Tire Care And Maintenance - Tesla MODEL 3 2012 Owner's Manual

Tire Care and Maintenance

Displaying Tire Pressures
Display tire pressures on the touchscreen by touching
Controls > Service. The pressure of each tire displays in
the visualization of your Model 3. You can choose
whether you want to display tire pressures using Bar or
PSI by touching Controls > Display > Tire Pressure.
NOTE: You may need to drive briefly before the
visualization displays the tire pressure values.
Maintaining Tire Pressures
Keep tires inflated to the pressures shown on the Tire
Information label, even if it differs from the pressure
printed on the tire itself. The Tire and Loading
Information label is located on the center door pillar and
is visible when the front door is open.
NOTE: If your Model 3 is fitted with Tesla accessory
wheels or tires, some information may be different from
the labels on the vehicle.
The Tire Pressure indicator light on the
touchscreen alerts you if one or more tires
is under- or over-inflated.
The Tire Pressure indicator light does not immediately
turn off when you adjust tire pressure. After inflating the
tire to the recommended pressure, you must drive over
25 km/h for a short amount of time to activate the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), which turns off the
Tire Pressure indicator light.
If the indicator light flashes for one minute whenever
you power on Model 3, a fault with the TPMS is detected
(see TPMS Malfunction on page
166
170).
NOTE: Your vehicle's tire pressures will drop in cold
ambient temperatures. If the TPMS indicator light
appears, inflate the tires before driving. The tires will
lose one PSI for every 6° C drop in outside temperature.
Proper tire pressures help protect tires from potholes
and improve range when properly inflated.
WARNING: Under-inflation is the most common
cause of tire failures and can cause a tire to
overheat, resulting in severe tire cracking, tread
separation, or blowout, resulting in unexpected
loss of vehicle control and increased risk of injury.
Under-inflation also reduces the vehicle's range
and tire tread life.
WARNING: Check tire pressures using an accurate
pressure gauge when tires are cold. It takes only
about 1.6 kms of driving to warm up the tires
sufficiently to affect tire pressures. Parking the
vehicle in direct sunlight or in hot weather can also
affect tire pressures. If you must check warm tires,
expect increased pressures. Do not let air out of
warm tires in an attempt to match recommended
cold tire pressures. A hot tire at or below the
recommended cold tire inflation pressure is
dangerously under-inflated.
Checking and Adjusting Tire Pressures
Follow these steps when tires are cold and Model 3 has
been stationary for over three hours:
1. Refer to the Tire Information label located on the
driver's center door pillar for the target tire pressure.
2. Remove the valve cap.
3. Firmly press an accurate tire pressure gauge onto the
valve to measure pressure.
4. If required, add or remove air to reach the
recommended pressure.
NOTE: You can release air by pressing the metal stem
in the center of the valve.
5. Re-check pressure using the accurate tire gauge.
6. Repeat steps 3 and 4 as necessary until the tire
pressure is correct.
7. Reinstall the valve cap to prevent dirt from entering.
Periodically check the valve for damage and leaks.
Inspecting and Maintaining Tires
Regularly inspect the tread and side walls for any sign of
distortion (bulges), foreign objects, cuts or wear.
WARNING: Do not drive Model 3 if a tire is
damaged, excessively worn, or inflated to an
incorrect pressure. Check tires regularly for wear,
and ensure there are no cuts, bulges or exposure
of the ply/cord structure.
MODEL 3 Owner's Manual