and charge times based on your driving.
To locate the nearest Supercharger location at anytime, tap the lightning bolt icon on your navigation, then tap any red Supercharger pin to view the total number of open stalls, status updates and maximum charge rate available.
You can also explore Destination Charging locations conveniently located at hotels, restaurants and shopping centers across the country. These will be indicated with a gray pin.
Review our walkthrough videos to learn more about your vehicle’s features.
If your vehicle’s interior reaches over 105 degrees Fahrenheit, Cabin Overheat Protection will automatically turn on to lower the cabin temperature. You can adjust this setting through your touchscreen by following these steps:
- For Model S and Model X: Controls > Settings > Vehicle
- For Model 3 and Model Y: Controls > Safety > Settings
As a reminder, AC will create some condensation, which may pool under your vehicle.
You can review your Owner’s Manual to learn more.
Model S and Model X only:
Climate Keeper maintains a set temperature in the cabin for an extended period of time. This is perfect for keeping groceries cool or maintaining a comfortable cabin temperature for an overnight camping trip.
- Shift into Park, and select ‘Auto’ from Climate Controls.
- The Climate Timer will appear below your individual climate settings.
- Adjust climate settings as needed.
- Tap ‘Keep Climate On.’
It will remain on until you shift out of Park, manually turn it off, or if your battery’s charge drops to 20%.
Maps and Navigation
How do I adjust the traffic based routing feature?
Your Tesla vehicle detects real-time traffic conditions and automatically adjusts the estimated driving and arrival times. The navigation system can reroute you to your destination if traffic conditions change. To turn this feature on or off, touch the map's settings icon, then touch ‘Online Routing.’
How do I change the orientation of the map?
The touchscreen displays a map at all times. Hold and drag a finger to move the map in any direction. Rotate the map in any direction by holding and turning two fingers. Touch the icon in the top right corner of the map to set the orientation.
How do I remove Superchargers from my route?
To remove a Supercharger station from your route, select ‘remove charging stops’ (lightning bolt sign) at the bottom of the directions.