Putting your car in neutral mode is a piece of cake if you have a regular car with regular transmission. But, a Tesla has a unique type of transmission, so owners need to adapt to its a bit different working principles. If you are not sure, you need to learn how to put Tesla in neutral.
So, how to put Tesla in neutral? It depends on the model. For a Model 3 and Y, when you are in Drive, push the gear stalk up, or if you are in reverse, push it down. In Models S and X, made before 2021, push the gear stalk into the first position. Hold the gear stalk for one second for the models above if the Autosteer is on. Models S and X were made after 2021; from the control panel, select “Controls” and then “Neutral”.
Stay with us because we will go through everything you need to know about Tesla’s transmission. We will also cover all the scenarios in which you need to put the Tesla into Neutral and how. In the end, we gathered several FAQs and answered them so you don’t need to look all around the web. Enjoy.
Tesla’s Unique Gear Shifting Mechanism
Drivers are often confused by the Tesla transmission and the way it works. Electric vehicles, like Tesla, can have completely different transmissions from the rest of the vehicles. Besides the innovative working principles, it has different safety features.
Difference from Traditional Cars
Unlike regular automatic or manual transmission cars, all Teslas use single-speed gearboxes. There is no need to shift gears. Electric motors that Tesla uses produces instant torque, removing the need for multi-speed gearboxes. That is why all Teslas have that instant acceleration that made these cars famous.
Safety Features in Tesla Gear Operations
Two safety features implemented into Tesla car’s transmissions can put your mind at ease:
- If you decide to exit your car while it is in neutral and you forget to put it in the park, the car will do it automatically for you. This way, you don’t need to worry that your car will roll away
- The Tesla won’t allow the driver to shift into drive or reverse from neutral in case the car is not moving slowly. When you want to drive, keep the car’s speed below 5 MPH and press the brake. Now, you can shift into the drive or reverse.
Step-by-Step Guide: How To Put Your Tesla in Neutral
The step-by-step guide differs from model to model, so we will go through all the possible cases:
- Models S and X were made before 2021; in these models, the neutral gear is between drive mode and reverse mode. If you are in Drive mode, you need to press the gear stalk up, or if you are in reverse, push it down
- Models S and X were made after 2021; these models do not have a physical gear stalk or any physical buttons. They use the virtual gear selector. To put the car into neutral gear, you need to tap the car icon to go to the controls. From there, find the neutral gear icon and hold it. If the touchscreen is not available, use the center console. Tap it, and once the letters light up, press N for neutral gear
- Models 3 and Y, if you are in the park mode, press and hold the brake pedal. Then push the gear selector up or down. In case you are in drive mode, push the stalk up slowly, halfway in the reverse direction. If the autosteer or cruise control is active, hold it for a bit more than a second. If you want to switch from reverse mode to neutral mode, push the stalk down slowly, halfway in the drive mode direction.
Check Out How To Put Tour Tesla Model 3 into Neutral:
Scenarios You Might Need to Put a Tesla in Neutral
You won’t find yourself often needing to put Tesla in neutral gear. But, once it does happen, you will want to know how to do it:
- When you want to drive the Tesla to the car wash
- When the Tesla breaks down and you need to tow it
- In case of an emergency or a malfunction.
Common Mistakes When Engaging To A Neutral Mode
Although Tesla brought a lot of cutting-edge technology, some are still partly a mystery. That sometimes can confuse us, so we need to mention them.
Ignoring the Tesla Touchscreen Interface
Newer S and X models don’t have a gear stalk. To shift modes, you need to use the touchscreen. In case it is not active or there is a problem, you need to switch to the center console. Tap it, and the gear indicator will show. From there, you can select N for neutral mode.
‘Hold’ and ‘Park’ Mode Misunderstandings
Some drivers are unsure about the hold and park modes. The e-brake is stronger in park modes. A hold mode is more of a security mode to keep the car in place while waiting at a stoplight or in a similar situation.
Safety Precautions When Placing Tesla in Neutral
Two safety features implemented into Tesla car’s transmissions can put your mind at ease:
- If you decide to exit your car while it is in neutral and you forget to put it in park, the car will do it automatically for you. This way you don’t need to worry will your car roll away.
- The Tesla won’t allow the driver to shift into drive or reverse from neutral in case the car is not moving slowly. When you want to drive, keep the car’s speed below 5 MPH and press the brake. Now, you can shift into the drive or reverse.
Tesla Neutral Mode and Its Battery Efficiency
Tesla is known for its regenerative braking mechanism that acts as a generator. Through it, the battery partly regenerates itself when braking. To apply regenerative braking, all you need to do is to lift the foot from the acceleration pedal. The car needs to be in drive mode to be able to use the regenerative braking function.
When the car is in neutral mode, and you are letting the car move by itself, you cannot enter the regenerative braking mode. That way you are robbing yourself of significant battery recharging. Using this mode in driving is contra productive.
Troubleshooting: What To Do When Tesla Refuses to Go into Neutral
In case Tesla refuses to go into neutral mode, remain calm, and move the car to a safe location. Then, follow the correct steps we will go through:
- Engage the emergency brake to prevent the car from moving.
- Turn the car off and on. This may erase some temporary issues that some electronic systems had.
- Check for errors. Look at the touchscreen and on the central console for any error messages.
- Contact Tesla support. If you can not navigate out of this problem alone, contact Tesla support to identify the problem.
- Tow the vehicle. If nothing else helps, contact a professional towing service to tow the car. You may need to put the car into tow mode for this.
FAQs
How to put a Tesla in neutral in a car wash?
Tesla designated a special mode when you want to take your car to a car wash. In these situations, you won’t put the car into neutral gear but instead into Car Wash Mode. To find and activate this option, do the following:
1. Select Controls from the drive mode selector on the touchscreen. After that, press the Service menu
2. Once you enter the Service menu, select Car Wash mode. This will close all the windows, turn off the sentry mode and enable Free Roll. The Free Roll is a special type of neutral mode that allows the car to roll freely on the automatic car wash tracks. The mode will also prevent the driver from accidentally activating the emergency or parking brake.
How to put a Tesla in neutral without power?
If the Tesla battery capacity is near empty, you can still put the car into neutral mode or turn on the towing mode if needed. Every Tesla has between 5 and 15 miles of battery power capacity even after the display shows 0 miles capacity. It is worth knowing that Tesla will warn you several times that your battery is low before the car comes to a halt.
If you are in a situation where you cannot do anything and the battery is out of electric power, it is best to contact a tow company. Also, remember that you cannot tow a Tesla while touching the ground with wheels. A towing company must dispatch a flatbed truck for the transport. Before doing this, always turn on the tow mode.
Can a Tesla be put in neutral while driving?
A driver can try, but the Tesla is not meant to be in neutral mode while driving.
Can a Tesla be pushed with no power?
No, Tesla cannot be pushed when it has no power. Unlike conventional gasoline-powered vehicles, once your electric vehicle is out of power, you must contact a towing company or Tesla roadside assistance. Then you need to employ a neutral gear or a special type of neutral mode, like transport or tow mode.
Final Considerations
Tesla, with their innovative features, offered an exciting driving experience. But, with every new technology, there is a period of learning and adaptation. Many drivers are still having issues with Teslas and electric cars in general. They work on different principles, and we must forget some developed habits.
The same thing is with neutral mode. Drivers are still having problems adapting to the new design of transmission controls. That, combined with the battery and capacity, and all those factors, can result in a lot of confusion.
That is why we are trying to educate, first us, then our readers, on how to handle new technologies. We remember when some of us still had problems with regular automatic transmission. They can have unique settings that need decoding. We hope that this article sheds some new light on this issue. Stay with us in the future.
