Front and Rear Seats (5- or 7-Seater)

Adjusting the Front Seats Using the Seat Buttons

Applies only to front seats with buttons on the side. Design may vary.

Excludes Performance Vehicles:

Three adjustment knobs on the side of the seat

Move seat forward/backward and adjust the seat’s height and tilt angle up/down.
Adjust backrest.
Adjust lumbar support (driver's seat).

Performance Vehicles:

The adjustment knobs on the side of the seat

Extend the seat cushion.
Move seat forward/backward and adjust the seat’s height and tilt angle up/down.
Adjust backrest.
Adjust lumbar support (driver's seat).

To adjust the front passenger seat using the touchscreen, touch Controls > Seats and use the arrows next to the front passenger seat visualization to move the seat forward or backward.

CAUTION

Do not move a front seat's backrest fully forward when the seat is also in the fully forward position. Doing so can cause the top of the seat to hit, and potentially damage, the sun visor.

Warning

Before adjusting a front seat, check that the area around the seat is free of obstacles (people and objects).

Warning

Do not adjust seats while driving. Doing so increases the risk of a collision.

Warning

Riding in a moving vehicle with the seat back reclined can result in serious injuries in a collision, as you could slide under the lap belt or be propelled into the seat belt. Ensure your seat back is reclined no more than 30 degrees when the vehicle is moving.

Adjusting the Front Seats Using the Touchscreen

Applies only to front seats that are not equipped with buttons on the side.

To adjust the front seats, touch the seat icon in the bottom bar or Controls > Seats. Use the touchscreen to adjust the driver and passenger seat. The driver seat can also be adjusted with left scroll wheel.

Calibrating Seats

You can calibrate the driver seat. This is useful if you find your seat range limited or your driver profile does not automatically adjust the seat for you. Navigate to Controls > Service > Driver Seat, Steering & Mirrors Calibration and follow the instructions on the touchscreen.

Warning

Ensure nothing is behind or underneath the driver seat during calibration. Failure to do so may cause serious injury.

Correct Driving Position

The seat, head support, seat belt, and airbags work together to maximize your safety. Using these correctly ensures greater protection.

Position the seat so you can wear the seat belt correctly, while being as far away from the front airbag as possible:

Sit upright with both feet on the floor and the seat back in an upright position.
Make sure you can easily reach the pedals and that your arms are slightly bent when holding the steering wheel. Your chest should be at least 10 inches (25 cm) from the center of the airbag cover.
Place the shoulder section of the seat belt mid-way between your neck and your shoulder. Fit the lap section of the belt tightly across your hips, not across your stomach.

Model Y seats include integrated head supports in the front that cannot be adjusted or removed.

Reclining and Folding Second Row Seats

Model Y provides seating for up to three passengers in the second row. The seat back is split 60/40 so adjusting the left seat moves both the left and center seats, whereas adjusting the right seat moves only the right seat.

CAUTION

Before folding seats all the way down, ensure the seat belt is unbuckled and there are no objects on the seat or in the footwell. Before unfolding a seat, make sure that the seat belts are not trapped behind the seat back.

Note

Driving with second row seats folded forward may increase perceivable noise and/or vibration coming from the rear of the vehicle (trunk, suspension, etc.).

Warning

When folding the center seat, you must keep body parts (hands, fingers, etc.) and objects away from the edges of rear seats. The seat can swing forward with force and cause injury or damage.

Using Power Switches (If Equipped)

If equipped, adjust the second row seats by using any of the following methods for seats with power switches.

Press the switch on the outside of each seat. To only fold the center seat forward, pull the handle on the back of the center seat.
Use the controls on the front touchscreen (Controls > Seats).
Use the controls on the rear touchscreen (touch the seat icon).
Press the switch in the trunk.

The switch on the side of each outboard seat has two detents and functions differently depending on if you are seated or not.

While sitting, to adjust the angle of the seat back, press the forward (1) or backward (2) switch and release it once the seat back is in the desired position.

Otherwise, while not in the seat, fully press and release the switch to automatically fold (1) the seat into a flat position or automatically unfold (2) the seat. Lightly press the switch and release for incremental adjustments.

Note

When you enable the child seat locks from the front touchscreen, you cannot recline or fold the rear seats using the switch on the side of each outboard rear seat or the rear touchscreen (see Child Locks).

To allow you to carry long items (such as skis) in the rear of Model Y, the center seat back can also be independently folded forward. Pull the handle on the rear of the seat back to unlatch it, then pull it forward.

You can also fold the second row seat backs fully forward by pressing the corresponding switch located on the left side of the rear trunk. Press the switch again to unfold the seat back.

Using Release Straps (If Equipped)

To recline the second row seats, pull the release strap, if equipped, located on each outboard seat cushion then push the seat back into one of the four recline positions while releasing the strap.

CAUTION

Ensure the seat back is locked into position before driving.

To fold the seat flat, pull the release strap located on each outboard seat cushion then lower the seat back while releasing the strap. You may need to nudge the seat when folding forward. To unfold the seat back, pull it upwards until it locks into place. To confirm that the seat back is locked in the upright position, try pulling it forward.

To access the second row armrest with cup holders or to allow you to carry long items, the center seat back can also be independently folded forward. Pull the release strap next to the center head rest and lower the center seat back.

Warning

Only fold the seats when the second row is unoccupied as the seat can swing forward with force and cause injury or damage. Keep body parts (hands, fingers, etc.) and objects away from the edges of rear seats.

Note

Always remove any objects on the seat before folding and make sure all seat belts are unbuckled.

Moving Second Row Seats (7-seater only)

Lift the bar located beneath each outboard seating position to unlock and move the second row seats forward or rearward. The bench seats have a 60/40 split. Therefore, the bar on the left side moves the seat for the left and center seats, whereas the bar on the right side moves only the rightmost seat. Pull up and hold the bar while moving the seat forward or rearward. Release the lever when the seat is at the desired location. Push the seat rearward and forward to ensure the seat(s) are locked into position.

Second row seats with an arrow pointing up (pull) from seat bar, another arrow pointing forward (push)

Accessing Third Row Seats (7-seater only)

A third row ingress button is located on the backrest of each second row outside seat. This button makes it easy for passengers to access the third row seating positions. To access a third row seat:

Press the button on the associated second row backrest.
Note
If you press the button and do not move the seats, the seats relock.
Push the second row backrest forward. The seat then releases and pitches upward.
Push the seat fully forward.

Second row seat with 3 arrows pointing: 1) to the backrest button 2) to the backrest 3) from the seat cushion forward

To relock the seats, first push the seat rearward. You will hear the seat tracks lock. Then push the seat downward to engage the rear latches onto the floor striker. You will hear the latches lock. If the seat does not latch onto the floor, the touchscreen displays a warning indicating that the seat is not properly locked into position.

Second row seat with an arrow indicating to push it rearwards with another arrow indicating to push it down

Warning

Do not use the button when a child is seated in a seat that will move. Using the button moves the combined left and center seats forward and can squeeze the occupant. Use this button only when the second row seat is unoccupied. Before driving, ensure the seat and the seat back are securely latched into position.

Warning

Do not use a second row seating position when the seat is not securely latched into position,

Warning

After using the button to access the third row, push the second row seat backs into their upright position, ensuring that the seat backs are securely latched and "clicked" into position by trying to move them forward and rearward. Failure to do so increases the risk of injury.

Warning

Keep the area on the underside of the second row seats free of debris to ensure reliable locking of the floor latches.

Warning

If an occupant is seated in the the third row when pushing down on the second row seat to engage the floor latches, ensure that the occupant's feet are not located under the second row seat.

Folding Third Row Seat Backs (7-seater only)

To fold a third row seat, first ensure that the head support is fully down as shown (see Head Supports). Then press the button located in the top corner of the seat back and fold the backrest downward.

Third row seats with an arrow pointing to the button on the top corner and another arrow pointing down as the seat folds

Note

To return the seat backs to the upright position, pull the seat back upward until it latches into place. Try pulling the backrest forward to confirm that it is securely latched in the upright position.

Note

Before folding the seat backs, remove any items from the seats and the footwell. To allow the backrests to fold completely flat, you may need to move the second row seats forward.

Note

Driving with the third row backrests folded forward may result in increased perceivable noise and/or vibration coming from the rear of the vehicle (trunk, suspension, etc.).

CAUTION

Before folding seats all the way down, ensure the seat belt is unbuckled and there are no objects remaining on the seat.

Warning

Always ensure the seat backrests are locked in their upright position before travel. Failure to do so increases the risk of injury.

Head Supports

The front seats include integrated head supports that you cannot adjust.

The second row outboard seats include adjustable head supports that you can raise, lower, or remove. When either of these seats is occupied by a passenger that is not in a child safety seat, the corresponding head support should be adjusted (align the center of the head support with the center of the occupant's head) and locked into position. To raise the head support, lift it until you hear it click into place. To lower it, press and hold the button on the base of the post while pushing it downward.

An arrow pointing to a button on theg head support base, with an arrow pointing down on the head support cushion

The second row center seat, and both third row seats (if equipped), is equipped with the option to raise the head support. Initially stowed into the seat's back rest, you can access the head support by pulling it upward. When occupied by a passenger that is not seated in a child safety seat, the head support should always be lifted and locked into position (so that the center is aligned with the center of the occupant's head).

Warning

When installing a child safety seat in a second row seating position, or in the third row (if equipped), you must lower the head support.

To stow the head support in the second row center seat, press and hold the button on the base of the post while pushing the head support fully downward.

An arrow pointing to a button on the head support base, with an arrow pointing down on the head support cushion

To lower a head support in the third row, press and hold the button on the base of the post while pushing the head support fully downward.

Warning

To minimize the risk of severe injury or death in the event of a collision, ensure that head supports are positioned correctly before driving.

Removing/Installing a Head Support

All head supports in the second row and third row (if equipped) seating positions can be removed. To remove a head support:

Fully raise the head support by pulling it upward.
Press and hold the button located at the base of one of the posts.
Insert a short, flat object (such as a small flat-head screwdriver) into the opening in the base of the opposite post and pull the head support upward.

To re-install the head support:

With the front of the head support facing forward, insert both posts into the corresponding holes on the seat back.
Press downward on the head support until it clicks into place.
Pull upward on the head support to ensure that it is secure.

Warning

Ensure that the head support is correctly installed before seating an occupant. Failure to do so increases the risk of injury or death if a collision occurs.

Seat Heaters (If Equipped)

The front and second row outboard seats operate at three levels from 3 (highest) to 1 (lowest). To operate the seat heaters, see Operating Climate Controls.

Warning

To avoid burns resulting from prolonged use, individuals who have peripheral neuropathy, or whose capacity to feel pain is limited because of diabetes, age, neurological injury, or some other condition, should exercise caution when using the climate control system and seat heaters.

Seat Covers

Warning

Do not use seat covers on a front seat. Doing so could restrict deployment of the seat-mounted side airbags if a collision occurs.