Tesla managed to set a new standard for electric vehicles after its launch in 2003. Its groundbreaking design and unparalleled technology make this global giant the master of the electric vehicle industry.
Just like all of these car’s features, its LCD touchscreen is a fantastic piece of technology as well. It allows the Tesla owner to view all the information regarding their vehicle’s status.
However, these screens get dirty quite easily. Wondering how to clean your Tesla electric car’s LCD touch screen? A couple of simple steps will help you clean and maintain your Tesla EV screen for a long time.
How to Clean a Tesla Electric Car’s LCD Touch Screen?
Maintaining a device is not only about keeping it up to date; instead, one has to clean it thoroughly in order to prevent dust or dirt from causing internal or external damage.
Hence, it is extremely important that Tesla electric car’s owners keep their electric vehicle’s touchscreen clean in order to maintain its quality and performance.
To clean a Tesla electric car’s LCD touchscreen, one has to follow these steps:
- Turn on the Tesla electric car
- Use the LCD touchscreen to activate the Screen Clean Mode
- Use a Tesla recommended screen cleaner that is specially designed to clean a Tesla electric vehicle’s touchscreen
- Use a special microfiber cloth to dab the screen cleaner liquid onto the Tesla electric car’s touchscreen
Although the LCD touchscreen cleaning liquid is designed to dry and evaporate off the surface of the touchscreen on its own, if the touchscreen still feels wet and slippery after a thorough cleaning, one should always pat it dry with a dry microfiber cloth.
This article will also further elaborate on each individual Tesla’s touchscreen cleaning step, and will shed light on the dos and don’ts of cleaning a Tesla electric car’s LCD touchscreen.
Let’s get started!
What Makes a Tesla Electric Car’s LCD Touchscreen One of its Vital Electrical Components?
Every single electric and non-electric component is designed to have a distinct feature that improves the electric vehicle’s performance and focuses greatly on providing the EV owner with unparalleled consumer convenience.
Hence, it is safe to assume that the LCD touchscreen must have its own distinctive and necessary purpose that improves the consumer experience and adds to the electric vehicle’s futuristic technology.
Some of the key features and functions of a Tesla electric vehicle’s touchscreen include the following:
- No physical buttons. It is larger than the LCD touchscreens of most other electric as well as gasoline-powered cars.
- The Tesla electric car owner can select their language preference and turn the EV’s audio alerts on or off.
- Allows the Tesla electric car driver to control the cabin heating as well as air conditioning. One can turn either of the features on and off and control their intensity through the touchscreen.
- Allows the Tesla electric car driver to turn the EV’s headlights on and off.
- Allows the driver or passenger to control the media, such as play music, control the volume, play a movie, change a movie, use the internet etc.
- The Tesla electric car driver can use the pre-installed maps to navigate and find different locations. Although most of the installed maps already have complete regional directions, if the Tesla electric car is being transported to another country, the EV owner will have to reinstall and update their maps.
- The Tesla electric car driver can control the internal cabin light’s intensity and lock all the car doors.
- Allows the Tesla electric car passengers to view and check the EV’s battery charging level, to check if the battery is properly connected to the charging port and is getting charged, and notifies the driver regarding the electric vehicle’s remaining range.
- Allows the Tesla electric car driver to check their EV’s mileage and get notified if any of the EV’s components such as the battery, motor, tires, windows, etc. are not performing properly.
- For instance, if the Tesla electric car’s battery liquid has dried up due to leakage, the LCD touchscreen will launch an error notification and encourage the driver to visit their nearest Tesla EV workshop.
- The same thing happens when the pressure of the Tesla EV’s tires are low, or if the tires are too worn-out and are affecting the electric car’s performance.
- If such a situation arises, not only is the Tesla electric car’s LCD touchscreen designed to notify the driver regarding the ongoing malfunction, but it also points out the nearest EV repair shops on its own.
- The Tesla electric car owner can touch the LCD screen to select different preferred features such as the autopilot mode which will allow the driver to sit back and relax as the EV drives to the selected destination on its own.
- The owner can turn on the Tesla sentry mode through the options present on Tesla’s LCD touchscreen. This feature allows an unparalleled and never-seen-before kind of security system that significantly reduces the chances of EV theft.
Moreover, due to the intelligent Tesla touchscreen technology, it is almost impossible to run out of charge during a trip due to two of its highly innovative and unique features.
Firstly, whenever a Tesla electric car owner selects their destination, the touchscreen will automatically calculate the distance to the destination.
It will then calculate the expected battery range that will be required to complete the journey, taking into consideration the expected average speed, condition of the roads, traffic, weather, etc.
If, according to the vehicle’s calculations, the battery range required to reach the destination is higher than the battery’s actual range, it will notify the rider to charge their battery.
If the rider is not at home and cannot charge their EV at their home charging port, the Tesla touchscreen system will automatically notify the driver about all the closest public EV charging stations that they can use to charge their electric car.
Furthermore, if the Tesla electric car owner does not select a specific destination, the touchscreen will not be able to calculate any expected battery range.
However, if the charge level drops below a certain point, which is usually 20 to 30 percent, a “battery low” alert will go off on the screen.
In such a situation, the Tesla driver can choose to drive at a slower speed to reduce battery consumption, or they can use the Tesla touchscreen’s advice and drive to the nearest public charging station.
Other than this, if the Tesla owner is driving to a completely remote or new area, they can use the built-in LCD touchscreen to check the location of public DC charging stations or Tesla chargers that are located close to the route or destination.
Read How Does the Air Conditioner Work in a Tesla?
Why is it So Important to Keep Tesla Electric Car’s LCD Touchscreen Clean?
Like all other modern touchscreens, the Tesla electric car’s built-in LCD touchscreen is also heat sensitive. This means that the screen will not detect a touch if the person operating the screen is wearing regular gloves or is using an object to touch the screen.
It is not uncommon for the LCD touchscreen of a Tesla electric car to get dirty. Some of the common ways the Tesla electric car’s LCD screen gets dirty are as follows:
- If the person operating the screen is eating and touches the screen with greasy or oily hands.
- If the internal cabin temperature of the Tesla electric car is too high and the person operating the screen has sweaty fingers.
- If the passengers in the Tesla EV spill drinks or food items on the screen.
- If the driver or passenger touches the screen with dirty hands.
- If a lot of dust has accumulated on the screen’s surface due to delayed cleaning, or if the windows have been rolled down for too long.
Although these may not seem like major issues, if cleaning is delayed for too long, it will affect the quality of the screen, as well as the experience of using it.
For instance, if the Tesla EV’s touch screen is too greasy, then touching it to operate the many features of the electric car will feel unpleasant.
This also becomes an issue when sunlight hits a greasy screen as the glare will affect the screen’s visibility.
Moreover, germs on the touchscreen can transfer to people in the car and make them sick. This has become especially important during the time of the global coronavirus pandemic.
Furthermore, accumulated dust on the screen can leave micro-scratches that will eventually lead up to visible scratches.
As a result, not only will the Tesla electric car’s LCD screen’s surface be affected, but this will also reduce the overall value of the car.
Hence, people who want to maintain their expensive Tesla electric cars always choose to keep the screen clean, not only for their own cleanliness and comfort but to also make sure the value of the EV is maintained.
Read What is Camping Mode in a Tesla?
Top Tips to Clean the Touchscreen of a Tesla Electric Car
The top tips to keep a Tesla electric car’s LCD touchscreen clean are as follows:
Use the LCD Touchscreen to Activate the Screen Clean Mode
Tesla has designed a special Screen Clean Mode. The main purpose of this mode is to make the screen unreactive to heat or touch in order to make the cleaning process easier.
If the user does not activate the Screen Clean Mode while cleaning the touchscreen, the heat of their fingers will press the digital buttons of the screen. This way, they might unintentionally activate settings or turn others off.
Hence, it is extremely important that the user activates this mode before beginning the cleaning process. In order to activate this mode, the user has to:
- Turn off the Tesla EV’s screen and press the CAR icon which is located on the bottom left of the EV’s touchscreen.
- Touch the ‘Display’ option present on the given menu.
- Scroll down the menu to locate the Screen Clean Mode and press the respective button.
Once the Screen Clean Mode has been activated, the touchscreen will turn black. This will signal the user to begin the cleaning process.
Use a Tesla Recommended Screen Cleaner
Tesla has designed and has also recommended certain screen cleaners that are not strong or concentrated enough to damage the touchscreen.
Spraying the screen with these cleaning liquids twice during one cleaning process will be enough to make sure all fingerprints, smudges, greasy marks, dust, or germs have been completely wiped off.
Read How Much Electricity Does a Tesla Electric Car Use?
Use a special Microfiber Cloth to Clean the Tesla Touchscreen
It is extremely important to use a soft microfiber towel or cloth to clean the screen as it will not scratch the screen.
Simply spray the cleaning liquid onto the screen and use a microfiber cloth to gently wipe off all marks.
Never Do This When Cleaning a Tesla EV’s LCD Touchscreen
- Use any cleaning liquid not recommended by Tesla.
- Use a rough cleaning rag or a regular towel as it will scratch the screen and affect its surface.
- Use a window cleaning liquid.
- Press the screen too hard during the cleaning process.
Final Thoughts
If you like to eat a sloppy burger and drive your Tesla simultaneously, the Tesla LCD touchscreen will not stay clean.
However, fortunately, Tesla has successfully identified and addressed this common issue, making the screen cleaning process incredibly easy.
All you need to do is turn on the Tesla Screen Clean mode, use a suitable cleaning detergent and towel, and gently wipe the LCD touchscreen till it is black, shinny, and smooth to touch.
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- What Color Tesla Electric Car Should I Get?
- How to Wash a Tesla Electric Car
My name is Matthew, staying in Seattle, Washington. Electric Vehicles (Electric Cars & Electric bikes) caught my attention for the last few years and my love for electric cars and bikes is everlasting. I spend many of my weekends traveling to various places all over various cities with my electric vehicle (e-bike and electric car). Here I am sharing my expertise, experience, and invaluable information about electric cars and electric bikes. Check out more.