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Winter driving tips for your Tesla

Published Oct 22, 2026 · Updated Oct 22, 2026 · 5 min read · By VoltCoach

Precondition, plug in, and protect your range when it gets cold.

Cold weather uses more energy, since the car works harder against air resistance and heats both the cabin and the battery. These tips come from Tesla's winter guidance.

Precondition

Preconditioning warms the battery and cabin before you leave. Set it under Controls, Schedule, Precondition, or in the Tesla app. Set the climate to Auto, lower the temperature a little, and use seat heaters, which use less energy than the cabin heater.

Plug in and schedule

• Plug in whenever you can. Preconditioning then runs on outside power and saves battery energy for driving.
• Schedule charging to end close to your departure time, which reduces the energy needed to warm the battery. Find it under Controls, Schedule, Charge.
• When unplugged, keeping the charge above 50% reduces the effect of the cold.

Know the cold-weather signs

• A blue snowflake means the battery is too cold for full power and range. Regenerative braking and acceleration may be reduced until it warms up.
• Tire pressure drops as temperatures fall. Add air to keep traction and efficiency.
• If the charge port latch freezes, use Controls, Service, Charge Port Heater.

Parking and frozen parts

• If ice is expected, turn off mirror auto-fold under Controls, Mirrors, Mirror Auto-Fold.
• Clear snow from the hood, roof and tailgate, and clear sensors, cameras and the cabin air intake.
• Wiper Service Mode (Controls, Service) lets you free frozen wipers.
• Steam from the front during fast charging in cold weather is normal on heat pump cars.

Good to know

Winter wheel and tire packages are available from the Tesla Shop and some Service Centers. After changing tires, update the tire configuration under Controls, Service, Wheel & Tire.

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