Tesla Model X: Cold Weather Best Practices
When snow and ice accumulate on your vehicle, moving
parts, such as the door handles, windows, mirrors, and
wipers can freeze in place. To achieve maximum range
and performance, it is helpful to warm the cabin and
Battery before you leave. There are several ways to do
so: NOTE: Tesla recommends activating climate settings
at least 30-45 minutes before departure (see Climate
Controls). Preconditioning times
depend on outside temperature and other factors.
The Mobile App will notify you once your vehicle has
reached the desired preconditioning temperature. Windows Mirrors If ice buildup is expected when parking, turn off Auto-
Fold Mirrors. Touch Controls > Auto-Fold. Ice can
prevent exterior side mirrors from folding or unfolding. NOTE: Side mirrors automatically heat as needed during
preconditioning, or when the rear defroster is turned on. Wipers If you expect snow or ice to build up when parked, touch
Controls > Service > Wiper Service Mode. This raises
wipers against the windshield so they can defrost when
the windshield defrosts (see Wipers and Washers). You can also turn on wiper defrosters (if
equipped). See Climate Controls. Tires and Tire Chains 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 10º F (6º C) drop in outside temperature (see Tire
Care and Maintenance). Proper tire
pressures help protect tires from potholes and improve
range when properly inflated. Cold weather can increase energy consumption because
more power is required for driving, cabin and Battery
heating. Follow these suggestions to reduce energy
consumption: Regenerative Braking Regenerative braking can be limited if the Battery is too
cold. As you continue to drive, the Battery warms up
and regenerative power increases (see Regenerative
Braking). NOTE: Limited regenerative braking can be avoided if
you allow enough time to precondition your vehicle or if
you use Schedule to precondition Model X before your
departure time (see Scheduled Charging and Scheduled
Departure). Blue Snowflake Icon Warming the Battery Before
Supercharging By using Trip Planner (if available in your market region)
to navigate to a Supercharger, Model X pre-heats the
Battery to ensure when you arrive at the Supercharger,
the Battery temperature is optimal and ready to charge.
This reduces the amount of time it takes to charge. See
(see Trip Planner). NOTE: Tesla recommends using Trip Planner to navigate
to a Supercharger for at least 30-45 minutes before
arrival to ensure optimal Battery temperature and
charging conditions. If the drive to the Supercharger is
less than 30-45 minutes, consider preconditioning the
Battery prior to driving (see Before Driving). Autopilot To ensure optimal Autopilot performance, keep the
sensors free of snow, ice, mud, and dirt (see About
Autopilot). Leave Model X plugged in when not in use. This uses the
charging system, rather than the Battery itself, to keep
the Battery warm (see High Voltage Battery Information). Scheduled Departure When parked, plug in Model X and use the Schedule
settings, available on both the charging and climate
control screens, to set a time when you want to
precondition Model X (see Scheduled Charging and
Scheduled Departure). Your vehicle
determines the appropriate time to begin charging so it
is complete during off -peak hours and the cabin and Battery are warm by your
set departure time. For more
information, see Scheduled Charging and Scheduled
Departure. Charge Port NOTE: You can also prevent the occurrence of a charge
port latch freezing in place by using the Schedule
settings (see Scheduled Charging and Scheduled
Departure). NOTE: If your charge port latch is frozen in place, it may
not lock the charging cable in place when inserted, but it
can still charge at a slow AC rate even if the latch is not
engaged. Storage If you leave Model X parked for an extended period of
time, plug the vehicle into a charger to prevent normal
range loss and to keep the Battery at an optimal
temperature. Your vehicle is safe to stay plugged in for
any length of time.
When not in use, Model X enters a sleep mode to
conserve energy. Reduce the number of times you check
your vehicle's status on the mobile app, as this
automatically wakes up your vehicle and starts normal
energy consumption.Before Driving
While Driving
A blue snowflake icon appears on
your
instrument panel when some of the stored
energy in the Battery is unavailable because the
Battery is cold. This portion of unavailable
energy displays in blue on the Battery meter.
Regenerative braking, acceleration, and charging
rates may be limited. The snowflake icon no
longer displays when the Battery is sufficiently
warm.
After Driving