How to lock and unlock Tesla Model 3

Locking and unlocking Model 3 is easy and convenient. Just carry your authenticated phone or paired key fob with you. Model 3 recognizes the presence of an authenticated phone or paired key fob and automatically unlocks when you press a door handle, and locks when you leave (see Walk-Away Door section below).

NOTE: If you don’t have your authenticated phone or paired key fob with you (or if the phone’s battery is dead or its Bluetooth setting is turned off), place the key card against the driver’s side door pillar to manually unlock or lock Model 3 (see How to use Key Card with Model 3).

NOTE: Due to market region or vehicle configuration, an authenticated phone or Passive Key Fob may not be available for your vehicle.

NOTE: Optional key fob also allows you to press buttons to lock and unlock Model 3 (see How to use Key Fob with Model 3).

NOTE: Walk-Away Door Lock operates only when using an authenticated phone or paired key fob. When you walk away from Model 3 carrying a key card or unpaired key fob accessory, Model 3 does not automatically unlock/lock, even if this feature is turned on (see WalkAway Door Lock section below).

NOTE: Accessory key fobs manufactured before approximately October, 2019 are not equipped with passive functionality.

Using Exterior Door Handles

Use your thumb to push the wide part of the door handle. The handle pivots toward you, and you can open the door by pulling the handle or pulling the edge of the door. The handle retracts automatically.

When a door or trunk is open, the touchscreen displays the Door Open indicator light.

Opening Doors from the Interior

Model 3 doors are electrically powered. To open a door while sitting inside, press the button located at the top of the interior door handle and push the door open.

NOTE: To prevent children from opening the rear doors, turn on child-protection locks (see Child-Protection Lock section below).

In the unlikely situation that Model 3 has no power, these electrically powered buttons at the top of the door handles no longer work. Instead, pull up the manual door release located in front of the window switches on the front doors. To open a front door when Model 3 has no power, pull up the manual door release located in front of the window switches.

NOTE: Only the front doors are equipped with a manual door release.

CAUTION: Manual door releases are designed to be used only in situations when Model 3 has no power. Whenever Model 3 has power, use the button located at the top of the interior door handle.

Interior Locking and Unlocking

While sitting inside Model 3, you can lock and unlock all doors and trunks by touching the lock icon on the touchscreen. The icon changes to indicate whether doors are locked or unlocked.

You can also unlock the doors by pressing the Park button on the end of the drive stalk a second time. Pressing this button once engages the Park gear and pressing it again unlocks the doors.

Walk-Away Door Lock

Doors and trunks can automatically lock whenever you walk away carrying your authenticated phone or paired key fob (if ordered after approximately October 1, 2019). To turn this feature on or off, touch Controls >Locks > Walk-Away Door Lock.

When the doors lock, the exterior lights flash once and the mirrors fold (if Fold Mirrors is on). To also hear a confirmation sound whenever Model 3 locks, touch Controls > Locks > Lock Confirmation Sound > ON.

Model 3 does not automatically lock if:
• You check the Exclude Home checkbox and Model 3 is parked at the location you have designated as Home.
• An authenticated phone or paired key fob is detected inside Model 3.
• You are not using an authenticated phone or paired key fob as the key, and walk away carrying the key card or unpaired key fob. When using the key card you must manually lock Model 3 by tapping the key card against the door pillar. When using an unpaired key fob (sold as an accessory), you must manually lock Model 3 by pressing the lock button.
• A door or trunk is not fully closed.
• The phone’s Bluetooth setting is turned off.

NOTE: If all doors are closed and Model 3 was automatically unlocked by your authenticated phone or paired key fob, walk-away locking is temporarily suspended for one minute. If you open a door within this minute, it will not re-lock until all the doors are closed and you have walked away with the authenticated phone or paired key fob.

NOTE: If Model 3 detects an authenticated key for five minutes after you exit the vehicle and close all doors, Walk-Away Lock disables and doors do not lock when you walk away. In this case, you must manually lock your vehicle until after your next drive.

Drive Away Locking

Model 3 automatically locks all doors (including the trunks) whenever your driving speed exceeds 5 mph (8 km/h).

Child-Protection Lock

Model 3 has child-protection locks on the rear doors to prevent them from being opened using the interior release buttons. On the touchscreen, touch Controls > Locks > Child Lock.

NOTE: It is recommended that you turn child-protection locks on whenever children are seated in the rear seats.

Unlock on Park

When you stop Model 3 and engage the Park gear, you can choose to unlock all doors. To turn this feature on or off, touch Controls > Locks > Unlock on Park.

NOTE: If set to OFF, you can unlock all doors by pressing the Park button a second time after engaging the Park gear.