Valet Parking Your Tesla? 8 Things To Remember

Being a proud owner of a Tesla warrants the awareness that this car has sophisticated and delicate designs that one should be careful with.

Owing to this, it’s crucial to be aware of what to do when valet parking your Tesla.

So, join us as we explore 8 safe practices to engage in to guarantee the safety of your Tesla when valet parking it.

1. Choose a Reputable Valet Service

Using a reputable valet service when valet parking is the first thing to consider as a Tesla owner. This is because reliable valet services often employ skilled, knowledgeable, and responsible valets to guarantee outstanding security and excellent client service.

They know that their customers have high standards, and they most likely want to live up to or above these standards by ensuring high professionalism.

These valet companies are more likely to have adequate insurance protection, which can contribute to your peace of mind in the event of an accident or car damage.

Using these valet services also makes parking and retrieving your car much easier, as most reputable valet services ensure owners don’t search for a parking space or take long walks to retrieve their cars.

You won’t need to stand in line to pay for parking as valets from these services will take care of everything. You get to have a better overall experience when using a reputable valet service, setting the stage for a less stressful and more pleasurable affair.

To choose a reputable valet service, we recommend doing some research on the valet services available in your surrounding using online and onsite mediums.

It is also important to check the company’s license and insurance; experience and training; reviews and referrals; among others.

2. Use the Valet Mode

Tesla owners should employ the “Valet Mode” function, which is available on all Tesla models when valet parking a Tesla.

However, when owners activate this mode in their car, it helps them restrict some vehicle settings and operations to further safeguard both the vehicle and owner’s personal data.

There are also 38 unique Tesla modes you should know about aside from the valet mode. Using the valet mode, owners can set a speed and acceleration cap, which helps to stop drivers from going over a certain speed or taking joyride trips.

They can also disable certain features, such as the summon mode, voice commands, Autopilot, Mobile Access, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, among others.

Moreover, the valet mode can safeguard owner’s privacy by preventing illegal access to their data. This is because it helps to lock the Tesla’s glove box and trunk to prevent unauthorized access to any valuables or personal items they placed there.

Owners can further restrict who has access to their personal data through the valet mode by hiding their contact information, home and workplace address from the navigation system.

Using valet Mode helps Tesla owners to relax with the confidence that a valet employee is parking their Tesla safely, owing to these limitations.

Overall, the Tesla’s Valet Mode feature is a practical tool that helps protect your Tesla and you when valet parking it. We recommend that Tesla owners turn on this mode every time they are valet parking their vehicle to protect the security and safety of their EVs.

Owners can enable the Valet Mode in their Tesla by using the controls menu on the touchscreen. However, for more information, we explore the Tesla valet mode in this article.

3. Remove Valuables and Personal Items

Make sure you do not leave your belongings, such as smartphones, wallets, and important documents in your car to avoid theft when valet parking them. Instead, you can keep valuable items in your bag to ensure their safety.

Doing this also keeps your vehicle from becoming a target for theft. This is quite important for Tesla owners, whose phones and documents may contain sensitive data.

So, keeping them with you will ensure their safety, as valet staff may not be liable for missing or stolen items left in the car.

Removing valuable stuff from your car can also stop the valet attendants from damaging them. This is because accidents may occur in certain circumstances and anything left in the car could damage or break, especially if the driver mishandled the car.

Moreover, keeping all valuables with you gives you certainty about the safety of the items while the car is being parked by a valet worker. Overall, taking out valuables and personal stuff out of your vehicle will save you from a lot of stress.

4. Take Photos

Taking a picture before handling your Tesla to a valet can be a helpful record keeper of how your car looks prior to valet parking it in case a situation arises.

Specifically, taking a picture of both the interior and exterior of your Tesla helps document its condition and guard owners against theft or damages.

If your car has any damage when you get it back, you can check the images you took against the car’s present state to see if the damage happened while the valet was taking care of it or not.

These pictures will serve as evidence if there is a disagreement on who is to blame and be responsible for the damage and repairs costs between the valet or the owner.

Aside from taking pictures, we also recommend documenting previous damages to the car on a valet parking ticket or other documents to employ as additional proof of the car’s state prior to being given to the valet.

However, ensure to take pictures of any damage right away if you have the conviction that the valet is to blame. Just before getting out of the automobile, you can use your camera phone to take a picture of the mileage as well.

This is because there may be disagreements about how many miles the valet drove the car while in his/her care. Taking a picture will serve as evidence if warranted.

5. Communicate Any Special Instructions

You may have special instructions for the valet, that will be in charge of your vehicle, on how you want them to handle it. This can include where to park it and other handling specifications.

For better handling and safety, you can provide a general description of the car, especially when the Valet is not familiar with the car.

Also, depending on the model, some valets may need some explanation on the unique features the car offers. These can include devices like parking sensors, backup cameras, and blind-spot monitors.

Speaking of unique features, here is a post that explains whether Teslas can park themselves. 

6. Follow Instructions

Valet companies have rules and instructions for customers to abide with when paying for their services. They might include instructions on how to get your car ready for valet parking, how to pay for the valet parking services, and how to get the car back after owners parked them.

They give these guidelines to customers through their website, email, or when they drop off their cars in person.

Abiding by instructions guarantees that the process of valet parking and retrieving your Tesla will go well and swiftly. It also makes it easy for the valet service to meet the goal for valet parking for car owners.

According to most companies, these goals include improving the efficiency and convenience of parking and giving excellent customer service to customers.

Abiding by instructions can enhance your experience positively, while respecting the professionalism and knowledge of the valet as well. This also protects the customer from culpability in the event of an accident or damage to their car during the period.

7. Call Ahead Before Retrieving

Calling ahead before retrieving your Tesla will help you save time and ensure your vehicle is ready before your arrival to retrieve it. This can be very useful during busy times when there may be a lengthier wait and the parking lot is too busy.

It also enables the valet service to move the car to the front of the lot before your leaving time, facilitating speedy vehicle retrieval and departure for car owners.

8. Retrieve Your Tesla Promptly

When using valet parking, it is best to retrieve your Tesla as soon as you can. This is because keeping an EV in park for an extended period can cause unnecessary battery depletion.

Despite having features like sleep mode to extend battery life, Tesla cars still use energy when owners park them without charging them. There is also the fact that Tesla can also stop certain power-saving capabilities when it is in valet mode, and this can cause even more battery loss.

In certain situations where the battery gets drained and dies, the EV would not have enough power to start, which can be stressful, especially where there is no EV charging station nearby.

Retrieving your Tesla sooner after valet parking can also assist in the prevention of theft or damages. This is because the risk of theft or damages increases the longer the owner parks a car unattended, especially in popular parking lots.

That said, you might love to check if Teslas still get free parking.

Sources

Tesla Valet Mode: How It Works | HotCars

Valet Parking Etiquette | FC Valet

Who Is Liable for the Damage Done To Your Car by a Valet? | Answer Financial