Tesla Dog Mode, Camp Mode and Keep Climate On

The short answer

Tesla Dog Mode, now called Pet Mode in Tesla's owner's manuals, keeps the climate running in a parked Tesla for a pet while you step away, and shows the cabin temperature on the touchscreen so passersby can see your pet is fine. Camp Mode keeps the climate, screen and USB power on for people who stay inside the car. Keep Climate On holds the cabin temperature for cargo like groceries. All three work only in Park, and Tesla says to use Pet Mode only for short periods while you stay close and watch the app (Tesla Model 3 Owner's Manual, Climate).

What do Dog Mode, Camp Mode and Keep Climate On do?

Tesla groups the three under one heading, "Keep Climate On, Pet Mode, and Camp Mode." Each keeps the climate system running in Park, even after you leave the car (Tesla Model 3 Owner's Manual, Climate). The Model Y, Model S and Model X manuals use the same wording.

• Keep Climate On holds your set temperature while you run an errand. Tesla's own example: groceries on a hot day, so they don't spoil.
• Pet Mode (Dog Mode) keeps a comfortable temperature for your pet while you "actively and frequently" check it in the Tesla app. Both your phone and the car need cellular service for that. Tesla states plainly that the setting "is not intended for people."
• Camp Mode adds power for your devices through the USB ports and low voltage outlet. The touchscreen stays on for music, the internet, games or Tesla Theater, and you can control media and climate from a paired phone. Tesla calls it ideal for staying inside the car, such as camping or staying with a child.

| Mode | Built for | Extras | Shuts off when | |---|---|---|---| | Keep Climate On | Cargo while you're away | Climate only | The car enters Low Power Mode | | Pet Mode (Dog Mode) | A pet, for a short stop, with you nearby | Screen shows the cabin temperature; windows stay up | Battery drops below 20% | | Camp Mode | People staying inside the car | Screen, USB ports and outlet stay powered; Sentry and alarm off | The car enters Low Power Mode |

All three also stop if you shift out of Park, turn them off, or the car detects a climate system problem (Tesla Model 3 Owner's Manual, Climate).

How do you turn on Tesla Dog Mode or Camp Mode?

The manual lists the same steps for all three:

1. Check that the car isn't in Low Power Mode.
2. Shift into Park.
3. Adjust the climate settings if you need to.
4. On the climate controls screen, touch Keep Climate On, Pet Mode or Camp Mode.

From your phone, open Climate in the Tesla app and swipe up from the gray bar to reach Pet Mode and Camp Mode (Tesla Model 3 Owner's Manual, Climate). To add your pet's name or change the picture on the screen, go to Controls > Display > Customize Pet Mode.

Two details trip people up. Pet Mode refuses to start if the cabin already runs too hot, so cool the car first. And while any of the three runs, the car won't install a software update.

How much battery do these modes use?

Tesla's manual gives no hourly figure, and real use swings with the weather, the cabin setting and the car. The manual gives the cutoffs instead:

• Pet Mode turns off when the battery drops below 20%.
• Keep Climate On and Camp Mode turn off when the car enters Low Power Mode. You pick when that happens, anywhere from 10% to 20%, under Controls > Charging > Low Power Mode. The default sits at 20% (Tesla Model 3 Owner's Manual, Low Power Mode).

Tesla also tells owners to avoid all three modes when the charge runs low. Start with plenty of battery, or plug in, before a long Camp Mode night.

What do the screen and the Tesla app show?

In Pet Mode, the touchscreen displays the current cabin temperature so people walking by know your pet is safe. The windows can't roll down, so a paw on the switch won't open one. If Sentry Mode runs too, the car silences Sentry sounds to protect your pet.

The app keeps you informed. It notifies you if the climate turns off for any reason, and in Pet Mode it also alerts you if the cabin temperature drifts significantly from where you set it. Newer versions add a look inside: viewing the cabin camera in Pet Mode needs Tesla app 4.15.0 or later, and periodic cabin snapshots with live updates need app 4.51.5 or later on an iPhone running iOS 18 or newer. Cars with AI computer 2.0 or 2.5 don't support the cabin camera, and Live Camera view caps out around one hour of use per day (15 minutes in some regions) (Tesla Model 3 Owner's Manual, Climate).

Mind the app's climate switch. Turning off the climate from the app stops Keep Climate On, Pet Mode and Camp Mode.

Camp Mode turns off Sentry Mode and the alarm, and Walk-Away Door Lock stays inactive while it runs.

Tesla's own safety warnings

Tesla's manual prints these warnings next to the instructions:

• Never leave a child unattended in your vehicle.
• Check local laws on leaving pets unattended in a car.
• You're responsible for your pet's safety. Never leave them in the car for long periods. Watch the temperature and their well-being, and make sure you have cell coverage and time to get back.
• If the climate system needs service or acts up, skip these modes. "Never rely on your vehicle to protect something irreplaceable."

The nearby Cabin Overheat Protection section adds that automatic shut-off or extreme weather can still let the cabin become dangerously hot (Tesla Model 3 Owner's Manual, Climate). Our guide to Tesla Cabin Overheat Protection covers that feature and preconditioning in detail.

How hot does a car get?

A parked car heats up fast, even on a mild day. A Stanford-led team parked a dark sedan in the sun on 16 clear days with outside temperatures from 72 to 96°F (22 to 36°C). The cabin climbed an average of 3.2°F (about 1.8°C) every 5 minutes, and 80% of the rise came in the first 30 minutes. Even on the coolest day, the inside reached 117°F (47°C). Cracking the windows 1.5 inches barely changed the heating rate or the peak (McLaren 2005). Plug in your own outside temperature with the hot car calculator.

Surfaces run hotter still. The National Weather Service says a dark dashboard or seat can reach 180 to over 200°F (82 to 93°C or more), and that heat illness can strike even on a mild day in the 70s (NWS, Children, Pets and Vehicles).

Kids heat up faster than adults. NHTSA says a child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult's, heatstroke begins around a core temperature of 104°F (40°C), and 31 children died of heatstroke in vehicles in 2025 (NHTSA, Heatstroke). Learn the warning signs in heat stress symptoms, and read more on why the perfect temperature changes from day to day.

Just Right, the iPhone app from this site, sets a Tesla cabin to a temperature that feels right for the drive. It covers comfort only, offers no pet or child protection, and has no affiliation with Tesla, Inc.

The bottom line

• Use Keep Climate On for groceries, Camp Mode when you stay inside, and Pet Mode only for short stops while you stay close and watch the app.
• Start with a healthy battery. Pet Mode quits below 20%, and the other two quit at Low Power Mode.
• Treat every mode as a comfort tool that can shut off. Software fails, batteries drain, and a sunny cabin can pass 117°F (47°C) within an hour.
• Never leave a child alone in a car, with or without climate running.
• If you see a child or a pet alone in a hot car, call 911 right away. NHTSA says to act immediately, and a child in heat distress needs to come out of the car and get cooled fast.