Sometimes, you need to charge a few USB-powered devices in your car while you’re out and about. Maybe your phone or wireless headphones have a low battery, or you’ve got a tablet or laptop that you need to use later and won’t have power.
You can leave your devices charging in your vehicle by making sure the USB ports stay powered on, but there are a few things to know.
Keeping USB Ports Powered
Power to USB ports are normally powered off when the vehicle goes to sleep after about 15 minutes of inactivity. However, there are some things you can do to keep the USB ports powered. If you activate Sentry Mode, Keep Climate, Dog Mode, or Camp Mode, then power to the vehicle’s USB ports will also remain on. Keep in mind that all of these modes will consume power themselves, so if your only goal is to charge your device, then you’ll likely want to use Sentry Mode so that the HVAC doesn’t stay running.
In most modes, you can keep your vehicle locked and secure while your devices charge off either the USB ports in the front console, the USB-A port in the glovebox, or the USB ports behind the center armrest. Some of these ports may be USB-A or USB-C depending on the model and year of your vehicle.
What Not to Use
Camp Mode keeps the vehicle unlocked. While it’s a good choice if you’ll be around the vehicle, avoid it if you want your vehicle to stay locked. Camp Mode will also keep the climate system enabled and the display on.
Locking Your Vehicle
If you’re charging a phone that is also a phone key for your vehicle, then you'll want to be sure to turn off Bluetooth on your device or disable the phone key feature, or else your vehicle won’t lock. You can disable Phone Key by navigating to Security & Drivers in the Tesla app and turning off the Phone Key option. Whichever method you use, you’ll need to keep two things in mind. Be sure to lock your vehicle with another phone or with the buttons on the screen, and make sure you have your Tesla key card with you so that you can get back in.
Cybertruck
The Cybertruck in particular has one additional option – it’s equipped with 120V and 240V outlets – the same type you’ll find in your home in North America. The 240V outlet located in the bed can also be left running when you’re out of the vehicle – and all these outlets can be powered while the vehicle is locked.
In order to get these running, you’ll want to go into Vehicle Controls > Outlets & Mods, and then enable the “Keep On Cabin and Bed Outlets”. One thing to note is that power to the outlets is disabled automatically if the vehicle is plugged in (even if not charging), or if ambient temperatures are exceedingly low.
Tesla doesn’t state what the minimum temperature is, but if you know, give us a shout on social media!
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Every Tesla update is filled with new features, but often there are smaller improvements that aren’t missed in the release notes and go unnoticed. Now that most users, except those on some FSD releases, have received update 2024.38, we’re taking a look at some of the features that Tesla didn’t mention in their release notes.
Service History
Mahtava
Tesla's new Service History, available through Tesla's Service Mode, lets owners and technicians add service records to the vehicle.
Each service record is permanent and can not be amended once it has been entered. You can enter a variety of service records, from simple owner-oriented tasks, such as windshield wiper replacements and adding washer fluid to motor or battery pack swaps. If you’re interested in learning more, read our deep dive into Service History.
With Tesla’s Holiday Update, Tesla also made this information viewable (read-only) for vehicle owners without the need to go into Service Mode. Owners can simply go to Controls > Service > Maintenance Summary to view their vehicle records.
Tesla App Commands
When you're in close proximity to your vehicle, commands issued from the Tesla app will now be executed quicker and more reliably by being sent over Bluetooth instead of relying on your phone’s and vehicle's internet connection.
This requires a recent version of the app, which can be Tesla app update 4.38or higher.
This feature is available for both iPhone and Android and supports all vehicles except the legacy Model S and Model X.
Curve Assist
Not a Tesla App
In certain regions, Tesla has added a new Curvature Assist feature that allows the vehicle to perform sharper turns while on Autopilot. When the feature is active, the vehicle will display "Curvature Assist Active" in the visualization area.
Simply go to Controls > Software, and underneath your car's VIN, you'll see the FSD hardware version of your car. The version can be cut off in some languages due to the longer text, but you can also tap the Additional Vehicle Information to view the Autopilot hardware version.
WiFi Diagnostics Tool
Tesla now includes a WiFi Diagnostics tool to help you improve your WiFi connection. It displays your connection’s status and speed and provides some tips.
To view WiFi Diagnostics, go to Control > Wi-Fi and tap on the blue Diagnostics link at the top.
The diagnostics tool allows you to see various details about the access point you're connecting to, your vehicle's MAC address, and your connection.
Improved Voice Recognition
Many users are also reporting voice recognition improvements in this update, especially in dialects other than American English. Tesla's voice command system now appears to better understand different accents and perform commands more reliably. While this isn’t the smart voice assistant we all wanted, many users are happy to be able to issue commands more reliably.
When viewing details for a Point of Interest (POI) on the map, you can now tap on “Nearby Parking’ to get directions to nearby parking lots or garages. This should make it easier to find parking for big events or busy areas.
Lower Volume in Reverse
@g3st4l1
Tesla has added a new option under Controls > Safety that lets the vehicle automatically lower the volume of any audio being played when the vehicle goes into reverse. The option is right next to Joe Mode, which lowers the volume of all sounds like turn signals and Autopilot beeps.
Set Arrival Energy
@g3st4l1
You can now choose the amount of energy you’d like to arrive with at your destination. Tesla will then take this into account when determining charging stops and charging times.
The Set Arrival Energy is a new option under trip details which you can get to by swiping up (or pressing the …) in the navigation module that shows your destination and ETA.
Adjust Passenger Seat On Screen
@g3st4l1
Tesla has added a new Seats option to its settings. It appears that it has several purposes, not only letting you turn on/off seat heaters, but also letting you move the passenger seat forward and backward. This could be especially useful if you have a baby seat behind the passenger seat and sometimes need the extra room.
Unfortunately, there are no presets or memory, so you’ll need to adjust the seat each time. It does not allow you to adjust other seat functions, such as the seat back or lumbar support.
For the Model X, it also lets you move the middle seats backward or forward.
Vehicle Maintenance Summary
@tslaway
Owners can now view their vehicle's maintenance history. This builds upon the Maintenance History feature Tesla added recently, which lets you add digital vehicle records when maintenance is performed. It includes a wide variety of items, from adding windshield washer fluid to replacing the vehicle’s battery or motor.
However, with the Holiday Update, Tesla is adding an easy-to-view “consumer” version of vehicle history that lets owners view maintenance records without having to go into Service Mode. The Vehicle Maintenance Summary is under Controls > Service > Maintenance and provides a read-only view for vehicle owners. You’ll have to go into Service Mode to add any maintenance records, which are permanent and can not be erased, even after a factory reset.
@tslaway
When viewing the owner version of Maintenance Summary, owners can quickly view when tires were last rotated, when the cabin filter was replaced and more.
Autopilot Lane Changes
Not a Tesla App
In Europe, Tesla has added a new indicator light that shows which automatic lane changes are available. Whenever Autopilot is enabled, the vehicle will now display a light indicating which lanes are available for Automatic Lane Changes. The icon will start off gray, then turn green and show an arrow to the left, right, or both sides.
If you want to see other Holiday Update features in action, be sure to check out part 1 of this series, where we take a look at all the features of Tesla’s Holiday Update. You can also read the release notes for the Holiday update, version 2024.44.25.2
If you’ve noticed any additional changes in this update, definitely let us know. Thanks to Zer and teslaway for the photos of the new features.
