How Tesla 'sentry mode' busts attackers, and how owners can enable it
A Tesla Model 3 at the company's dealership in Palo Alto, California, on Jan. 28, 2025. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via / Getty Images)
Tesla owners can activate a security measure on their vehicles called "sentry mode," which can help deter or even bust threats in the wake of widespread vandalism targeting Elon Musk’s electric car company.
Sentry mode, when enabled, keeps the cameras and sensors of the vehicle powered on and ready to record suspicious activity that happens nearby.
"Think of Sentry Mode as an intelligent vehicle security system that alerts you when it detects possible threats nearby," according to the Tesla Model 3 owner’s manual.
Tesla vehicles with sentry mode activated will pulse the headlights, sound the alarm and display a message on the touchscreen saying that cameras may be recording as a warning to those outside the vehicle if a threat is detected or if its sensors pick of "jerky movement" like being towed or shaken.
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Sentry mode also sends the vehicle owner an alert on the Tesla mobile app and saves footage of the event to a USB drive, if installed in the vehicle.
Tesla security has been spotlighted after nationwide incidents targeting the electric vehicles, dealerships, storage lots and charging stations in protest of Musk, who President Donald Trump tapped to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). DOGE was tasked with slashing wasteful federal spending and has laid off tens of thousands of federal employees as part of its cuts.
People participate in a protest against Elon Musk outside a Tesla dealership in Pasadena, California, on March 8. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via / Getty Images)
Since January 2025, Tesla electric vehicles have been targeted in at least nine states, according to the FBI, which says the incidents involved arson, gunfire and vandalism, including graffiti expressing grievances against those the perpetrators perceive to be racists, fascists or political opponents.
So far, three individuals have been charged in federal cases after using Molotov cocktails to attack Tesla properties around the country. Each faces charges that carry a minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison.
"The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended," Attorney General Pamela Bondi said Thursday. "Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars."
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Other individuals have been arrested after keying vehicles in California.
Tesla says that while sentry mode can help deter some threats, it should not be relied on to protect vehicles from all possible security threats, adding that "no security system can prevent all attacks."
Sentry mode, which is disabled by default, can be activated in several ways.
Owners can activate the security measure using the car’s touchscreen by going into the control panel and safety subsection. It can also be activated using the Tesla app or using the voice command, "Keep Tesla Safe."
The Tesla vehicle must be parked and locked to activate and remain above 20% battery life to remain active.