Does Tesla FSD Work in Snow and Rain? What the Manual Says

Tesla doesn’t stop you from using Full Self-Driving (Supervised), its paid driver-assistance package known as FSD, in snow or rain, but its own manual is blunt about what weather does to it. “Visibility is critical for Full Self-Driving (Supervised) to operate,” the Model Y and Model 3 manuals say. “Low visibility, such as low light or poor weather conditions, etc. (rain, snow, direct sun, fog, etc.) can significantly degrade performance.”

When the car detects that a camera is obstructed or blinded, it says so: “Model Y displays a message on the touchscreen and Self-Driving features may not be available.” Federal regulators are investigating whether FSD always notices when visibility drops, so don’t count on that message. Tesla says FSD (Supervised) “requires active driver supervision” and does not make the car autonomous.

What each kind of weather does to FSD

The quotes below come from Tesla’s current manuals for the 2025-and-newer Model Y and the 2024-and-newer Model 3 (software version 2026.32), which use the same wording. The online manual for the 2017 to 2023 Model 3 gives the same weather warnings, camera alerts and condensation advice, though its camera-cleaning advice differs (see the checklist). Model S, Model X and Cybertruck have their own manuals, so menus and alerts there may differ. The manual’s “Camera blocked or blinded” alert lists rain, fog, snow, dew, bright sunlight or glare, and “unlit or poorly lit roadways at night” among its causes, and says “some or all Self-Driving features may be temporarily unavailable.”

The “What to do” column is this page’s advice, built on the manual’s warnings. Tesla says its list of problem situations “does not represent an exhaustive list of situations that may interfere with proper operation” of Self-Driving features.

Does Tesla FSD work in snow?

It isn’t locked out, but snow hits it twice. Falling snow cuts visibility, which the manual says “can significantly degrade performance,” and snow is one of the conditions the “Camera blocked or blinded” alert names, when “some or all Self-Driving features may be temporarily unavailable.”

The road itself matters too. FSD “depends on the ability of the cameras to detect traffic lights, stop signs, and road markings,” and the manual warns that “environmental conditions such as rain and faded lane markings” can affect performance. The manual doesn’t mention snow-covered lines, but they leave the cameras less to work with than faded ones.

The simpler Traffic-Aware Cruise Control carries a stricter instruction: don’t use it “on icy or slippery road surfaces, or when weather conditions (such as heavy rain, snow, fog, etc.) make it inappropriate to drive at a consistent speed.” That instruction is written for Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, which is unavailable while FSD (Supervised) is enabled; FSD carries its own low-visibility warning above. Neither is a promise that FSD handles ice: Tesla says “You are responsible for the speed and control of your vehicle at all times, whether FSD (Supervised) is enabled or not.” For traction settings and getting unstuck, see Tesla in snow.

Does Tesla FSD work in the rain?

Yes, with the same caveat. Rain comes up repeatedly in the manual, including in the low-visibility list for FSD, in the “Camera blocked or blinded” alert, and in the list of conditions where Self-Driving features “may not work as intended.” When FSD (Supervised) is engaged, the wipers are set to Auto.

Does Tesla FSD work at night?

Yes, with headlights on. The manual says FSD (Supervised) “is available both during the day and in low light conditions (dusk or dark),” but “it aborts or is unavailable if headlights are set to Off,” so they must be set to On or Auto. Poorly lit roads and oncoming headlights are still on the manual’s list of conditions where Self-Driving features may not work as intended.

What federal regulators are investigating

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been investigating FSD crashes in reduced roadway visibility since October 17, 2024. Its preliminary evaluation started from four crash reports in which “the reduced roadway visibility arose from conditions such as sun glare, fog, or airborne dust.” In one of those crashes, “the Tesla vehicle fatally struck a pedestrian.”

NHTSA upgraded the probe to an Engineering Analysis, EA26002, opened March 18, 2026. The alleged defect is “Failure of FSD’s degradation detection system, when encountering reduced roadway visibility conditions, to detect a degraded state and to warn the driver appropriately.” In a July 2, 2026 letter to Tesla, NHTSA said nine crashes were under investigation and that their circumstances indicate drivers “may have been unaware” that the car had hit conditions limiting FSD’s ability to respond to hazards, “or that they were responsible for intervention to avert those hazards.”

Ordinary rain is not the focus. The same letter says “general rain and darkness may be cleared by the vehicle with use of windshield wipers and headlights respectively.” The concern is reduced visibility, such as glare, fog and dust, that FSD may not detect. NHTSA’s investigation documents never use the word snow; the closest they come is Tesla’s own marketing, when the letter asks Tesla whether its post that “FSD Supervised can drive in whiteout conditions” is “accurate and consistent with the system’s intended capabilities as designed.” NHTSA’s documents describe an open investigation as of that July 2 letter, not a recall. So don’t wait for an alert before taking over when you can’t see well yourself.

Before a winter drive: keep the cameras clear

1. Clean the cameras the way your manual says. For the 2025+ Model Y and 2024+ Model 3, Tesla says to “Clean the camera lens every week during wet weather (snow, rain, sleet) and every month during dry weather,” spraying water on the lens and drying it with a microfiber cloth. The 2017 to 2023 Model 3 manual says to spray water on the lens “with a spray bottle” and warns: “Do not attempt to remove dirt or debris by wiping an exposed lens with your hands or a cloth.”
2. Use the front camera sprayer if your car has one. Open the Camera app from the app launcher and press the spray icon. The Model 3 manual marks the front-facing camera, and so its sprayer, “if equipped.”
3. Dry fogged cameras before you leave. For condensation inside the camera enclosures, Tesla says to “precondition the cabin by setting it to a warm temperature, turning the windshield defroster on, and directing the front air vents toward the door pillars.”
4. Turn on the wiper defrosters if your car has them. They run for 30 minutes, then turn off.
5. Check what the cameras saw. Touch Controls > Service > Camera Visibility for a summary of poor camera visibility during your most recent drive; it is in both the current and the 2017 to 2023 Model 3 manuals.
6. Don’t use FSD with a bike rack or trailer. The manual says not to use it “if anything, such as a ball hitch, bike rack, or trailer, is attached to the rear of your vehicle.”
7. Don’t scrape a lens. Tesla warns against chemical-based or abrasive cleaners and against cleaning a camera lens “with a sharp or abrasive object.”

Frequently asked questions

Will FSD turn itself off in bad weather?

It can. The “Camera blocked or blinded” alert means “some or all Self-Driving features may be temporarily unavailable,” and fogged cameras can leave some or all of them “temporarily restricted until the camera vision is clear.” The manual says the alert “is often a temporary issue.” But don’t treat silence as an all-clear: NHTSA is investigating whether FSD detects reduced visibility and warns drivers appropriately, so if you can’t see well, take over without waiting for an alert.

Is FSD safe to use in snow?

Tesla’s manual says low visibility from snow “can significantly degrade performance.” It also says FSD (Supervised) “requires a fully attentive driver who is ready to take immediate action at all times.” Tesla doesn’t forbid it. This page’s advice: in heavy snow, when you’re struggling to see the lane yourself, drive yourself.

Does HW3 or HW4 matter for weather?

The weather warnings quoted here appear in both the current manuals and the 2017 to 2023 Model 3 manual. Tesla also notes that the features enabled depend on “Self-Driving hardware” and software version, and points you to the manual on your car’s touchscreen for your exact configuration. To check which computer you have, see HW3 or HW4; for what’s standard versus paid, see Autopilot vs FSD.