Tesla Model S Owners & Service Manuals

Tesla Model S: Location of Airbags

Airbags are located in the approximate areas shown below. Airbag warning information is printed on the sun visors.

Model S is equipped with an airbag and lap/shoulder belt at both front seating positions. The airbag is a supplemental restraint at those seating positions. All occupants, including the driver, should always wear their seat belts whether or not an airbag is also provided at their seating position to minimize the risk of severe injury or death in the event of a crash.

Airbags

  1. Passenger knee airbag.
  2. Passenger front airbag.
  3. Side airbags.
  4. Curtain airbags.
  5. Driver's knee airbag.
  6. Driver's front airbag.

How Airbags Work

Airbags inflate when sensors detect an impact that exceeds deployment thresholds. These thresholds are designed to predict the severity of a crash in time for the airbags to help protect the vehicle's occupants. Airbags inflate instantly with considerable force accompanied by a loud noise. The inflated bag, together with the seat belts, limits movement of occupants to reduce the risk of injury.

Front airbags are not ordinarily designed to inflate in rear collisions, rollovers, side collisions and when braking heavily or driving over bumps and potholes. Likewise, front airbags may not inflate in all frontal collisions, such as minor front collisions, underride collisions, or minor impacts with narrow objects (such as posts or poles). Significant superficial damage can occur to the vehicle without the airbags inflating and, conversely, a relatively small amount of structural damage can cause airbags to inflate. Therefore, the external appearance of the vehicle after a collision does not represent whether or not the front airbags should have inflated.

WARNING: Before modifying your vehicle to accommodate a person with disabilities in a way that may affect the airbag system, contact Tesla.

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     Types of Airbags

    Model S has the following types of airbags:  Front airbags: The front airbags are designed to reduce injuries if larger children or adults are riding in the front seats. Follow all warnings

     Controlling the Passenger Front Airbag

    Model S has an occupancy sensor in the front passenger seat that controls the status of the front airbag. NOTE: The occupancy classification system (OCS) meets the regulatory requirement of FMVSS 20

     Ensuring Accurate Occupant Classification

    To help ensure an occupant in the front passenger seat can be accurately classified, the passenger must: Wear a seat belt. Sit upright on the center of the seat cushion, with shoulders resting a

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     Replacing Wiper Blades

    For optimum performance, replace the wiper blades at least once a year. Replacement blades must meet the following criteria: The blade on the driver's side must be 26 inches (650 mm) long and 20 inches (500 mm) long for the blade on the passenger's side. Ensure the connector on the replacem

     Headlining (Remove and Replace)

    Removal Remove front windshield (refer to procedure) Lower headlining for access (refer to procedure) With assistance remove headlining through front windshield opening. Remove rear map lamps from headlining.

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