Recent reports have shown that Tesla’s battery health and longevity are impressive. However, occasional problems or degradation may still occur. It is important to know how to check your battery health without immediately contacting Tesla Service.
Tesla provides two methods to test your vehicle’s battery health. One is a quick self-test that identifies any issues, while the other offers a more detailed analysis.
Checking Battery Health in the Tesla App
To check your battery health using the Tesla app, navigate to the ‘Service’ section on the main screen.
Click on “Request Service”, then select “Battery & Charging”, and finally “Range”. If prompted to choose a service center, select any center. You will then be asked to describe the issue. Type in “range” or other relevant information and click Next.
It is important to note that this is an automated process and your request will not be sent to a service center when you click Next.
The app will conduct a quick self-diagnosis to determine if your battery degradation is within Tesla’s expected range. This test provides a brief overview of your battery health.
Detailed Battery Health Test in Service Mode
For a more comprehensive analysis, access Service Mode following the provided instructions. Navigate to the High Voltage menu and select ‘Health Test’ in the ‘HV Battery’ section.
The battery health test in Service Mode is thorough and may take up to 24 hours, depending on your charging setup. Ensure your vehicle is plugged in, but not at a Supercharger.
The duration of the test is influenced by your charging speed. Expect a minimum of 12 hours, with longer times for Long-Range vehicles charging at lower amperage.
Understanding the Service Mode Battery Health Test
It is recommended to run the Service Mode test when your battery is nearing empty to avoid unnecessary energy depletion.
Once the battery reaches a low state of charge, it will charge to 100%. Return to the High Voltage section in Service Mode to view the Battery Health percentage.
Tesla states that their batteries degrade approximately 15% after 200k miles (321k km) on average. Most of this degradation occurs early on and then stabilizes over time.
Running the battery health test should be done sparingly, especially if there are concerns about battery issues. Running the test frequently can accelerate degradation and increase energy consumption.
Comparison and Recommendations
Refer to the chart shared by Tesla on Model 3 and Model Y battery retention to compare your results.
Tesla recommends maintaining the state of charge between 40%-80%, with LFP batteries suggested to be charged to 100%.