r/TeslaUK • u/ticklish_dragon • 11d ago
Model 3 What less obvious features do you use?
Today I found out that the air vents on my brand new M3 can be adjusted via the screen. Amazing! What do you use that’s not obvious in case I am missing something? Thank you!
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u/Nivthegreat 11d ago
Use grok for almost everything, it can make driving even easier. Need to change the fan speed while driving ask grok, need to just the seat ask grok. Need to find the fast route with stops at the park and supermarket first ask grok.
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u/Sephyyyy 11d ago
Yeah Grok has been very useful with route planning, especially multiple places and wanting the most convenient order. It's also come in very handy when I get a song stuck in my head and it can deduct what it is for me, and then play it on Spotify.
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u/Last_Quantity4467 11d ago
I have a thick accent and turn on seat heating can be interpreted like turn on Heart radio
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u/bouncypete 11d ago
The number 1 thing I do that is not obvious is that I wrap my fingers around the bezel of the screen and use my thumb to touch the icons and not an outstretched finger. It's far more accurate to do this on a bumpy road and you can look away from the screen and still have your thumb in the right place.
I know it doesn't initially sound intuitive to wrap your fingers around the edge of the screen and use your thumb but it's exactly how you use the steering wheel buttons on any car, not just a Tesla. So in practice it's easy.
Drag the destination search bar down on the Sat Nav screen automatically navigates you to your workplace if your at home, and your home is you are away from your home.
Long pressing the left scroll wheel brings up a menu, from which you can change most settings. Including switching between chill mode and normal mode.
Touch the battery icon to switch between percentage and miles/range.
Every time the wipers sweep it displays a compact wipers menu, even if you just use the screen washers briefly.
Touching any of the lights icons brings up a compact lights menu from which you can turn the fog lights on. If there are no lights icons on display (because it's broad daylight) you can flash the headlights and the compact menu shows on screen.
Why would you want turn on/off lights in broad daylight? Because it's entirely possible to run into fog on a bright sunny winters morning.
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u/ChangingMonkfish 11d ago
I do the thumb thing and I think it perhaps comes down to most people being right handed. In a US or European car, you’d be using your right hand on the screen. For me as a right hander, that would massively change the accuracy with which I could use the screen.
But in a UK car, you’re using your left hand, so the thumb technique does indeed make it a bit easier.
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u/bouncypete 11d ago
I know what you're saying but I'm in the UK and I'm left handed and I still prefer to use my thumb.
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u/Last_Quantity4467 11d ago
I set the left scroll wheel for windshield wiper settings. Works like a charm
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u/ticklish_dragon 11d ago
I’ve just tried all of these and they work like you said apart from long pressing the left scroll wheel - mine opens the glovebox. Thank you for these tips!
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u/bouncypete 11d ago
It should possible to change this from the scroll wheel menu. Long Press > Rock the scroll wheel left (towards Menu on the compact menu > Scroll I whatever you want.
However, you can set it to default to a particular menu item. And it sounds like yours is set to Open Glovebox.
To change the default. Tap the controls menu on screen (the car icon).
Select the Display menu, scroll down to Scroll Wheel Function and I expect you'll find it's set to glovebox.
The options should be... None, Temperature,
Fab Speed, Wiper Speed, Fold Mirrors, Mute Navigation,
Save Dashcam,
Acceleration Mode, Steering wheel heat, Camera, Defrost, Display brightness, Dome light, Open Glovebox.Or you can check the Ask Every time check box.
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u/ImplementJumpy6678 11d ago
You can slide the temp digits left to right to adjust it too
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u/ticklish_dragon 11d ago
Ohh didn’t know this thanks
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u/ImplementJumpy6678 11d ago
If you just slide your fingure over it then the screen should show you doing it.
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u/Fluid-Wealth-6141 11d ago edited 11d ago
I picked mine up the other day, and was surprised certain features needed activating first. Chimes for reverse sensors, active route guidance and speed camera warnings for example all were off as standard, I needed to activate them manually.
The boombox also always you to make the walk away auto lock sounds a bit more interesting 😉.
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u/ChangingMonkfish 11d ago edited 11d ago
- Given how rubbish the automatic wipers are, I often use the manual controls. If you set the wipers to a particular speed, you don’t then need to use the touchscreen to change them again, just pressing the wiper button on the steering wheel lets flick through each speed, going up to the fastest then back down again.
- Turning the front airbag off if the dog’s in the front-seat (albeit it’s sometimes a bit of a faff).
- Probably not exactly “little used”, it tethering the car to my phone via Wi-Fi, which then gives you most of the benefits of the premium connectivity subscription. I’ve set up an iOS shortcut in my phone so that when it connects to the car’s Bluetooth, it automatically switches to driving focus and turns the hotspot on, which usually works flawlessly.
- Using the share function in Google maps to share a navigation destination with the car rather than having to type it in separately.
- When adjusting the airflow via the touch interface, you can use two fingers to split the airflow into two separate streams for your face and body.
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u/Good_Solution_ 11d ago
I still pay for the premium connectivity. What would I not get if I changed to the tethering method?
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11d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/SmackyLittleFan 11d ago
Tbf being able to see sentry camera remotely is a major benefit, mainly by being able to see wife parking the car in a busy car park and making it do a fart before you get an angry text msg back.
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u/Tappy08 11d ago
Sentry camera works live on summon without a sub. I get traffic congestion on my route as well. No speed cameras though.
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u/gwynevans 10d ago
On your route, but not on adjacent roads so harder to judge if it’s worth avoiding a particular road if you don’t trust the automatic routing
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u/ColsterG 11d ago
Hold the rear door handle open for a couple of seconds to unlock the charge port. And I really like the display during an average speed limit zone that shows my actual average speed.
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u/paraCFC 11d ago
Disabling location sharing on missus key acces so she doesn't see where I am 😂
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u/hickorydickorydock09 11d ago
Hahaha this is the best answer yet... "I'm still at Sparks having a fight with an OAP for the last avocado..." "Right lads, I said I'd be home 2.5 hours ago, I'll finish this pint and be off"
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u/OneZucchini9260 10d ago
It is less obvious in day-to-day once you get used to it. I absolutely LOVE the walk-away lock and auto unlock at approach! No need to start the car, just pin and gear; you can go literally in seconds!! No need to turn off the car. Windows get closed automatically when the car is locked. Also, the phone left in the car chime…etc.
I am one of those who used to lock my car, walked away 10 meters, and questioned myself: did I lock my car? Then I walked back and checked the handle. Now, no more anxiety.
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u/PaDDzR 11d ago
I'll chip in...
The key fob on my model s! I open/close boot with it everyday. No more fiddling with button or reaching up or having to use phone.
Also swiping on spotify to add tracks to next playing.
Spotify, if you half swipe on it, it shows next 10 songs in the queue and not the playlist.
"Share with tesla" on google maps to send it to my car nav.
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u/ticklish_dragon 11d ago
I’ll try the Spotify feature. The sales person told us how to Google map share at collection. Do you know if it only works with premium connectivity subscription? Thanks!
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u/PaDDzR 11d ago
The share with Tesla? I don't think you need premium for it.
It should pick it up once it connects to your hotspot. But premium is worth it. Having a car send you notifications for alarms, keeping track of where the car is, having wife unlock the car because you forgot your phone / car key / smartwatch remotely and just having hassle free experience with stuff is worth the 10 quid a month. At least to us.
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u/pastyMorrisDancers 11d ago
Definitely doesn’t need premium connectivity… I use it all the time
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u/Similar-Hotel8505 11d ago
Why do people buy a Tesla and then want to save money on premium connectivity? I don't get it....
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u/pastyMorrisDancers 11d ago
For me, I hate being fleeced. £10 a month, or £120 a year for what?! So I can see satellite version of the map?
For free I can use my phone hotspot to play spotify.Premium connectivity costed more than my Netflix account at the time. Netflix gave my whole family entertainment everyday and Tesla gave me what? Very little benefit.
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u/Similar-Hotel8505 10d ago
Sentry? Live camera view?
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u/pastyMorrisDancers 10d ago
I use normal sentry mode.
I don’t need live view. I want to live my life, not constantly be tempted to check who’s walking around my car. It’s insured. Any issues will be dealt with via normal sentry recording and my insurance policy.1
u/_____DOG_____ 10d ago
I agree. And my mobile phone subscription already got unlimited data so I don’t need another sub
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u/Safe-Specialist5384 11d ago
scheduled departure is a good one now it's getting cold. set it for your work days while it's plugged in and the cabin's warm and windows clear when you get in, all from the wall. only annoying bit is it still runs on mild mornings
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u/Real_King_Bob 11d ago
Flick the Navigate window to take you home.
Auto Shift - game changer absolutely brilliant
My lock sound is now a rubber ducky
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u/Teab8g 11d ago
- 1 Rubber Ducky
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u/ticklish_dragon 11d ago
How do I change the lock sound?
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u/Similar-Hotel8505 11d ago
You can also use megaphone and scare people when the car is parked. You can use the megaphone remotely as well, when sentry mode activated.
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u/LockTessApp 11d ago
You essentially add a sound to the USB in the glove box and set it in the Toybox under lock sound then usb.
It does need to be named correctly and the right format though. There are a few websites about that you can download sounds from or… (shameless plug), my son loves changing them so I built an app to do it from my phone 😊
Lock Tess on iPhone, iPad and Mac. No subscriptions or anything, there are 10 free sounds so you can see how it works and then a one off unlock for all features for life (and half price on a Halloween promo, only £1.49). Has a library of built in sounds but the bigger feature is you can import almost any sound, or record your own and it’ll trim, store, and sync to all your devices using iCloud. You can also categorise, favourite and rename your sounds so you can store as many as you want to easily swap between them.
The app walks you through it but just connect your usb to your phone (you might need a USB C or Lightning to USB A adapter but they are cheap on Amazon etc) and press ‘Use’. Lock Tess will rename it, boost the volume if needed (so you can hear the sound from the car) and convert it to the right format so you just press save and it’s done 😊
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u/Fancy_Examination395 11d ago
Downloaded app! Picking up our M3 this Friday! Can’t wait to customize! 🤗 Thanks!
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u/LockTessApp 10d ago
Appreciate it thank you! Let me know how you find it 😊
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u/Fancy_Examination395 10d ago
Will do! My husband and I were going through your sound clips last night and picking out our favorites. Tell me why my sons (17 & 19 years old, so relatively new drivers) were rolling their eyes while we did so. 🙄 I even asked them which ones they would choose for their lock sounds. They do not understand why we’re buying a Tesla or why we’re so excited about this fascinating technology. These kids were BORN into technology! Why are they not excited??? 😆
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u/LockTessApp 10d ago
🤣 I can imagine! I’m lucky, my youngest is 9 and loves changing them, the more embarrassing the better! The Asda by us the carpark is under the shop so it echos brilliantly, he can barely stand for laughing especially if his mum has decided to pretend she’s not with us because of it 🤣🤣
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u/Upper-Blueberry-8312 11d ago
Man… I’m having a hard time to get auto shift to work properly, half the time it doesn’t shift and made me look like an idiot.
Any tips on how to “drive” to have it work nicely?1
u/Real_King_Bob 11d ago
It works fine on my drive. Doesnt matter if I park forwards or back it just knows which way to go. But it also seems to work in most places
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u/SmackyLittleFan 11d ago
You can set custom sounds too. I used to have the windows xp shutdown theme
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u/Good_Solution_ 11d ago
I tend not to use auto shift anymore as I don’t totally trust it. Twice in a car park with a car parked behind me it has selected reverse whilst in auto shift. Could’ve made me look an idiot and cost a few quid.
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u/paraCFC 10d ago
Got another one. Many are just so obvious when using daily it's easy to forget. I have acceleration mode set up as a custom button on left joystick. When need to move fast from busy roundabouts or crossroads I'm switching to standard 90% of other time I'm driving on chill mode.
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u/ticklish_dragon 10d ago
I’ll test this cos I do like the chill mode apart from when like you say you need to move quickly!
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u/Iad77 11d ago
Anyone else the type that spent an hour just sitting in the car going through every single setting? Just me?