Model S Quick Guide for Tow Providers

Tesla Motors | Roadside Assistance Team

June 2016

Tesla Customer Support Team is available 24/7 to provide support

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 Table of Contents
Contents in this Training Guide Page

Overview & Equipment 4-5

Step 1: Opening Front Trunk 6

Step 2: Jump Starting the 12V Battery (if vehicle is unresponsive) 7-9

Step 3: Placing the vehicle in Jack Mode (if vehicle has air suspension) 10

Step 4: Tow Mode (Disabling the parking brake and keeping the vehicle in neutral) 11

Step 5: Locating the Tow Eye 12

Step 5a: Attaching the Tow Eye (if equipped) 13

Step 6: Hooking up a Model S (No Tow Hook) 14

Step 7: Load carefully 15

Step 8: Securing Vehicle on Flatbed 16

Vehicle Jack Points 17

First Responders 18

Contact Tesla 19
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 Tesla Mission
Our goal is to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport by bringing
compelling mass market electric cars to market as soon as possible.
You play a critical role in helping us achieve this mission by accommodating our customers with the highest level of
service possible. Our roadside network is world-wide, which means you are joining a global team working relentlessly
to accomplish this mission – together we will revolutionize the automotive industry.

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 Model S Profile
• - Rear Wheel Drive and All Wheel Drive options are available
• - No spare tire
• - Electronic Parking Brake: No manual release
• - Traditional 12V Battery: Spill-proof Lead Acid (VRLA) battery
• - Curb weight: 4,647.3 pounds
• - Weight distribution (%, front/rear): 48/52
• - No steering column lock

RWD

AWD

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 Equipment Required

• Flat-bed truck
– In certain cases, a wheel lift and dolly is appropriate (example: car
immobilized in a low clearance garage)
• Nylon axle straps (Endless Loops also work great)
• Tire skates/Go-Jacks
• Under-carriage protection barrier (rubber pad or wood)
• Portable battery jump kit (for the 12V battery)
• Jumper cables
• Thin plastic prying/wedge tool
• Tie-down straps (8-point tie-down method)
• Chocks

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 Step 1: Opening Front Trunk
For the newer Model S without a front nose scone, follow the steps below to open the front trunk in the
event that the touchscreen is disabled and the vehicle does not respond to key fob. The front trunk will
need to be manually unlatched by following the steps below.

1st Passenger 2nd Driver

1. 1st pull back the passenger front wheel arch liner Front Front
using a pry tool
2. About 6 inches above from the bottom of the bumper
fascia you will see a looped cable
3. Pull this cable to pop open the front trunk
4. Next pull back the driver front wheel arch liner using a
pry tool 1 1
5. About 6 inches above from the bottom of the bumper
fascia you will see a looped cable
6. Pull this cable to unlock 2nd latch and lift front trunk to
open
2 2

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 Step 2: Jump Starting the 12V Battery
In the event the vehicle does not have enough power to use the touchscreen, the 12V battery will need
to be jumped. This will provide enough power to access “Tow Mode” on the touchscreen in order to
assist in loading the vehicle.
*There is no manual release for the parking brake.

1. Remove rear apron

2. Remove push clips at
rear of HEPA filter inlet
duct using a flat head
screw driver between
the base and the
head of the clip.
3. Detach drain hose
from both sides of
HEPA filter inlet duct at
the front corners by
pulling down on the
hoses.

Push Clip

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 Step 2: Jump Starting the 12V Battery

4. Unclip both retaining tabs at front corners near hose connections for the HEPA filter inlet
duct from filter housing and remove from vehicle
5. Remove HEPA filter outlet duct by lifting up toward the front of the vehicle the rotate
clockwise.

Hose Connection

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 Step 2: Jump Starting the 12V Battery
6. After everything is removed the 12 Volt Battery will Once the 12v jump is complete and the
be visible. A pry tool might be needed to remove vehicle is going to the service center all
the positive terminal cap
the pieces can be placed in the front
7. Attach jumper cables or jump pack for several trunk for the service center to reassemble.
minutes to provide enough power to wake the If reassembling the parts is needed follow
touchscreen. the next steps.
*If necessary, keep the jumper cables attached during
loading to keep the vehicle in Tow Mode (Neutral). 1. While the 12v battery is connected to the
jump pack on the touchscreen press on
trunk button to cycle the front trunk latch.
2. Reinstall the HEPA filter outlet duct
3. Reattach drain hoses first before clips on
both corners of the HEPA filter inlet duct
4. Make sure to both tabs are secure and
HEPA filter inlet duct is fully seated
5. Reinstall all 3 push clips at the top of the
HEPA filter inlet duct
6. Reinstall rear apron (make sure the first
responder loop is visible)
7. Close the front trunk.

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 Step 3: Placing the vehicle in Jack Mode
If the Model S is equipped with Active Air Suspension
follow the next steps to place the vehicle in Jack Mode:
*Note: If the Model S does not have air suspension, skip the steps below and
B C
proceed to “Tow Mode” on the next page.

1. Adjust the vehicle height for better clearance. On the

main touch screen, press:
Set “JACK” mode to
A. Controls disable self-leveling

B. Suspension
C. VERY HIGH

2. After raising the suspension to “Very High”, press the

“Jack” button to disable the suspension from self-
leveling.

A
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 Step 4: Tow Mode (Disabling the parking brake and keeping
the vehicle in neutral)
1. After you have secured the vehicle to the winch, B
press the brake pedal to power on the vehicle.

2. Activate “Tow Mode” by pressing the following D

buttons on the touch screen:
A. Controls
B. Settings
Slide Tow Mode to
C. Service & Reset C ON in order to
D. Tow Mode (switch to “ON”) disengage the
parking brake and
keep the vehicle in
neutral.
This setting will disable the parking brake and keep the
car in Neutral. Once Tow Mode is on the vehicle will
remain free rolling even without a driver present.

*Note: The car must be in Park with the brake pedal

pressed before Tow Mode can be activated.
A
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 Step 5: Locating the Tow Eye
Below are some of the locations that the tow eye can be found in.
• In the charging bag
• In the rear trunk
• In the front trunk

*Note that ALL vehicles can be towed using the front control arms, so tow providers can always resort to that method regardless
of the VIN.*

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 Step 5a: Attaching the Tow Eye (if equipped)
1. The insert for the tow eye is located on the driver front side of the bottom black
grill.
2. Secure the tow hook by turning counter-clockwise until it is firmly set.

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 Step 6: Hooking up a Model S (No Tow Hook)
If the Model S is not equipped with a Tow Hook or the Tow Hook cannot
be used:

1. Attach nylon axle straps (or Endless Loops)

to the rearmost lower control arm slots,
located underneath the front of the vehicle.

2. Place a protection barrier (piece of wood

or rubber pad) between the straps and
underbody and adjust the position to protect
the underbody.

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 Step 7: Load Carefully
1. Position the bed at a shallow angle. Use wooden boards or a
ramp to avoid
scraping the front of the vehicle.

2. Load carefully and take extra caution to ensure the diffuser on

the rear of the vehicle does not scrape against the ground (see
photo to the right).

*Note In the event that the vehicle will need to be loaded while
unresponsive. Tire skates will be needed only under the rear wheels
even if the vehicle is a dual motor vehicle. Front wheels will always
remain free-rolling while unresponsive.

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 Step 8: Securing Vehicle on Flatbed
*Use the 8-point tie-down method to strap down OVER the tires.
1. Strap the vehicle securely to the bed using tie-down
The example below demonstrates a WRONG
straps over the tires so that no equipment scratches
way of strapping; in this case, the wheel was
the wheel surface or body panels.
damaged due to metal-on-metal contact (red
2. To prevent damage to paint or wheel surfaces: arrows).
a. Do NOT place straps over body panels or through *Your company is responsible for damage
the wheels. caused to wheels or body panels.
b. Avoid metal-on-metal contact.

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 Vehicle Jacking Points
Jacking Procedures:
1. Before lifting the vehicle, activate Jack Mode on the touch screen (see Page 15). Jack mode will prevent
the air suspension from self leveling while the vehicle is lifted.
*Note: If the vehicle is not equipped with active air suspension, skip this step.
2. The jack points are the four red circles marked below:

Jack Points
When aligning the jack or lifting the vehicle be careful
not to damage the plastic strip between the battery
pack and the body rail .

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 First Responder Information
First Responder Guides are available at our website:
http://www.teslamotors.com/firstresponders
We are committed to helping first responders safely handle emergency situations involving
Tesla Model S and Roadsters. Emergency disconnects are available for disabling the vehicle
when extrication is necessary to rescue passengers. Please visit the website listed above for
first responder procedures.

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 Contact Tesla

Contact Tesla for assistance. Our Customer Support Team is available 24/7 at:

servicehelpEU@tesla.com

If you have any questions specific to these training slides, please contact our roadside
team at roadsideadminemea@tesla.com.

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