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.

Maintenance Summary

The Maintenance Summary on your vehicle touchscreen provides a record of when common vehicle maintenance actions were last performed and recommends when to perform them next. Maintenance records persist on the vehicle through factory resets, providing a record of previously performed maintenance actions.

The Maintenance Summary displays the following:

  • The last time each maintenance action was performed, if ever
  • Which actions are overdue
  • Which actions are due soon
  • Which actions are due in a while
  • A brief description of each maintenance action

Maintenance Summary allows you to record that there has been a maintenance action, which resets the maintenance interval, if applicable.

Note: Although Tesla may update the Maintenance Summary during a service visit, it is the responsibility of the vehicle's owner to ensure the accuracy of the information, especially for maintenance performed by Independent Repairers or through do-it-yourself means.

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.

Schedule may be different depending on the environment. To check if your vehicle needs cabin air filter replacement and for the latest recommended schedule, tap ‘Controls’ > ‘Service’ > ‘Maintenance’ on your vehicle touchscreen.

Note: To access this feature, the vehicle must have software version 2024.44.25 or later.

We recommend the following cabin air filter replacement schedule:

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

Cybertruck is not fitted with a standard cabin air filter.

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.

For Cybertruck, we recommend replacing the HEPA filter every 2 years or every year in cases of off-road or dirt road driving.

Schedule may be different depending on the environment. To check if your vehicle needs HEPA filter replacement and for the latest recommended schedule, tap ‘Controls’ > ‘Service’ > ‘Maintenance’ on your vehicle touchscreen.

Note: To access this feature, the vehicle must have software version 2024.44.25 or later.

Tire Rotation, Balance and Wheel Alignment

We recommend rotating your tires every 6,250 miles or if the difference of tread depth between two of your tires is 2/32 inches 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.

A/C desiccant bag replacement is still recommended for Tesla vehicles without heat pumps. View if your vehicle is equipped with a heat pump by tapping ‘Controls’ > ‘Software > ‘Additional Vehicle Information’ on your vehicle touchscreen. If your vehicle is equipped with a heat pump, check if your vehicle needs A/C desiccant bag replacement and the latest recommended schedule by tapping ‘Controls’ > ‘Service’ > ‘Maintenance’ on your vehicle touchscreen.

We recommend the following air conditioning service schedule:

Model S Scheduled replacement is not required.2
Model 3 Scheduled replacement is not required.2
Model X Scheduled replacement is not required.2
Model Y Scheduled replacement is not required.
Cybertruck Replace your A/C desiccant bag every 8 years.

Windshield Camera Area Precision Cleaning

Cleaning the inside of the windshield in the camera area is vital for clear visibility and optimal camera function. When needed, we recommend scheduling a service appointment to have the inside of the windshield cleaned. To check if your vehicle needs cleaning for the windshield camera area, review the Maintenance Summary by tapping ‘Controls’ > ‘Service’ > ‘Maintenance’ on your vehicle touchscreen.

Winter Care

We recommend cleaning and lubricating all brake calipers every 12 months or 12,500 mi if you’re in an area where roads are salted during winter.

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 A/C desiccant bag replacement for Tesla vehicles without heat pumps. For Model S vehicles produced in 2012-2020, we recommend replacing your A/C desiccant bag every 2 years. For Model 3 vehicles produced in 2017-2023 without heat pumps, we recommend replacing your A/C desiccant bag every 6 years. For Model X vehicles produced in 2015-2020, we recommend replacing your A/C desiccant bag every 4 years.