- Tesla is possibly the only car company in the world that offers free service manuals and easy access to its proprietary diagnostics software.
- The latter is called Tesla Toolbox, and anyone can buy a subscription.
- Unlike other car makers, Tesla only requires an inexpensive diagnostics cable and an internet-connected Windows machine to access its software.
Most car manufacturers limit or outright ban owners from having access to service manuals and diagnostic tools. Even when access to the necessary tools isn’t guarded like a priceless diamond, buying them usually costs an arm and a leg, which practically forces owners to go to a repair shop for even the smallest issue.
Not in the case of Tesla, though. Despite all the criticism linked to its CEO, Elon Musk, and some weird design decisions, Tesla has thousands of thoughtful employees who give their best every day. They want to make things differently, and this includes the way issues can be diagnosed with Tesla EVs.
Unlike most other automakers, Tesla offers free access to service manuals, as well as easy and inexpensive access to its proprietary diagnostic software, the latest version of which is called Tesla Toolbox 3.
Available with a subscription, which costs between $75 per day and $700 per year, Tesla Toolbox is a browser-based diagnostic software that can help diagnose and fix just about any issue on all Tesla EVs–as long as you have the right cable.
As Alex from Out of Spec Renew details in the video, five diagnostic cables have been used over the years, but most of them are inexpensive. Except for a $757 cable that’s needed for a limited number of Plaid and Long Range Model S and Model X EVs made between February 2021 and February 2022, all the other cables are less than $50. If you happen to own a car made between February 2022 and April 2024, all you need is a simple Ethernet cable. Cars made after April 2024 come with an industry-standard OBD-II connector, so you’ll need an off-the-shelf Ethernet to OBD-II cable.
The diagnostic software is available at toolbox.tesla.com, and you’ll need a Tesla account to buy a subscription and access it. After that’s done, though, the sky is the limit.
Everything is possible, from resetting the latch sensors to performing a fluid flush and refill procedure. While the cars themselves will show error codes on the center screen when they occur, the diagnostics tool is needed to dig deeper and, after the issue is fixed, to clear them. These systems are what mechanics use to get pin-level data about where electrical faults occur, and detailed breakdowns of fault code set criteria. Drive unit replacements and high-voltage battery replacements are also possible using Tesla Toolbox 3, because it’s exactly the same software that Tesla uses at its Service Centers.
What’s cool is that you can group different error codes by adding them to a Sandbox, and the software will tell you if there’s a correlation between the codes. This should make diagnosing issues much easier, and it’s not something that most industry tools offer.
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Remote diagnostics can also be performed, as long as the owner of the car has approved an authorization request. The VIN and the owner’s email address are needed to request permission, so it’s quite easy, and it lasts for a week.
Weirdly, there is no actual menu for all the things that this software can do, so you just have to scroll through hundreds of potential actions to find what you’re looking for. There is a search bar, but you have to know what the function is called.
It’s great that Tesla offers an official diagnostics tool. There are also service manuals available for free, but clearly, they should only be used if you have at least some idea of what you’re doing. If you’re willing to learn, though, there’s no reason that you can’t keep these cars running yourself.