Ever found yourself in a Tesla, needing to put it in neutral, but feeling a bit lost without a traditional gear shifter? You're not alone! Teslas, with their minimalist interiors and advanced technology, handle gear selection a little differently. Whether you're heading into an automatic car wash, need to manually push your vehicle a short distance, or require it for towing, understanding how to shift into neutral is a key skill for any Tesla owner.
Step 1: Understand Why You Need Neutral
Before diving into how to do it, let's briefly touch upon why you might need to put your Tesla in neutral. Knowing the common scenarios will help you determine the best method to use.
Common Scenarios for Neutral:
Automatic Car Washes: Many automated car washes require your vehicle to be in neutral so it can roll freely on the conveyor.
Short Distance Movement: If you need to manually push your Tesla a very short distance (e.g., to adjust its parking position), neutral is necessary.
Towing or Flatbed Transport: When a Tesla needs to be towed or loaded onto a flatbed truck, it must be in a "free-rolling" state, which is achieved by engaging neutral, often through a dedicated "Tow Mode."
Emergency Situations: In rare emergency scenarios, you might need to quickly disengage the drive system.
Step 2: Locate Your Tesla's Shifting Mechanism ️
Teslas primarily use two methods for gear selection: the touchscreen and, in some models, a drive stalk or overhead console buttons. The specific method can vary slightly depending on your Tesla model (Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X, or Cybertruck) and its production year.
Method A: The Touchscreen Interface ️
Most modern Teslas heavily rely on the central touchscreen for various controls, including shifting. This is often the preferred method.
Method B: The Drive Stalk (Older Models & Some Current Models) ️
Older Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles, and some current Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, feature a drive stalk located on the right side of the steering wheel, similar to a traditional shifter.
Method C: Overhead Console Buttons (Newer Model S/X & Cybertruck) ⬆️
Newer Model S and Model X, as well as the Cybertruck, have moved the gear selector to a set of buttons (P, R, N, D) on the overhead console.
Step 3: Engaging Neutral – Step-by-Step Guide ♀️➡️♂️
Here's how to put your Tesla into neutral, depending on your vehicle's shifting mechanism.
Option 1: Using the Touchscreen (Most Common for Newer Models)
Ensure Safety First: Before attempting to shift into neutral, ensure your foot is firmly pressed on the brake pedal. This is crucial to prevent unintended rolling and activate the drive mode strip on the touchscreen.
Access Controls: On your Tesla's large central touchscreen, tap the "Controls" icon. This is usually located at the bottom or side of the screen.
Locate the Drive Mode Strip: Once in Controls, you should see a "drive mode strip" display. This strip typically shows Park (P), Reverse (R), Neutral (N), and Drive (D) icons.
Press and Hold Neutral: Press and hold the "N" (Neutral) icon on the drive mode strip. You'll need to hold it for a few seconds until your Tesla confirms it has engaged Neutral. A chime will usually sound, and the "N" will be highlighted on the screen.
Note: If you're driving over approximately 5 mph (8 km/h), swiping up or down on the drive mode strip will make the Neutral icon appear, allowing you to engage it.
Option 2: Using the Drive Stalk (Common for Model 3/Y, and Older S/X)
Brake First: As always, press the brake pedal firmly.
Shifting from Park:
From Park, briefly push the drive stalk either up or down to the first position. You'll see a large "N" appear on your instrument cluster/screen, indicating neutral. Don't push it all the way until it clicks for Drive or Reverse.
Shifting from Drive:
From Drive, briefly push the drive stalk up to the first position. Again, look for the "N" to confirm.
Important for Autopilot/Traffic-Aware Cruise Control: If Autosteer or Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is active, you'll need to push the drive stalk up to the first position and hold it there for more than 1 second. This action will disable Autosteer or Traffic-Aware Cruise Control before engaging neutral.
Shifting from Reverse:
From Reverse, briefly push the drive stalk down to the first position. The "N" will confirm neutral.
Option 3: Using the Overhead Console Buttons (Newer Model S/X, Cybertruck)
Apply Brakes: Always press the brake pedal when attempting to shift gears.
Select Neutral: Locate the "P, R, N, D" buttons on your overhead console. Press the "N" button. The associated LED will illuminate amber, confirming neutral is engaged.
Note: In situations where the touchscreen is unavailable (e.g., technical issue, Valet Mode, or Tow Mode), these buttons may activate automatically without needing a brake press first.
Step 4: Keeping Your Tesla in Neutral (Tow Mode/Car Wash Mode) ️
For situations where you need your Tesla to remain in neutral even after you exit the vehicle, such as for towing or an extended stay in a car wash, you'll need to activate Tow Mode (sometimes referred to as Transport Mode).
Shift to Park: Ensure your Tesla is in Park.
Press the Brake Pedal: Keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal.
Navigate to Towing Settings: On the touchscreen, go to Controls > Service > Towing.
Activate Tow Mode: Touch "Enter Tow Mode." The button will turn blue to indicate it's active.
Confirmation Message: The touchscreen will display a message reminding you how to properly transport your Tesla in this mode.
Your Tesla will now be free-rolling and can be moved slowly (no faster than walking speed) for short distances or winched onto a flatbed truck.
Important Considerations for Tow Mode:
No Charger Connection: Tow Mode is unavailable if your Tesla is connected to a charger.
Key Detection: Your Tesla must detect a key to activate Tow Mode.
Low Voltage Power: The vehicle needs low voltage power for the touchscreen to operate and allow Tow Mode activation. If your car is completely dead, you may need to jump-start the low voltage system.
Cancel Tow Mode: To exit Tow Mode, simply touch "Exit Tow Mode" on the touchscreen or shift your Tesla into Park.
Step 5: Exiting Neutral
To shift out of neutral and back into a driving gear (Drive or Reverse) or Park:
Press the Brake Pedal: You must press the brake pedal to shift out of Neutral, especially if the vehicle is moving slower than approximately 5 mph (8 km/h).
Select Desired Gear: Use the touchscreen, drive stalk, or overhead console buttons to select your desired gear (Drive, Reverse, or Park).
Your Tesla will automatically shift into Park if you open the driver's door to exit the vehicle, unless it's in Tow Mode or Car Wash Mode. This is a safety feature to prevent roll-away.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How to put a Tesla Model 3 in neutral?
To put a Tesla Model 3 in neutral, you can either open Controls on the touchscreen and press and hold the "N" icon, or briefly push the drive stalk up or down to the first position from Park, or push it up briefly from Drive, or down briefly from Reverse.
How to put a Tesla Model Y in neutral for a car wash?
For a car wash, you'll want to activate Tow Mode (which keeps the car in neutral). Shift into Park, press the brake, then on the touchscreen, go to Controls > Service > Towing, and touch "Enter Tow Mode."
How to put a Tesla Model S in neutral without the touchscreen?
If your Model S has the drive stalk, you can briefly push it up or down to the first position from Park to enter neutral. Newer Model S models with overhead console buttons allow you to press the "N" button.
How to put a Tesla Model X in neutral for towing?
To put a Model X in neutral for towing, you should engage Tow Mode: first, shift to Park, press the brake pedal, then go to Controls > Service > Towing on the touchscreen and select "Enter Tow Mode."
How to put a dead Tesla in neutral?
If your Tesla has no low voltage power, you'll likely need to jump-start the low voltage system first to power the touchscreen or drive mode selector. Once there's power, you can then follow the standard steps to engage neutral or Tow Mode.
How to get a Tesla out of neutral?
To get a Tesla out of neutral, simply press the brake pedal and then select your desired gear (Park, Reverse, or Drive) using the touchscreen, drive stalk, or overhead console buttons.
How to use the drive stalk to put a Tesla in neutral?
From Park, briefly push the stalk up or down to the first position. From Drive, briefly push it up to the first position (hold for >1 sec if Autosteer/TACC is active). From Reverse, briefly push it down to the first position.
How to put a Tesla in neutral when moving?
If you're moving slower than approximately 5 mph (8 km/h), you can usually shift into neutral by pressing the brake and selecting "N" on the touchscreen or via the drive stalk/overhead buttons. Above this speed, the touchscreen will display a Neutral option when you swipe up/down on the drive mode strip.
How to tell if your Tesla is in neutral?
Your Tesla's instrument cluster or central touchscreen will clearly display a large "N" icon when the vehicle is in neutral.
How to activate "Tow Mode" in a Tesla?
To activate Tow Mode, ensure the vehicle is in Park and connected to a key. Press and hold the brake pedal, then on the touchscreen, navigate to Controls > Service > Towing and touch "Enter Tow Mode."
This video provides a visual guide on how to put various Tesla models into neutral, including for car wash mode, which directly relates to the user's query.
