3 Tesla Features Worth Knowing: Pet Mode, Scheduled Preconditioning and Sentry Mode

Welcome to the first installment of a new weekly Willamette News series. Every Tuesday, we'll pick three Tesla features worth knowing, explain what they do, show you how to turn them on, and add a tip or two for driving in the Willamette Valley. We're kicking it off a few days early with three features that earn their keep in an Oregon fall and winter: Pet Mode, scheduled preconditioning and Sentry Mode.

Menu paths can shift a little between software versions, so if something looks different on your screen, check the owner's manual for your model. We link to Tesla's own manual pages throughout.

1. Pet Mode (formerly Dog Mode)

What it does: Pet Mode keeps the climate system running while the car is in Park and you step away, so your dog, or now your cat, stays comfortable. The center screen shows the cabin temperature in big numbers so people walking by can see your pet is fine. Tesla's manual says the feature is meant for short periods while you stay nearby and check the temperature in the mobile app, and that it is not intended for people.

What's new: Tesla renamed Dog Mode to Pet Mode this spring. Not a Tesla App reported that the change came with software update 2026.14 and Tesla app version 4.55.6, and added a cat and a hedgehog avatar alongside the familiar balloon dog. You can also type in your pet's name, so the screen reads "Don't worry! [name] is chillin'."

How to turn it on:

• Shift into Park. The mode is only available in Park.

• Open the climate controls on the touchscreen and set the temperature you want.

• Touch Pet Mode (it may still say Dog on older software).

• From your phone, open the Tesla app's Climate screen and swipe up from the gray bar to find Pet Mode.

• To set your pet's name and avatar, go to Controls > Display > Customize Pet Mode.

Which models: Not a Tesla App lists the rename for the Model S, 3, X, Y and Cybertruck.

Tip: Tesla's manual says the battery needs at least a 20% charge, the car can't be in Low Power Mode, and Pet Mode won't start if the cabin is already too hot. The app will alert you if the charge drops below 20% or the climate system has a problem, so keep your phone handy and don't wander far. On a cold, wet day at the coast or a quick stop at a Salem grocery store, it's a much better option than leaving the dog in a cooling car with the windows cracked. Source: Tesla Model Y manual, Operating Climate Controls.

2. Scheduled preconditioning

What it does: You tell the car when you plan to leave, and it works out when to start warming up. According to Tesla's manual, preconditioning warms the battery for better performance and has the cabin at your chosen temperature by your departure time. Without a schedule, the car only warms the battery when it's too cold to charge and doesn't prepare the cabin at all.

How to turn it on:

• In the car, open Schedule. You can reach it from the climate controls screen or the charging screen.

• Touch Precondition and set the time you want to leave and the days it should repeat, then select Create.

• In the Tesla app, the schedule lives under Schedule as well. Tesla says app version 4.34.5 or newer is required.

• For a one-time warm-up, just turn on climate from the app. Tesla's mobile app page says this also warms the battery as needed, and the app notifies you when the car reaches temperature.

Which models: Tesla documents scheduled preconditioning in the current manuals for its lineup, including the Model 3 and Model Y.

Tip: Set it for the weekday commute and do it while you're plugged in at home, so the warm-up draws power from the wall instead of your battery. Tesla also suggests scheduling your charge to finish right around departure time, since a battery that finishes charging hours early cools off and has to be warmed again. On frosty valley mornings, the app's Defrost Car option helps melt ice off the windshield, windows and mirrors before you walk outside.

3. Sentry Mode

What it does: Sentry Mode uses the car's cameras to watch the area around it while you're parked. If it detects a threat, it can sound the alarm, send you a notification and save video of the event to a USB drive. Sentry Mode is off by default.

How to turn it on:

• Insert a properly formatted USB drive, ideally in the glove box port if your car has one. Newer cars often come with one already installed. You can format a drive in the car under Controls > Safety > Format USB Drive.

• With the car in Park, turn on Dashcam under Controls > Safety > Dashcam. Sentry Mode needs Dashcam on to work.

• Touch Controls > Sentry Mode > On. The icon turns red when it's active.

• You can also toggle it from the Tesla app or say "Keep my car safe" or "Sentry on."

Which models: Tesla's manuals for the Model S, 3, X and Y all describe Sentry Mode. See the Model 3 Sentry Mode page.

Tip: Sentry Mode keeps the car awake, and Tesla notes that power use can go up while it's on. It also shuts off if the car enters Low Power Mode. If you park at the airport or a trailhead for a few days, keep that in mind before you leave. Tesla's USB drive page covers the format and speed requirements. If storage runs low, the oldest Sentry clips are deleted first, so save anything important to your computer.

Next Tuesday

That's the first three. A new column runs every Tuesday morning in our EV & Tech section, and we won't repeat a feature. Have a Tesla feature you want explained? Let us know in the comments.

Cover photo: 2025 Tesla Model Y at Santana Row, by Dllu via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped.