The Tesla Model 3 was the first “mass-market” Tesla to enter production following the very up-market Model S sedan.
The Model 3 was designed to bring more people closer to the electric car dream.
While being priced lower than the Model S, it also features fast acceleration, great looks, and innovative features.
This article explains “12 Tesla Model 3 Features Not Working!”…
Table of Contents
Tesla Model 3 Easy Entry Not Working
Easy Entry mode is a system that allows you to set the driver’s seat and steering wheel to a position that makes entry to the vehicle and exit from the vehicle easier.
When set up correctly, you press on Easy Entry after entering the car and it repositions your seat forward and steering wheel down to whatever optimum position you had set for driving.
When you park up, you stop the vehicle, put it in park, and then it will use your easy entry settings to push the seat back and raise the steering wheel, making exiting the vehicle easier.
If this is not working, the first thing you should check is your Easy Entry profile settings.
Make sure that you have an active, working profile. If you have a profile and it is still not working, then you could try an alternative fix.
You also have to have the car in park and unbuckle your seatbelt for it to activate automatically. Some may perceive this as the system not working.
Most times when it’s not working, it’s because the profile has not been set up. Easy Entry is a separate profile from your driver’s seat memory settings.
Tesla Model 3 Regenerative Braking Not Working
Regen braking on the Tesla Model 3 is an innovative system that helps to make the Tesla Model 3 a “one-pedal drive” system.
Put simply, regen braking works by the driver simply taking their foot off the gas pedal and allowing the car to automatically slow down the vehicle by acting on the electric motors instead of applying the traditional brake pedal.
This saves wear and tear on the brake pedal, and as the name suggests, the system actively reclaims energy to send back to the battery as it uses regenerative braking.
If your regenerative braking is experiencing difficulties, then there could be a number of reasons behind it, as well as a number of fixes.
The most common issue with regen braking is the ambient temperature.
After a cold night of under 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the regen braking is often reduced in its capabilities until the battery warms up again.
Some people notice the regen isn’t working as they set off, but they should notice it improving as the battery warms up.
You can also check your regen braking by looking under the letters P R N D on your touchscreen.
There’s a line there to indicate the current state of regen braking.
If it’s a solid line, then you’ll get regen at full capacity, if it’s dotted, then regen braking will be limited at first.
You can also try using pre-warming settings in the climate controls to warm up the car before you set off.
Tesla Model 3 Rear Defroster Not Working
The rear defroster works in tandem with the heated side mirrors to ensure that any ice or snow is quickly cleared off the rear window before you set off.
If it’s faulty, however, you might find it ineffective.
First of all, make sure you are using the controls right. It’s one tap of the button for cool air and two taps to make it heated. Some people get that wrong.
You can check the manual if you think you might simply be operating the controls wrongly.
If you are sure that the controls are being used correctly, then the problem could be something else.
The most likely problem is a loose connector.
If you have before experienced problems with the panels on your Model 3, such as one being removed or falling off, then the chance of a loose connector is increased.
You will need to have the system serviced to fix the connector if it’s that. First, try operating the system correctly and make sure that it’s really not working.
Tesla Model 3 Cabin Overheat Protection Not Working
This feature is designed to automatically cool the cabin while the Model 3 is parked in the sun and the passenger cabin has reached a dangerously high temperature.
The climate controls kick in and cool the cabin down.
Some users have reported that they see on their smartphone app that the interior temperature is reaching as high as 112 degrees despite Cabin Overheat Protection being on and Sentry Mode being on.
They hear the fan, but there’s no A/C.
The fix for this is first to check the settings to ensure that your Cabin Overheat Protection is set to include air conditioning, or if it’s set to fan only.
There is a fan-only option.
The problem also might be software-based, so ensure that you’ve updated your system to the latest version using Tesla’s over-the-air update system.
In older systems, the Overheat Protection feature didn’t always work while Sentry Mode was on. With a full update, that problem should be eliminated.
Tesla Model 3 Driver Profile Not Working
The Driver Profile is a suite of settings that remembers your preferences within the car like the position of the seat, mirrors and steering wheel.
You have to set this up in advance for it to work using the “Add New Driver” menu in Settings.
One reason for this not working, it should engage when you get in the car, put on your seatbelt, and activate your Model 3, is that the person who used the car last is close by to the vehicle with their smartphone.
The car may be reading their information and it’s conflicting with your own.
Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence. It can also be fixed by simply resetting the profile settings and restarting.
Users report that doing this will see it working without a hitch again.
Tesla Model 3 Footwell Lights Not Working
The most common cause for the footwell lights in a Tesla Model 3 not working is that the system has been overloaded because of too much power drawn from aftermarket light products.
Some people add LED lights in their trunk or other parts of the car, which ultimately draw additional power.
While fuses don’t get blown in the same way in a Tesla Model 3, the onboard computer that monitors power levels sometimes detects the extra draw and shuts down.
It takes time to reset the system and that can result in footwell lights not working for a period of time.
Typically this issue will right itself, but you should consult with Tesla technicians when you want to draw any additional power.
They can guide you in the right places to draw it from.
Tesla Model 3 Horn Not Working
One common flaw with the horn is that not all parts of the horn pad are working as well as others.
Some have complained in particular about the left side of the horn pad not being responsive.
The main issue stems from the fact that the horn contact rods within the steering wheel are not a big enough diameter to ensure perfect contact every time when you press on the pad.
Applying some solder to the area can increase its area and thus ensure perfect contact every time.
However, a Tesla Service Center is not likely to perform this service for you, claiming that sometimes not beeping on a certain area of the pad is normal for any car.
To apply solder would require the owner to remove the airbag and wheel cover, which would likely void the warranty.
The airbag in particular is very hard to work with.
Tesla Model 3 Key Card Not Working
The key cards are a rather novel way to access your Tesla Model 3 without the need for any clumsy keys which if slipped in the wrong direction can scratch the paint.
The key card is elegant and simple. Sometimes, however, it can abruptly stop working.
The best thing to do is to delete the key card from the key card manager and then add it once again.
Many users report that this course of action gets the card working again.
If it doesn’t work, then delete it, destroy the old card and then purchase some new ones from the Tesla Service Center and try again.
Tesla Model 3 Caraoke Not Working
Tesla’s “Caraoke” (their own version of karaoke) mode allows you to add a bank of music and lyrics to your infotainment system to use for in-car karaoke.
It’s a great cure for boredom on long road trips, and fun to do with friends.
Some users, however, have reported choosing a song and then being faced with a black screen with no music and no lyrics with no other buttons responding.
When Caraoke was first added, bugs were usually the cause of problems in the system.
Getting the very latest system update and then often applying a lot of patience seemed to fix most problems.
People theorized that the problem lay in the car needing time to update and fully download the content before it worked properly.
Most people reported that it started working again after giving it time and updating to the very latest version of the operating system.
Tesla Model 3 Lumbar Support Not Working
In the past, Tesla Model 3 Lumbar Support has suddenly stopped working but then been fixed with over-the-air updates.
If you think that the lumbar support system is not activating, or is active but not working, then try the following steps.
First, update to the latest software version, restart your car completely and then try again. It should be working at this point.
If it continues not to work, then the problem is likely mechanical and you’ll need to book your Model 3 into the Service Center.
It could be the lumbar support components themselves that are not working.
Tesla Model 3 Cruise Control Not Working
Some reports about cruise control not engaging or not remaining engaged have caused frustration among some Tesla owners.
The most likely causes of this issue are two-fold.
The first is that sometimes keeping the foot on the pedal until you see it engage works well, and the second is cleaning the glass in front of the cameras.
In the first instance, for regular cruise control especially, users who always engage in cruise control effectively say that the key is to keep your foot on the pedal for about two seconds until it is confirmed as engaged.
This is especially important when driving on any kind of slope, even a light gradient.
The second method should help with automatic cruise control problems. The system fails to engage when it perceives poor visibility.
If you see the weather is not bad, but it still won’t engage, and it’s been some time since you washed the car thoroughly, try wiping the glass over the cameras/sensors.
Many users have reported the efficacy of this.
Tesla Model 3 Vanity Mirror Lights Not Working
First of all, if any side of the car has vanity mirror lights that never seem to activate, you should book the car in for a Service Center appointment.
They will quickly get to the bottom of the matter and replace them under warranty.
Another interesting issue that has emerged in some Model 3 cars is people noticing that the vanity lights are on all the time and not switching off then the visor is folded away.
This can be fixed by checking the covering to make sure it’s closing properly. If it’s not, that’s another thing for the Tesla techs to fix up.
If you are experiencing the issue of a light being on all the time, it’s doubly important that you plug the car in overnight to maintain charge.
Though it’s a small light, continuous illumination will drain battery power.
For other issues, the culprit is likely an electrical fault similar to the reason that your footwell lights might not be working.
It warrants the attention of a trained technician. It’s not recommended that owners get into the electrics of their Teslas.
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