Just like any other car, Tesla’s electric vehicles have their share of issues. One of the most frequent problems is the touchscreen acting up, making it impossible to access your controls or play a game while parked at a Supercharger.
A malfunctioning Tesla screen can halt most of the car’s features because nearly everything, except driving, relies on that big touchscreen. This situation can be frustrating since it renders many of the vehicle’s cool features useless until it’s fixed.
The good news is that Tesla designed a way to fix this problem without needing a trip to the dealership. If you find yourself with a frozen touchscreen, there’s a simple process to reset it and regain access to your controls.
Most issues with Tesla’s infotainment system are solvable by resetting it. Thankfully, this is easy to do and works the same way for all Tesla models. However, remember that you won’t be able to see the screen or hear turn signals during the reset. It’s best to pull over and avoid driving during this process.
To reset your Tesla’s infotainment system, follow these steps:
1. Shift the car into park.
2. Hold down both scroll wheels on the steering wheel until the screen turns black.
3. After 30 seconds, the Tesla logo will appear, and the infotainment system will reboot. You can then use the screen as usual.
If resetting the infotainment system doesn’t fully resolve the issue, you might need to restart the whole car’s systems. Here’s how you can do that, assuming you still have some software access:
1. Make sure you’re parked safely, with all doors closed.
2. Navigate to Controls > Safety & Security.
3. Press the Power Off button.
4. Wait a few minutes without touching anything while the car restarts. Be patient; even a tap on the brake pedal or opening a door could interrupt this process.
5. After waiting for two minutes, press the brake pedal to wake the car.
If you completely lose access to your Tesla’s software and need to perform a hard reset, follow these steps:
1. Park the car safely and close all doors.
2. For Model S or X, press and hold the brake pedal, both scroll wheels, and both steering wheel buttons. For Model Y, press and hold the brake pedal and both scroll wheels. Keep them pressed until the screen comes back on.
After following these procedures, your Tesla should function normally. If the problem persists, you may need to schedule a repair appointment with Tesla.