Replacing the low voltage lead acid battery

This procedure is intended for vehicles in North America only.

Caution: It is your responsibility to monitor the low voltage battery health. Damage to the low voltage battery due to running out of range is not covered under warranty.

Caution: You should replace your low-voltage lead-acid battery with the same type of battery to avoid damage not covered by warranty. The low-voltage lead-acid battery for North American vehicles is the AtlasBX/Hankook 85B24LS 12V 45Ah. You can purchase a new low voltage lead acid battery compatible with your vehicle from your local service center

Note: Vehicles manufactured between approximately July 2017 and October 2020 do not have a heat pump and should use Vehicles manufactured before approximately October 2020. Vehicles manufactured later have a heat pump and should use Vehicles manufactured after approximately October 2020.

Note: Vehicles manufactured in the Gigafactory Shanghai before approximately October 2021 and in the Fremont factory before approximately December 2021 have a low-voltage lead-acid battery. Vehicles manufactured after these dates have a low-voltage lithium-ion battery. Before carrying out this procedure, it is your responsibility to double-check to confirm whether your vehicle is equipped with a low-voltage lead-acid or lithium-ion battery.

Warning: Do not remove the rear-facing seats to store or place objects there. Doing so will expose the low and high voltage connections, which could cause vehicle damage or serious personal injury.

You can purchase a new low-voltage battery or dispose of an old one at a Tesla Service Center.

Vehicles manufactured before approximately October 2020

Perform the following procedure to replace the low-voltage lead-acid battery. Use appropriate personal protective equipment (e.g., safety glasses, leather gloves when handling the lead-acid battery, etc.)

Dismantling:

• Prepare the vehicle to remove the low voltage lead acid battery:
  

1. Make sure the vehicle is in park.
   
2. Lower all windows.
   
3. Open the front trunk.
   
4. Leave a door open so that you can get back into the vehicle if necessary.
   
5. Disconnect the charging cable from the charging socket.
   

• Move the driver and passenger seats fully forward.
  
• Under the rear seat, move the left and right tabs to the side and lift up the seat cushion. The seat will detach from the base but will still be held by a cable on each side.
  
• Disconnect the cables and remove the seat cushion. Set the cushion aside.
  
• In the front trunk, remove the car's skid plate under the hood by inserting a small flat, non-scratching tool or your fingers under the panel. Pull up on the clamps to release them and set the under-hood panel aside.
  
• Remove the cab inlet duct and set it aside.
  
• Turn off the vehicle by going to Controls > Safety > Turn off on the touchscreen.
  
• Using a 10 mm socket wrench, loosen the nut holding the negative (-) clamp on the negative (-) terminal of the low-voltage lead-acid battery. Loosen the clamp from the negative (-) connector.
  
• Disconnect the low voltage cable from the “penthouse”:
  

1. In the rear passenger seat, remove the foam cover and set it aside. The foam covers the low voltage cable.
   
2. Release and pull down the gray link arm on the side of the low voltage connector.
   
3. Pull the plug upwards to disconnect it from the 'penthouse'.
   

Warning: The high voltage battery is located in the area under the seat cushion. DO NOT TOUCH OR PLACE OBJECTS ON THE METAL CASING! Doing so may result in serious injury.

• Remove the pole cover with a 10 mm socket wrench and loosen the nut holding the positive (+) pole clamp to the positive (+) pole of the low voltage lead acid battery. Disconnect the clamp from the positive (+) terminal and cover the terminal with a dry cloth.
  

Caution: Do not allow the positive (+) terminal to come into contact with nearby components, such as the low-voltage lead-acid battery holder or air conditioning cooling lines.

• Disconnect the vent pipe hose from the negative (-) terminal side of the low voltage lead-acid battery.
  
• Loosen the nut with a 10 mm socket wrench and release the battery holder on top of the low voltage lead acid battery by loosening and sliding it backwards. Be careful to ensure that it does not slide into the vehicle.
  
• Use the battery handle to carefully remove the low-voltage lead-acid battery, taking care not to touch or damage the surrounding components.
  

Warning: When lifting the low-voltage lead-acid battery, stand in front of the vehicle and use proper lifting techniques. The low-voltage lead-acid battery weighs approximately 12 kg. Otherwise, there is a risk of serious injury.

• Check the new low-voltage lead-acid battery to make sure it has a red contact on the positive (+) terminal side. If the new low-voltage lead-acid battery does not have a red terminal, use a disassembly tool to move the red terminal from the old battery to the new one.
  

Caution: Dispose of the old low-voltage battery in accordance with local laws (e.g. by taking it to a battery recycling facility). Keep the low-voltage battery upright and place it on a towel or cardboard box for transportation.

Assembly:

• Carefully insert the new low-voltage lead-acid battery into place, making sure it does not touch or damage nearby components.
  
• Install the low-voltage lead-acid battery holder and use a 10 mm socket wrench to tighten the screw that secures it to the low-voltage lead-acid battery. Tighten the screw to a torque of 6 Nm.
  
• In the rear passenger seat, connect the penthouse cable to the connector:
  
• Make sure the gray link arm is folded down, then install the connector.
  
• Secure the connector by gently pulling the gray link arm upwards until it clicks into place.
  
• Replace the foam cover on top of the penthouse cable.
  

Warning: The high voltage battery is located in the area under the seat cushion. DO NOT TOUCH OR PLACE OBJECTS ON THE METAL COVER! Doing so may result in serious injury.

• Remove the covers from the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals of the new low-voltage lead-acid battery.
  
• Connect the positive (+) terminal by placing the terminal clamp over the terminal connector. Using a 10 mm socket wrench, tighten the nut to a torque of 6 Nm. Fit the cover for the positive (+) pole.
  
• Connect the negative (-) pole by placing the pole clamp over the connector. Using a 10 mm socket wrench, tighten the nut to a torque of 6 Nm.
  
• Connect the vent tube hose to the negative (-) terminal side of the low voltage lead acid battery.
  
• Replace the cab inlet duct.
  
• Open one of the car doors to check that the power has been restored correctly and that the touchscreen turns on (this may take several minutes).
  
• In the back seat, plug in the seat cables (one on each side) and replace the seat cushion.
  
• Press the seat cushion back into the base until it clicks into place.
  
• Replace the cover plate under the hood by aligning the clips in their openings in the front trunk. Press down to lock them in place. The clips will make a clicking sound as they lock into place.
  
• Close the front luggage compartment. If a warning about changing the low-voltage lead-acid battery was previously displayed on the touchscreen, check that the warning no longer appears.
  

Vehicles manufactured after approximately October 2020

Dismantling:

• Prepare the vehicle to remove the low voltage lead acid battery:
  

1. Make sure the vehicle is in park.
   
2. Lower all windows.
   
3. Open the front trunk.
   
4. Leave a door open so that you can get back into the vehicle if necessary.
   
5. Disconnect the charging cable from the charging socket.
   

• Remove the car's under-hood skid plate by inserting a small, flat, non-scratching tool or your fingers under the panel. Pull up on the clamps to release them and set the under-hood cover aside.
  
• In the front trunk, remove the cab inlet duct and set it aside.
  
• Turn off the vehicle by going to Controls > Safety > Turn off on the touchscreen.
  
• Using a 10 mm socket wrench, loosen the nut holding the negative (-) clamp on the negative (-) terminal of the low-voltage lead-acid battery. Release the clamp from the negative (-) connector.
  
• In the front trunk, disconnect the emergency assistance loop by sliding the red locking tab toward you, then pressing and releasing the black tab. Set the emergency assistance loop aside.
  
• Remove the pole cover with a 10 mm socket wrench and loosen the nut holding the positive (+) pole clamp to the positive (+) pole of the low voltage lead acid battery. Disconnect the clamp from the positive (+) terminal and cover the terminal with a dry cloth.
  

Caution: Do not allow the positive (+) terminal to come into contact with nearby components, such as the low-voltage lead-acid battery holder or air conditioning cooling lines.

• Disconnect the vent pipe hose from the negative (-) terminal side of the low voltage battery.
  
• Loosen the nut with a 10 mm socket wrench and release the battery holder on top of the low-voltage lead-acid battery by disconnecting it and pulling it back. If necessary, tilt the battery holder backwards to prevent it from sliding into the vehicle.
  
• Carefully remove the low-voltage lead-acid battery, making sure that the surrounding components are not damaged.
  

Warning: When lifting the low-voltage lead-acid battery, stand in front of the vehicle and use the correct lifting technique. The low-voltage lead-acid battery weighs approximately 12 kg. Otherwise, there is a risk of serious injury.

• Check the new low-voltage lead-acid battery to make sure it has a red contact on the positive (+) terminal side. If the new low-voltage lead-acid battery does not have a red contact, move the red contact from the old battery to the new one.
  

Caution: Dispose of the old low-voltage battery in accordance with local laws (e.g. by taking it to a battery recycling facility). Keep the low-voltage battery upright and place it on a towel or cardboard box for transportation.

Assembly:

1. Carefully place the new lead-acid battery in the vehicle, taking care not to damage nearby components.
   
2. Fit the low-voltage lead-acid battery holder and use a 10 mm socket wrench to tighten the nut that secures it to the battery. Tighten the nut to a torque of 6 Nm.
   
3. Reconnect the emergency assistance loop.
   
4. Remove the covers from the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals of the new low-voltage lead-acid battery.
   
5. Reconnect the positive (+) pole by placing the pole clamp over the pole connector. Using a 10 mm socket wrench, tighten the nut to a torque of 6 Nm. Replace the cover for the positive (+) pole.
   
6. Reconnect the negative (-) pole by placing the pole clamp over the connector. Using a 10 mm socket wrench, tighten the nut to a torque of 6 Nm.
   
7. Connect the vent tube hose to the negative (-) terminal side of the low voltage lead acid battery.
   
8. Open one of the car doors to check that the power has been restored correctly and that the touchscreen turns on (this may take several minutes).
   
9. Replace the cab inlet duct.
   
10. Replace the cover plate under the hood by aligning the clips in their openings in the front trunk. Press down to lock them in place. The clips will make a clicking sound as they lock into place.
    
11. Close the front luggage compartment. If a warning about changing the low-voltage lead-acid battery was previously displayed on the touchscreen, check that the warning is no longer displayed.