2021 Tesla Model Y Interior Storage and Electronics
Center Console
In addition to housing an RFID transmitter that reads key fobs and key cards (see Key Card), the center console includes cup holders, two storage compartments, and a wireless phone charger.
To open the main storage compartment, pull its cover upward. Open the front storage compartment by sliding its cover forward.
Second Row Console
Your Model Y has a rear console integrated in the center of the second row seat back. Pull the console down to access the rear cup holders, or use it as an armrest.
Third Row Cup Holders (7-seat models only)
If Model Y is equipped with seven seats, two cup holders are located between the third row seats.
Glovebox
To open the glovebox, touch . The glovebox automatically opens and its light turns on.
To close the glove box, push it upward until it clicks into its closed position.
For additional glovebox security, touch to set a 4-digit PIN (see Glovebox PIN).
Wireless Phone Charger
A wireless phone charger is integrated into the front console to provide up to 15W of power to charge a Qi-enabled phone. Simply place your phone on the charger. Your device may feel warm while charging, but this is a normal effect of inductive charging.
When placed on the wireless charger, your phone charges whenever the vehicle is powered on (the touchscreen is on and you are in the vehicle). Your phone will not charge after exiting the vehicle unless a feature (such as Sentry mode) is enabled and therefore provides power to the USB ports (see Using Sentry Mode). Model Y will also not charge a phone if the vehicle’s battery is discharged.
Low Voltage Power Socket
Your Model Y has a power socket located in the center console’s rear compartment.
The power socket is suitable for accessories requiring up to 12A continuous draw (16A peak).
An additional low voltage power socket is located on the left side of the rear trunk.
USB Ports
Model Y has two USB ports located in the front compartment of the center console. These ports can be used to:
- Connect and charge USB devices.
- Play audio files stored on a phone or USB device (see Playing Media from Devices).
- Save videos when using features such as Sentry Mode or Dashcam (see Dashcam and Sentry Mode).
NoteIf your Model Y is equipped with a USB port located in the glove box (described below), it is recommended that you use the glovebox USB to save Sentry Mode or Dashcam videos because power consumption is minimized and the location is more secure.
Both ports are USB-C compatible.
Open the front compartment of the center console. The front USB ports are located on the rear wall of the compartment.
Depending on date of manufacture, some vehicles include a USB port located at the rear of the glovebox. This USB-A port is equipped with a pre-formatted flash drive, ready to save videos when using features such as Sentry Mode and Dashcam. Although not its primary purpose, this port can also communicate with the vehicle and can be used to charge a USB-connected device.
Two additional USB ports are located in the rear of the center console (on vehicles manufactured since approximately June 2020, these ports are USB-C). These ports charge USB-connected devices but do not communicate with the vehicle.
If Model Y is equipped with seven seats, two USB-C ports are located at the front of the console located between the third row seats. These ports charge USB-connected devices but do not communicate with the vehicle.
USB Drive Requirements for Recording Videos
One or more features on your Model Y requires the use of a flash drive (for example, Dashcam, Sentry Mode that meets these requirements:
- Minimum storage capacity of 64 GB. Use a flash drive with as much available storage as possible. Video footage can occupy a large amount of space.
- A sustained write speed of at least 4 MB/s. Note that sustained write speed differs from peak write speed.
- USB 2.0 compatible. If using a USB 3.0 flash drive, it must support USB 2.0.
- Properly formatted (described below).
Formatting a USB Flash Drive
To save and retrieve video footage, Model Y requires a USB flash drive formatted as exFAT, MS-DOS FAT (for Mac), ext3, or ext4 (NTFS is currently not supported). For use with Dashcam and Sentry Mode, the flash drive must contain a base-level folder called TeslaCam.
Model Y can format a USB flash drive for you. Insert the flash drive into a front USB port, and touch . Doing so automatically formats the drive as exFAT and creates a folder for TeslaCam. The USB flash drive is now ready to record and save video footage. Format USB Drive is available only when a USB flash drive (with one or fewer partitions) is inserted into a front USB port. Choosing Format USB Drive erases any existing content on the flash drive—before using this feature, you must move any content you want to keep to a different device.
If Model Y is unable to format the flash drive, you must format it using a computer. Remember to manually create the TeslaCam folder (if equipped).
You can also format the USB flash drive with a computer to use a single flash drive for Dashcam, Sentry Mode, Track Mode (if equipped), and audio files. Create separate partitions on the drive formatted as exFAT; for example, one for Dashcam and Sentry Mode (you must create the TeslaCam folder), one for Track Mode (create the TeslaTrackMode folder), and an audio partition.
Once the USB flash drive is formatted and contains the necessary folder(s), insert it into a front (or glovebox, if equipped) USB port. Do not use a rear USB port— these are used only to charge USB devices. Once inserted, it can take up to 15 seconds for Model Y to recognize the flash drive. When recognized, icons for Dashcam and Sentry Mode are available when you touch Controls and your vehicle is ready to record videos. You may need to first enable Sentry Mode (if equipped) by touching .
Viewing Video Recordings
You can view recorded footage on the touchscreen when Model Y is in Park. Touch the Dashcam icon located in the app launcher or the Dashcam icon on the Controls screen. Touch the menu icon in the top corner of the screen. The tabs display a list of all video clips, organized by location and timestamp. Pause, rewind, fast forward, and delete video recordings as needed. You can also navigate to to delete all dashcam and Sentry Mode footage, including recent and saved clips.
You can also view video footage by removing and inserting the USB flash drive into a computer and navigating to the TeslaCam (if equipped) folder.
The TeslaCam folder contains three sub-folders:
- Recent Clips: When recording, Dashcam continuously saves footage to Recent Clips in 60-minute cycles. Footage is overwritten every hour unless you manually save it. Four videos are recorded for each clip, one from each camera (front, rear, left, and right).
NoteRear camera recordings are available only on vehicles manufactured after approximately February 2018.
- Saved Clips: Contains all recordings that are saved using Dashcam.
- Sentry Clips: Contains the last 10 minutes of footage from all Sentry Mode events that triggered an Alert or Alarm state. If storage space on the USB flash drive becomes limited, the oldest Sentry Clips are deleted to provide space for new ones. Once deleted, you cannot retrieve them.
When the USB flash drive runs out of storage space, video footage can no longer be saved. To prevent the flash drive from getting full, regularly move saved videos to another device and delete them from the flash drive.
Coat Hangers
Your Model Y has a coat hanger on each side of the vehicle in the second row next to the reading light. Push the coat hanger to release it. Push it again to retract it.