Guide to get control over your car from your phone with Tesla’s new cellphone app update

Tesla Mobile app had updated its app last year with its version 9 vehicle firmware which lets you get more control over your car from your cell phone. For those who yet do not know about the new update, note that there are three main changes in this new update that is third-party map apps navigation sharing, remotely initiating vehicle firmware updates and have media control for passengers.

To have these new features you need to have Tesla 3.6.0 on iOS or Android and the vehicle firmware 18.39 (version 9).

What does Tesla App do?

The Tesla app puts owners in direct communication with their vehicles and Powerwalls anytime, anywhere. With their app you can  check charging progress in real time and start or stop charging
Also heat or cool your car before driving – even if it’s in a garage. Lock or unlock from afar or locate your vehicle with directions or track its movement. You can restrict access to your vehicle when handing over to valet: Hiding all personal data from your touchscreen, limiting maximum speed and performance your Tesla can achieve, and locking your front trunk and glove compartment to safely conceal valuables.

Some of the other interesting features are:

•  Send an address from your favorite apps to start navigation in your car
• Allow your passengers to quickly control media
• Flash lights or honk the horn to find your vehicle when parked
• Vent or close the panoramic roof
• Summon your vehicle out of your garage or a tight parking space (for vehicles with Autopilot)
• Update your vehicle software from wherever you are
• Engage with Powerwall and monitor how much energy is stored from solar, used by your home, or exported to the grid. Powerwall features in this app require Powerwall 2.

Some of the new features to explore

As said above the new update features third-party map apps navigation sharing which is the first new feature enables Tesla owners to find a route on a third-party map app, like Google Map, and share the route from the app to your Tesla vehicle.

You simply have to click “share” after finding a location in the app and share with the Tesla mobile app. You have ability to plot routes and send them to the car remotely.

The second new feature is remotely initiating vehicle firmware updates Before version 9, Tesla would push update notification to the vehicle’s center screen where owners would have to choose a time to perform the update. You would also get a notification through the app, but you’d still need to get to the car to initiate it. Now with the new update, Tesla enables owners to start the update from the mobile app.

Then there is media control for passengers as the Tesla mobile app update also enables passengers to control media inside the vehicle from their phone. They need to have access to your Tesla account, but if they do, they simply click on “media” under the vehicle and they get access to a remote control.

 

You can download the app from iTunes store all free for iPhone or from Google play store if you have an Android cellphone. Note that your Tesla car or Powerwall must be delivered or installed for you to have app access. Car owners must have mobile access enabled in order to use the mobile app. You can enable and disable mobile access by going to ‘Controls’ and then ‘Safety & Security’ on your car touchscreen.

Powerwall owners must have their Powerwall registered, which is usually completed by technicians at the time of installation, in order to use the mobile app. If you are having issues after your car has been delivered or after your Powerwall has been installed, first make sure that you are using the correct email address or password. If you are a Powerwall owner and your Powerwall was not registered at the time of installation, you can now complete Powerwall registration here.

If you’re experiencing performance issues with the app, the following troubleshooting steps can also be used like Logging out and logging back in or Deleting and reinstalling the app or Powering off your phone completely, and powering it back on. If you would like to add an additional user to your Tesla mobile app, with their own unique login details, you should first create a Tesla Account in their name. Then email at  with the following information:

• Full VIN of the car
• First and last name of the user
• Tesla-registered email address
• Phone number
• And mailing address of the new user

The user will receive an email to validate their access. This can take up to 3-5 business days. Keep in mind that this will grant the additional user access only to the Tesla mobile app, and allow them to monitor and control the vehicle. If you have any questions about the Tesla app, contact  24/7 Customer Support team by email at .