Tire Pressure Monitoring
Each tire should be checked monthly when
cold and inflated to the recommended
pressures that are printed on the Tire and
Loading Information label located on the
driver’s door pillar (see
). If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated
on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label, determine the proper tire
inflation pressure for those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a TPMS that displays a
tire pressure telltale (Tire Pressure Warning)
on the instrument panel when one or more of
your tires is significantly under- or over-
inflated. Accordingly, when the Tire Pressure
indicator light displays on the instrument
panel to alert you about tire pressure, stop
and check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure (see
Maintaining Tire Pressures on page 180
).
Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to
tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces range
efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle's handling and stopping ability.
If Model S detects a fault
with the TPMS, this
indicator flashes for one
minute whenever you
power on Model S.
NOTE:
Installing accessories that are not
approved by Tesla can interfere with the
TPMS.
WARNING:
The TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire maintenance,
including manually checking tire
pressures and regularly inspecting the
condition of tires. It is the driver's
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under- or over-
inflation has not reached the level for
the TPMS to trigger the Tire Pressure
Warning on the instrument panel.
Resetting the TPMS Sensors
After replacing one or more wheels (but not
after replacing a tire or rotating wheels), the
TPMS sensors need to be reset to ensure tire
pressure warnings are accurate.
On newer versions of Model S, the TPMS
sensors are reset automatically after driving
over 25 km/h for longer than 10 minutes. But
for older versions, follow these steps:
1. Inflate all tires to their recommended
pressures, as indicated on the Tire and
Loading Information label located on the
door pillar.
2. Get ready to drive for ten minutes, then
touch
Controls
>
Service
>
Reset TPMS
.
3. Follow the onscreen instructions.
CAUTION:
Selecting the incorrect
wheel size may result in false tire
pressure warnings. If a tire
pressure warning displays, exit the
vehicle, close the rear trunk and all
doors, wait for the touchscreen to
go black, then re-enter the vehicle
and ensure that the correct wheel
size is selected before touching
Reset TPMS
.
NOTE:
On some older versions of Model S,
when changing to 21" wheels, the TPMS may
generate false tire pressure warnings. Bring
Model S to a Tesla Service Center for further
adjustment.
WARNING:
Do not reset the TPMS
sensors in an attempt to clear tire
pressure warnings.
Replacing a Tire Sensor
If the Tire Pressure warning indicator displays
frequently, contact Tesla to determine if a tire
sensor needs to be replaced. If a non-Tesla
Service Center repairs or replaces a tire, the
tire sensor may not work until Tesla performs
the setup procedure.
TPMS Malfunction
Model S has also been equipped with a TPMS
malfunction indicator to indicate when the
system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction
indicator is combined with
the tire pressure indicator
light. When the system
detects a malfunction, the
indicator flashes for
approximately one minute,
then remains continuously
lit. This sequence
Tire Care and Maintenance
183
Maintenance
