Have you ever wondered how to properly turn off your Tesla, especially when you're still sitting inside? It might seem counter-intuitive for a car that prides itself on automation, but there are specific methods to ensure your Tesla is powered down correctly, whether you're leaving it or staying put. Let's dive into the various ways to turn off your Tesla.
Understanding Tesla's "Off" State
Unlike traditional gasoline cars that you "turn off" with a key, Teslas are designed to be largely always on in a ready state. They manage their power consumption intelligently, often going into a low-power "sleep mode" when not in use. However, there are times when you might want to explicitly power it down.
Step 1: Parking Your Tesla ️
The first and most fundamental step to initiating any "turn off" sequence is to ensure your Tesla is safely parked.
1.1 Engaging Park Mode
Before you can turn off your Tesla, it must be in Park (P). This is a crucial safety measure.
For Model 3 and Model Y: Press the button on the end of the right-hand drive stalk.
For Model S and Model X: Depending on the year, this might be a button on the overhead console or a similar stalk action.
Your Tesla will often automatically shift into Park when you unbuckle your seatbelt and the car is stationary.
Step 2: Automatic Power-Off Scenarios ️
Teslas are smart! In many cases, you don't actually need to do anything to "turn off" your car. It handles it on its own.
2.1 Walking Away (The Most Common Method)
This is the most frequent way your Tesla "turns off" or enters a low-power state.
Simply exit your Tesla with your phone key or key fob.
Close the door.
Your car will automatically power off and lock, turning off the touchscreen and HVAC systems. This is the intended and most common behavior.
2.2 Remaining in Park (Automatic Shutdown)
Even if you stay inside your Tesla after parking, it will eventually power down.
If your Tesla remains in Park for approximately 30 minutes, it will automatically power off, even if you are still seated in the driver's seat.
Step 3: Manually Powering Off Your Tesla (When You're Inside) ✋
There are situations where you might want to manually power down your Tesla while remaining in the driver's seat. This is useful for resets, troubleshooting, or simply ensuring it's completely off for a longer period.
3.1 Using the Touchscreen Controls
This is the standard manual method to power off your Tesla from within the vehicle.
Ensure your Tesla is stationary and in Park.
On the touchscreen, navigate to Controls (the car icon).
Tap on Safety.
Select Power Off.
After you select "Power Off," the touchscreen will go black, and the vehicle will shut down. To turn it back on, simply press the brake pedal or tap the touchscreen.
Step 4: Restarting the Touchscreen (Not a Full Power Off)
It's important to distinguish between powering off the entire vehicle and simply restarting the touchscreen. A touchscreen restart is often used for minor glitches or unresponsiveness.
4.1 Performing a Soft Reset
This only restarts the touchscreen and does not power off the entire vehicle.
Ensure your Tesla is stopped and in Park.
Hold down both scroll buttons on the steering wheel until the touchscreen turns black.
The Tesla logo will appear after a few seconds.
Wait approximately 30 seconds for the touchscreen to fully restart.
If your touchscreen remains unresponsive, you might need to try a full power cycle of the vehicle (see troubleshooting below).
Step 5: Emergency Stopping (Rare but Important)
In an extreme emergency where the primary brakes are not functioning, there is an emergency method to bring the vehicle to a stop.
5.1 Using the Park Button for Emergency Braking
This method should only be used in an emergency.
Press and hold the Park (P) button on the touchscreen's drive mode strip (or overhead console, depending on model) to apply the brakes and remove drive torque.
Do not use this method for regular stopping, as it is intended for emergency situations only.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to turn off Tesla completely for storage?
To turn off a Tesla completely for long-term storage, you should first manually power it off via the touchscreen (Controls > Safety > Power Off), then consider plugging it in to maintain battery health, especially in extreme temperatures.
How to turn off Tesla from the app?
The Tesla app primarily allows you to lock/unlock, precondition, and monitor your car, but it doesn't have a direct "power off" button. The car will generally go into a low-power state when idle and locked.
How to turn off Tesla if the screen is frozen?
If the touchscreen is frozen, you can perform a soft reset by holding down both scroll buttons on the steering wheel until the screen goes black and the Tesla logo reappears. If that doesn't work, a full power cycle (parking, leaving the car, waiting a few minutes, then re-entering) might be necessary.
How to prevent Tesla from turning off when a passenger stays in?
To keep the car's systems active when a passenger remains inside and the driver exits, you can enable "Dog Mode" or "Camp Mode" through the climate controls, or simply tap the center screen periodically to keep it awake.
How to know if my Tesla is truly off?
Your Tesla is truly powered off when the touchscreen is completely black and unresponsive, and there are no interior lights or sounds. For a full power-off, you'll generally use the "Power Off" option in the Safety menu.
How to turn off Tesla without opening the door?
You can manually turn off your Tesla from inside by navigating to Controls > Safety > Power Off on the touchscreen, without needing to open any doors.
How to power cycle a Tesla for troubleshooting?
To power cycle your Tesla, ensure it's in Park, then go to Controls > Safety > Power Off. Once the car is off (screen black), leave it untouched for at least two minutes. Then, open a door or press the brake pedal to wake it up.
How to turn off Tesla when leaving it for service?
When leaving your Tesla for service, you can put it into Valet Mode through the app or touchscreen (Controls > Safety > Valet Mode) which limits speed and access to personal data. The service center will handle any necessary power-off procedures.
How to turn off Sentry Mode in Tesla?
To turn off Sentry Mode, navigate to Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode on your Tesla's touchscreen and toggle the feature off. You can also disable it via the Tesla mobile app.
How to deal with battery drain when Tesla is parked and "off"?
Even when "off," Teslas consume some power for features like Sentry Mode, cabin overheat protection, and connectivity. To minimize drain, disable Sentry Mode when not needed, park in a garage, and consider plugging it in if parked for extended periods.
For a visual guide on engaging the parking brake and related controls in a Tesla, you might find this video helpful:
