Coolant bleeding — removing air after repair

Quick FAQ

▸Why doesn't coolant circulate after cooling-system repair?

The cause is an air pocket (airlock). After any opening of the loop, the fluid sits still when you start the procedure in Service Mode, and the computer temperature climbs to 80–90 °C until the air is pushed out.

▸How do I bleed air from the cooling system on a Tesla Model 3/Y?

Get the nose of the car up (jack or ramp) so the air rises, then run the air-bleed procedure from Service Mode. Watch the temperature — shut down at 80 °C, let it cool, and repeat; usually several cycles are needed, after which you have to top up the coolant.

▸After which jobs is coolant bleeding required?

After any work that opened the cooling loop: replacing the heat pump or its components (octovalve, supermanifold), replacing the A/C compressor, cleaning or replacing the radiator and A/C condenser, replacing the drive unit (especially LDU), and any HV-battery work where the pack coolant was drained.

▸How many bleed cycles are needed?

One cycle rarely solves it — usually several are needed: start the procedure, wait for 80 °C, shut down, let it cool, repeat. Between cycles and at the end you must top the coolant back to the proper level.

▸Can I bleed coolant without Service Mode?

There's no factory procedure outside Service Mode on Tesla Model 3/Y — the system is designed to run the bleed routine specifically from Service Mode. Without it, a normal refill through the expansion tank will hit the airlock and fail.