Tesla, Protect, Help, Security, Dashcam
There are a few steps that we recommend all Tesla owners take in order to protect their car:
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Turn on “PIN to Drive"
What is it?
You’ll need to key in a PIN to start the engine. This’ll stop anyone who steals your keys from driving away in your car. We highly recommend you do this.
How do you do it?
Under “Safety & Security”, set “PIN to Drive” to on.
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Turn on “Dashcam”
What is it?
Your Tesla’s front facing cameras will act as dash cams when you’re driving. That means you’ll have evidence in the event of an incident, which could help to protect your excess and NCD. We see many claims where the other party lies about what happened and unfortunately, without a visual record, these lies can be hard to disprove.
How do you do it?
To activate your Tesla's dash cam, you’ll need to manually set up a dedicated USB flash drive and plug it into one of your car’s front USB sockets (the rear USB socket doesn’t support dash cam).
See our FAQ “How do I set up the dash cam in my Tesla?” for help with this and tips on how to use dash cam.
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Turn on “Sentry Mode”
What is it?
Sentry Mode will protect your car by recording what happens around it and making audible warnings when people get too near.
How do you do it?
Once you’ve got your Dashcam activated (see above), under “Safety & Security”, set Sentry Mode to on.
Unless you park on a secure driveway, don’t exclude your Home or Work locations - make sure these are unticked as many of our claims happen when a car is left in the road outside your home.
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Turn on “Park Assist Chimes”
What is it?
Sensors at the front and rear of the car will make chimes if they detect that you’re driving close to a fixed object. It’s no substitute for carefully looking around, but it might stop you hitting that bollard.
How do you do it?
Under “Safety & Security”, set “Park Assist Chimes” to on.
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Turn on “Security Alarm”
What is it?
An alarm will sound and external lights will flash if a locked door or boot lid is opened without a key. This is exactly the same as a normal car alarm, and may deter any masked robbers from continuing their exploits.
How do you do it?
Under “Safety & Security”, set “Security Alarm” to on.
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Turn on “Tilt / Intrusion”
What is it?
The car will use tilt and ultrasonic sensors and sound the alarm if the sensors detect if the car is being loaded onto a trailer or if someone is inside the car. This protects your Tesla from being snatched by one of the more imaginative thieves out there.
How do you do it?
Under “Safety & Security”, set “Tilt / Intrusion” to on.
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Passenger Front Airbags
What is it?
This controls the deployment of your passenger front air bags. Unless you have a child seat in the front, make sure this is turned on to protect your passenger.
How do you do it?
Under “Safety & Security”, set “Passenger Front Airbag” to on.
We’ll try our best to keep this list up to date if Tesla releases any additional security features, but it’s always worth keeping your Tesla software up to date and ensuring you understand how all the features of your car work.