If you have ever had the opportunity to drive or ride in a modern-day Tesla electric car, you probably already know the technological superiority and advancements of a Tesla EV.
Not only is Tesla the global pioneer of commercial electric vehicle technology, but it is also one of the few automobile brands extremely dedicated to user-friendliness and consumer convenience.
One such feature that allows Tesla owners across the globe to enjoy peace of mind due to the fantastic EV security is the automatic car lock system.
When this feature is activated, the doors and the cabins of the Tesla EV get automatically locked as the driver begins to walk away from the EV with the key fob.
Read: Tesla Roadside Assistance Cost
Does a Tesla Electric Car Lock Automatically?
If anyone ever talks about futuristic automobile technology and eco-friendly mechanisms, the first and only name that ever comes up is Tesla.
Tesla is indeed a one-of-a-kind automobile innovation genius that has completely evolved the global perspective about the reliability and potential of battery-powered automobiles.
Besides designing electric vehicles that offer competitive traveling ranges and extremely high speeds, Tesla is also dedicated to ensuring that all consumer needs and requirements are heard and addressed.
One such consumer need for all expensive Tesla automobiles is the security and safety of the parked vehicle.
Since the global demand for Tesla remains higher than its supply, the modern electric automobile is often an attractive target for theft.
Hence, in order to ensure that the Tesla electric car remains safe and secure from all possible break-ins and thefts, Tesla has designed and installed an automatic locking feature in all of its electric cars and SUVs.
This system is designed to help lift the responsibility to check the car locks from the EV driver’s shoulders and instead allows the driver the freedom to simply walk out of their car at the time they like, without worrying about whether they locked it or not.
Usually, new Tesla electric cars come with the automatic lock system already activated; however, if the consumer finds this feature inconvenient or annoying, they always have the option to disable it.
Continue reading the remaining article to learn how the automatic door and cabin lock system works in a Tesla electric car, and what is the importance of this particular feature.
Moreover, the article will also shed light on why some consumers choose to disable the automatic door and cabin lock system and how they can do that by themselves.
Finally, the article will also talk about other pre-installed Tesla safety features or tips that one can use or follow to further enhance the security and safety of their parked Tesla electric automobile.
Let’s get started!

What is the Tesla Automatic Car Door and Cabin Lock System, and How Does it Work?
If you have decided to switch to a Tesla electric car, embrace yourself to be taken aback by a kind of superior automobile technology that you have never experienced before.
However, despite the obvious attraction, one main concern that many new and old Tesla owners have when buying or managing a Tesla is regarding the EV’s high value.
Since the unique modifications and features of a Tesla electric car make it significantly more expensive than a majority of other gasoline-powered vehicles, people are often concerned about protecting their futuristic EVs against theft.
Fortunately, Tesla chooses not to turn a blind eye to these widespread consumer concerns and instead has done everything that it could to enhance the parked EV’s safety and security against external threats.
One such feature specifically engineered and designed to make a parked Tesla safer is the automatic car door and cabin lock system.
Tesla has named this unique feature the ‘walk-away door lock,’ as it is designed to automatically activate and perform its function as the driver begins to walk away from their car.
This is how it happens:
- Although most new Tesla electric cars come with an already enabled walk-away door lock system, one can always turn it on by themselves as well.
- To do this, they need to switch on their Tesla to turn on the touch display screens.
- On these screens, the user has to locate and click the ‘controls’ button to find the ‘lock’ section.
- Once in the lock tab, the user is required to locate the ‘walk-away door lock’, and click it in order to enable the feature.
- Once the walk-away door lock feature is enabled, the driver can test it by walking out of their Tesla electric car.
- It is important that the driver also carry their phone key or the paired key fob as they walk out of their EVs.
- If the Tesla electric car’s doors and cabin automatically lock up without the driver having to press the lock key, the walk-away door lock system has been successfully activated.
- Moreover, to ensure the users that the built-in feature has successfully locked up their electric car, the exterior lights flash once, and the side-mirrors fold on the inside to signal that the car has been locked.
- If the user wishes to also hear a lock confirmation tone, they can once again access the Tesla touch screen to turn on the ‘lock confirmation sound.’
However, although this system is standard for all Tesla electric car models and variants, you need to be sure of one more thing if you own a Tesla Model Y luxury SUV.
In the Model Y, the electric SUV will not automatically lock its doors and cabin if the SUV has been parked in a location that has been designated as ‘Home’ in the Tesla.
However, if you prefer that your Tesla Model Y electric SUV locks up automatically even when parked in your home, you can revisit the walk-away door lock system through the display touch screen to click the ‘Exclude Home’ button option.
Moreover, although Tesla has designed the automatic car door and cabin lock system to enhance the parked EV’s security, Tesla manufacturers still encourage EV owners to double check the locks manually as well.
This is especially recommended when the Tesla electric car is parked in a notoriously unsafe location or a neighborhood with high crime rates.
Keep reading below to learn more about why one should keep the Tesla automatic car door, and cabin lock system activated at all times.

Why Should You Keep the Tesla Automatic Car Door and Cabin Lock System Enabled at all Times?
If you truly appreciate and believe in the superiority of a Tesla electric car’s advanced technology, you must pay attention to all the advice and recommendations provided to you by the official Tesla manufacturers or Elon Musk himself.
One such critical piece of advice that Tesla always puts a lot of significance on is to keep your electric car’s walk-away door lock system activated at all times.
However, why should one do that?
Some of the key reasons why you need to keep the Tesla automatic door and cabin lock system activated at all times are as follows:
- No matter how financially well-off you are, you probably do realize that a Tesla electric car is far more expensive than a majority of similar-sized gasoline-powered automobiles.
- Hence, if you have made the massive investment of purchasing a new or second-hand Tesla, you need to ensure that you get the opportunity to enjoy your investment for a long time.
- However, you can suffer from extreme emotional distress and a massive financial loss if the Tesla electric car is stolen at any point.
- Hence, to ensure that your emotional state and financial investment remain protected, you need to understand and accept the importance of the Tesla automatic car door and cabin lock system.
- Moreover, over the years, due to the widespread accessibility to the mainstream internet, consumers across the globe have become well-aware of the benefits of owning a modern Tesla electric car.
- Hence, although the supply of Tesla has not gone drastically, the global demand continues to reach new highs every year.
- With more countries and consumers wishing to contain their carbon emissions, this global demand is only expected to go up in the coming years as well.
- Since the demand is much higher than the supply, the Tesla electric car’s attractiveness and charm are unavoidable.
- While this allure is great for a Tesla owner, it exposes the modern EV to a higher risk of getting stolen.
- Hence, one must ensure that they take every possible measure to protect their Tesla electric car from a potential break-in or theft.
- To do this, it is incredibly important that the owner of the Tesla keeps the walk-away door lock system activated at all times.
- Furthermore, at times, people can get super tensed and frantic about the safety of their Tesla electric car.
- This constant fear and worry can discourage them from using the Tesla as their primary mode of transportation.
- As a result, such users begin to once again rely on the relatively less valuable gasoline-powered transport alternative for their everyday commute.
- Not only does this mindset lead to an increase in the person’s carbon footprint, but it also increases their average and annual transportation costs.
- Hence, if the owner wishes to have peace of mind when it comes to their expensive EV’s security and safety, they must keep the walk-away door mode activated at all times.
Check out: Tesla Overheat Protection
Why Do Some Consumers Feel the Need to Disable their Tesla’s Automatic Car Door and Cabin Lock System?
Although one cannot challenge or deny the many benefits that the Tesla walk-away door lock system offers, the circumstances sometimes make the system inconvenient.
For instance, suppose the driver has parked their Tesla electric car in their driveway after a trip to the grocery store. The driver must make multiple trips between the car and their kitchen to transport all the purchased grocery bags.
If the walk-away door lock system is activated, the Tesla will get locked each time the person takes out a grocery bag.
As a result, the person will have to go through the hassle of unlocking their Tesla electric car each time in order to take out the remaining grocery bags.
The enabled walk-away door lock system can become inconvenient and annoying in such cases. However, fortunately, Tesla also recognizes the possibility and prevalence of such events, allowing its users to disable this automatic EV locking system.

How Can a Person Disable Tesla’s Automatic Car Door and Cabin Lock System?
- Switch on your Tesla electric car to access the display touch screen.
- Click the ‘controls’ button to locate the ‘lock’ tab.
- In this tab, locate the ‘walk-away door lock’ option, and click it to disable it.
Click to read: Tesla Odometer [7 Reasons]
What Other Features and Tips Can One Use or Follow to Enhance the Safety and Security of their Tesla EV?
- Keep your Tesla electric car’s Sentry mode enabled at all times.
- Park your Tesla electric car inside gated garages whenever possible.
- If you live in an unsafe neighborhood, install some CCTV cameras inside your garage and outside your house.
- Always choose the paid parking lots to park your Tesla electric car when you are away from home.
- Try not to store valuables in plain view. If you have to keep your bag or wallet in the car, keep it hidden from sight.
- You can keep your bag in the back or front storage compartments, which will keep it away from prying eyes and make your Tesla vehicle less of a target.
Final Thoughts
If you have decided to invest a fortune into purchasing a modern-day Tesla electric car, you must protect it against theft and ensure its safety and security. There are several ways to do this.
To aid you in keeping your investment safe, Tesla has designed the automatic car door and cabin lock system that allows the EV to lock itself automatically as the driver walks out of the car. However, if your automatic lock system is faulty or disabled, you can always rely on the sentry mode or park your Tesla in a safe spot to protect it against all kinds of external threats.
Read more on Teslas:
- Do Teslas Use Non Stick Paint?
- Tesla Model Y Window Tinting Cost: How Much Does It Cost and Is It Worth It?
- Tesla Model Y Heated Steering Wheel
- Tesla Model S with Third Row Seats – What is Going On?
- Tesla Roadside Assistance Van
- Tesla Roadster vs Lamborghini
- Does Tesla Have a Check Engine Light?
- Explaining Tesla Tire Pressure
- Tesla Transport Mode
- What Happens if Your Tesla Key Fob Runs out of Battery
- What Does Dual Motor Mean on a Tesla?
- Why Does My Tesla AC Smell Bad?

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.