Tesla Sentry Mode: What It Is, How to Use, Battery Drain

Tesla Sentry Mode is an advanced anti-theft feature designed to protect Tesla vehicles from potential threats when they are parked and unattended. This intelligent security system leverages the vehicle's cameras and sensors to detect and deter suspicious activities, providing an added layer of security for Tesla owners.

What is Tesla Sentry Mode?

Sentry Mode is a vehicle-monitoring system that keeps the car's cameras and sensors active even when the vehicle is parked and locked. It continuously monitors the environment around the car, using the vehicle's external cameras to detect potential threats. If a threat is detected, the system can react in various ways, including flashing the headlights, displaying a warning message on the touchscreen, and activating the car alarm.

When enabled, Sentry Mode operates in three states:

Standby: The default state where the system monitors the surroundings without recording.
Alert: Activated when a minor threat is detected, such as someone leaning on the car. The system flashes the headlights and displays a warning message on the touchscreen.
Alarm: Triggered by a more severe threat, such as someone breaking a window. The system activates the car alarm, increases the brightness of the center display, and plays loud music from the car's audio system.

How to Use Tesla Sentry Mode

To enable Sentry Mode, follow these steps:

Access Settings: Go to the car's settings menu.
Navigate to Safety: Open the safety settings.
Toggle Sentry Mode: Enable Sentry Mode by toggling the switch. You can also use voice commands like "Keep Tesla safe," "Keep my car safe," "Sentry on," or "Enable Sentry" to activate the feature.

Sentry Mode can also be activated through the Tesla mobile app. Ensure that your vehicle is parked and locked before enabling the feature.

Requirements for Sentry Mode

For Sentry Mode to function properly:

Dashcam Installation: A Dashcam must be installed and equipped with a USB drive. Newer vehicles may come with a pre-formatted USB drive, while older vehicles might require one to be added.
Battery Level: The vehicle's battery must be at least 20% charged for Sentry Mode to engage. If the battery falls below 20%, Sentry Mode will turn off, and you will receive a notification via the Tesla app.
Disable Dog Mode: Dog Mode must be disabled for Sentry Mode to work.

Battery Drain

Sentry Mode does consume some battery power, but the impact is relatively minimal. According to Tesla, Sentry Mode uses about 1% of the battery charge every 2-3 hours. The feature will remain active until the vehicle reaches 20% battery or is charged at a Supercharger.

Live Camera Access

Sentry Mode offers a feature called View Live Camera, which allows you to remotely view the area around your vehicle in real-time using the Tesla mobile app. This feature requires Premium Connectivity and ensures that the live camera feed is fully encrypted for privacy. The vehicle will periodically flash its exterior lights and display a message on the touchscreen to notify others that the area is being monitored.

Customization and Exclusions

You can customize Sentry Mode to exclude specific locations where you do not want the feature to activate automatically. This includes settings for Home, Work, and other Favorite Destinations. To set these exclusions, navigate to your Favorites list and mark the locations where you want Sentry Mode to remain off.

Additionally, you can adjust the Camera-Based Detection settings to determine how the vehicle's cameras and sensors detect security events while parked. This allows you to choose whether the system saves clips to the USB drive only if a physical threat is detected or if it uses the external cameras in addition to vehicle sensors.

Surveillance and Privacy Considerations

While Sentry Mode provides significant security benefits, it also raises some surveillance and privacy concerns. In certain regions, the use of Sentry Mode has been questioned or restricted due to these concerns. It is essential to consult and comply with local regulations and property restrictions regarding the use of cameras.

By understanding and utilizing these features, Tesla owners can enhance the security of their vehicles and enjoy greater peace of mind when their cars are unattended.