Tip #76: A Tesla needs a flatbed, and the owner's manual explains its transport mode
A Tesla should be moved on a flatbed, not dragged on its wheels. Tell the dispatcher the exact model, and read the owner's manual section on transport or tow mode before the truck arrives so the car can roll onto the bed.
Tip #76 in one line
A Tesla should be moved on a flatbed, not dragged on its wheels. Tell the dispatcher the exact model, and read the owner's manual section on transport or tow mode before the truck arrives so the car can roll onto the bed.
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Call nowWhy the truck matters
Every Tesla is electric, and many are dual-motor all-wheel drive. Spinning the drive wheels on the road turns motors that were never meant to be driven by the pavement, and on an all-wheel-drive car there is no pair of wheels that is safe to leave down. That is why the answer for any Tesla is a flatbed, with the car carried and strapped at the tires.
When you call (908) 444-0129, say Tesla and the model: Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X or Cybertruck. The dispatcher sends a flatbed sized for it and quotes the job before the truck rolls: a flat hook fee plus a per-mile rate to the service center, body shop or driveway you choose.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowTransport mode lives in the owner's manual
Tesla vehicles have a transport or tow mode that lets the car roll freely so it can be winched onto the bed. The exact way to turn it on, and its limits, are in the owner's manual for your model and model year, which is also available on the touchscreen. Read that section while you wait; it saves time when the driver arrives.
Transport mode needs the car to have 12-volt power. If the screen is black and the doors will not open, the 12-volt system is likely flat, and the car may need low-voltage power before it can be released. Tell the dispatcher what you see, and the driver comes prepared. A jump start on the 12-volt side sometimes brings the car back to life entirely; it never charges the high-voltage pack.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowWhat to have ready
Have your phone key or key card with you, the location in plain words (lot, level, row, or the nearest cross streets), the destination, and whether the car is damaged or simply out of charge. If the main pack is empty, the honest answer is a flatbed to the nearest charger or to your home charger, and the dispatcher will say so.
Stay out of the travel lane while you wait. If you are on a highway shoulder with traffic passing, stay belted inside with the hazards on unless the car is unsafe to sit in. More on how a flatbed load works is in the flatbed towing guide.
If the car is in a parking garage, give the level, the row and the clearance height at the entrance. Some decks are too low for a flatbed, and the car may need to be brought to the street level or the exit before it is loaded. The dispatcher works that out with you on the phone, before anyone drives over.
Keep in mind that a Tesla that has stopped after a warning about the drive system or the high-voltage battery should not be coaxed back onto the road. Note the message on the screen, take a photo of it if you can, and pass it to the service center. It often tells the technicians where to start.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowMore on vehicle types
Keep reading, or go back to every post on the blog.
- EV towing in New Jersey: what electric car owners need to know
- Motorcycle towing done right: what riders should expect
- Tip #26: An all-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive car belongs on a flatbed
- Tip #27: Never let anyone tow an electric car with its drive wheels on the ground
- Tip #28: Tell the dispatcher your car sits low before the truck is sent
- Tip #29: Know where your motorcycle can be strapped before it needs a tow
- Tip #30: Your car may be all-wheel drive even if it does not look like it
- Tip #31: Close and latch a convertible top before the car is towed
- All posts
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