2025 Tesla Model Y Lights User Guide

The 2025 Tesla Model Y has high-tech LED lighting, such as adaptive headlights, signature taillights, and lighting that fills the whole cabin. Better vision, automatic high beams, and settings that can be changed make the lights look better and make the car safer. The lighting system is futuristic and uses less energy.

2023 Tesla Model Y Specs, Price, Features, Mileage and Review

Tesla Controlling Lights Guide

Touch Controls > Lights to control the lights.

 

 

NOTE: You can also access an abbreviated lights menu while driving by touching the High Beam button on the steering wheel. A lights menu displays on the touchscreen, providing quick access to headlight controls.

In addition to the lights that you can control from the touchscreen, Model Y has convenience lights that turn on and off automatically based on what you are doing. For example, interior lights, marker lights, tail lights, and puddle lights turn on when you unlock Model Y, when you open a door, and when you shift into Park. They turn off automatically after a minute or two or when you shift or lock Model Y.

Exterior Lights
Exterior lights (headlights, tail lights, side marker lights, parking lights, and license plate lights) are set to Auto each time you start Model Y. Model Y is also equipped with a front lightbar and a tail lightbar that function as daytime running lights, parking lights, and tail lights. The front and tail lightbars also illuminate when you lock or unlock Model Y.
When set to Auto, exterior lights automatically turn on when driving in low lighting conditions, or whenever the wipers are active. If you change to a different setting, lights always revert to Auto on your next drive.
Touch one of these options to change and retain the exterior light setting until adjusted again or the next time you drive:

• Off: Exterior lights turn off. When driving, daytime running lights may remain on based on regulations in various market regions.
• Parking: Parking lights, side marker lights, tail lights and license plate lights turn on.
• On: Low beam headlights, side marker lights, parking lights, tail lights, and license plate lights turn on.

CAUTION: Ensure the headlights and rear lights are on during low visibility conditions (for example, when it is dark, foggy, snowy, or the road is wet, etc.). The rear tail lights are off while daytime running lights are on. Failure to do so can cause damage or serious injury.

Dome Lights
Turn the interior dome (map) lights on or off. If set to Auto, all interior dome lights turn on when you unlock Model Y, open a door upon exiting, or shift into Park.
You can also manually turn an individual dome light on or off by touching its lens. If you turn a dome light on, it turns off when Model Y powers off. If Model Y was already powered off when you manually turned the light on, it turns off after 60 minutes.Accent Lights
Enable or disable the accent lights and customize the brightness and color to your preferences. If set to Night Only, the accent lights will automatically illuminate when dim conditions are detected outside your vehicle, or when convenience lights are on. You can also turn the footwell lights on or off.

Headlights after Exit
When you stop driving and park Model Y in low lighting conditions, exterior lights temporarily remain illuminated. They automatically turn off after one minute or when you lock Model Y whichever comes first.

NOTE: If you lock Model Y using the Tesla mobile app, the headlights immediately turn off. However, if the vehicle locks because Walk-Away Door Lock is enabled the headlights automatically turn off after one minute.

To turn this feature on and off, touch Controls > Lights > Headlights After Exit. When Headlights After Exit is off, the headlights turn off immediately when you engage Park and open a door.

High Beam Headlights

Use the high beam headlight button on the left side of the steering wheel to control the headlights:

• Press and quickly release to flash high beam headlights.
• Press and hold to turn on high beam headlights -touchscreen displays a brief timer and you must hold for the duration of the timer to latch the high beam headlights to the on position. When headlights are on, press the button a second time to turn them off.

The following indicator lights are visible on the touchscreen to show the status of the headlights:

Low beam headlights are on.
Illuminates when high beams are on but the Adaptive Headlights setting is turned off or if the Adaptive Headlights setting is turned on but is temporarily unavailable.
High beams are currently turned on, and Adaptive Headlights is ready to turn off the high beams if light is detected in front of Model Y.
High beams are temporarily turned off because Adaptive Headlights is operating and light is detected in front of Model Y. When light is no longer detected, high beam headlights automatically turn back on.

Adaptive Headlights

NOTE: Depending on market region, vehicle configuration, options purchased, and software version, your vehicle may not be equipped with Adaptive Headlights, or the feature may not operate exactly as described.

When Adaptive Headlights is enabled, the beam of the headlights adjusts automatically to improve your driving view. For example, when traffic is approaching Model Y and the high beam headlights are on, individual pixels of the high beam headlights dim to reduce glare.
The headlights also adjust to curves on the road ahead to provide greater visibility at night.
To control this feature, touch Controls > Lights > Adaptive Headlights, or by using the lights popup that displays on the touchscreen when you press the high beam headlight button on the left side of the steering wheel.

WARNING: Adaptive Headlights is a convenience feature only and is subject to limitations. It is the driver’s responsibility to make sure that headlights are always appropriately adjusted for weather conditions and driving circumstances.

Headlight Adjustments

To adjust the angle of the headlights, touch Controls > Service > Adjust Headlights, then follow the onscreen instructions. You can choose which headlight you would like to adjust by selecting it on the touchscreen.

NOTE: Headlights do not require adjustments when temporarily driving into a region where the traffic direction is different (for example, driving in right-hand traffic region, and then driving into a region with left-hand traffic).

WARNING: Proceed with caution when adjusting headlights. Tesla has carefully calibrated the position of the headlights to be in an optimum position for most driving scenarios. Tesla recommends that you do not adjust headlights unless you are familiar with how headlights should be adjusted. Once adjusted, you will be unable to automatically restore them to their originally calibrated position. Contact Tesla for assistance when adjusting headlights.

2023 Tesla Model Y Specs, Price, Features, Mileage and Review

Turn Signals
To engage a turn signal, press the turn signal stalk up or down.

The corresponding turn signal indicator lights up on the touchscreen when a turn signal is operating. Model Y also emits a clicking sound.

To cancel a turn signal, either press the stalk in the same direction once more or press it in the opposite direction. If the wheel is turned (for example, if you are signaling while navigating a roundabout), pressing the stalk in the opposite direction will instead engage the opposite turn signal.
Turn signals cancel automatically when Model Y detects completion of a maneuver such as a merge, lane change, or a fork in the roadway.
You can override automatic cancellation at any time pressing and momentarily holding the turn signal stalk.

WARNING: When actively using Autosteer or Full Self-Driving (Supervised), engaging a turn signal directs Model Y to change lanes.

Hazard Warning Flashers

To turn on the hazard warning flashers, press the button on the drive mode selector located on the overhead center. All turn signals flash. Press again to turn off.If a severe crash is detected by your vehicle, the hazard warning flashers will automatically turn on and flash quickly to increase visibility. Pressing the hazard warning flashers once will return the lights to their normal cadence. Pressing a second time turns all hazard warning flashers off.

NOTE: Hazard warning flashers operate even without a key nearby.

Condensation in Head or Tail Lights

Due to weather changes, humidity levels, or recent exposure to water (such as a car wash), condensation may occasionally accumulate in your vehicle’s head or tail lights. This is normal— as the weather gets warmer and humidity decreases, condensation often disappears on its own. If you notice water buildup within the exterior lenses, or if the condensation affects the visibility of the exterior lights, contact Tesla Service.

Useful Links:

2025 Tesla Model Y Maintenance Schedule User Guide

2025 Tesla Model Y Displays User Guide

2023 Tesla Model Y Specs, Price, Features, Mileage and Review