Light Strip for the Model 3/Y | Installation and Setup
The S3XY Strip is the newest product of our lineup of smart Tesla accessories. It is designed not only to transform the interior of your Model 3/Y, but also to make you more aware of your surroundings, thanks to the intelligent alerts we have implemented.
In this article, we are going to walk you through the unboxing, the entire installation and setup process, as well as explain to you in detail what this LED strip can do.
We also prepared a video presentation, if you are more of a visual learner:
Unboxing
The S3XY Strip arrives in our signature sleek packaging, featuring the aesthetic design of our S3XY brand.
Upon opening the box, you will see the following items:
1. The Controller, which is the device that communicates with your car. It comes with a piece of Velcro attached to the back, so you can stick it inside your right A-pillar and keep everything in the footwell neat.
2. The Strip itself, which comes in two lengths, depending on your vehicle - shorter for the legacy Models 3 and Y, and longer for the Highland and Juniper.
3. An OBD adapter.
4. A pry tool.
5. A spare piece of Velcro.
Controller Installation
The following instructions will guide you through the installation process, which is the same on all models. Just make sure to complete the steps in order:
1. Remove the rubber seal from the A-pillar, starting from the top and going all the way back.
2. With the pry tool, remove the triangular plastic cover that is attached to the side of the glovebox.
3. Using the fork end of the pry tool, carefully remove the pin that is holding the L-shaped plastic panel.
4. Starting from the bottom, carefully release the L-shaped piece from the clips. If they are too tight, you can use the pry tool for leverage. For safety, release the panel by pulling it out, one clip at a time.
5. Among the wiry mess, locate the port to power the Controller. It looks the same on all Model 3s and Ys built from 2021 onward.
6. Disconnect the power cable and daisy-chain our connectors into it.
7. Locate the freestanding OBD plug, which sometimes could be tucked further back, and it could come in two colors - blue or white.
8. Plug the male side of our OBD cable into the Tesla’s female side.
The small lamp of the Controller should start flashing green, indicating that it is ready to go.
Bonus: If you already have our Commander, you can daisy-chain both units together.
S3XY Strip Installation (Model 3/Y 2021-2024)
As we mentioned above, the Strip for the legacy Models is a couple of inches shorter. That’s because the air vent has slight bumps at each end, limiting the span.
Once you have your Controller connected, it’s time to put the Strip in place by following these steps:
1. Clean the inside top part of the air vent with a wet wipe to remove dust. That way, the adhesion will stick better.
2. Turn off the vent to prevent the airflow from tampering with the glue.
3. Remove one-third of the tape cover from the left side and carefully place it against the bump at the end. You can ask a friend to hold the strip for you as you adjust the positioning. Make sure the diffuser is about 1mm inside the edge of the vent.
4. Once you have the correct position, press with your thumb and slide it along.
5. Remove the second third of the tape cover and continue the sticking process behind the Tesla’s Main Screen while keeping a straight line. If you need to double-check the alignment, powering on the strip will help you see the diodes.
6. Peel off the last third and secure the strip all the way to the bump on the right side.
S3XY Strip Installation (Model Highland & Model Y Juniper)
The Strip for the new Model 3 and Y is longer and covers the entire vent, making the installation process slightly easier. After you clean the dust from the fabric and turn off the airflow, measure 2cm (or 0.8 inches) from the edge of the dash on each side, marking the start and end points of the Strip. Then simply repeat the steps 3 through 6 listed above, and you are ready to go.
Reassembly
Now that we have the Controller and the Strip secured and connected, it’s time to reassemble everything before we move on to the fun part.
On pre-refreshed Model 3/Y
1. Lift the dash slightly and tuck the wire into the gap.
2. Place the L-shaped piece back, aligning it with the clips.
3. Lock the pin back to secure the L-panel in place.
4. Reattach the triangular cover and press firmly.
5. Return the rubber seal without stretching it, but by following its natural curve.
On the new Model 3/Y
You can route the cable directly into the right A-pillar, keeping it flush with the dash top. You can secure it with double-sided tape. Then reassemble the A-pillar by completing steps 2 through 5 as we have listed them above.
Disclaimer: There is another way to tuck the wire in, out of sight, but you have to unclip a part of the fabric piece on top of the dash to create an opening. You can then use a long zip tie to navigate the wire through the said opening. Since this process is not as straightforward, we will cover it in a separate video.
Pairing
Now begins the fun part when we start the customizations. But first, let’s pair the Strip to the S3XY App.
1. Open the App and navigate to the Strip tab.
2. Upon entering, a pop-up message will appear. Press the “Connect” button.
3. During the pairing process, a prompt may ask you to double-press the right scroll wheel. This safety measure was implemented to confirm that you are inside the car and there is no outside tampering.
4. Once the pairing is done, you will be at the S3XY Strip Home screen, from where you can start the customization.
Alerts and Customizations
On the S3XY Strip’s home page, you can set the default color and the brightness level, as well as swap the solid color for a rainbow effect.
From the get-go, the S3XY Strip is packed with smart alerts to help you better handle various situations on the road. Over time, we will add more with OTA updates, but for now, here’s what is included:
- Blind Spot Assist: Flashes in a chosen color whenever a vehicle is detected in your blind spot.
- Turn Signals: Flashes in sync with your turn indicators.
- Autopilot: Changes color whenever Autopilot is engaged.
- Speed Limit: Pulses when you exceed the speed limit.
- Charging Animation: Displays a “filling” effect while your battery charges.
- Sentry: Flashes a security alert if someone attempts to forcefully open the door while Sentry is active.
- Acceleration Mode: Changes color based on the selected mode - Chill, Standard/Sport, or Insane (Highland Performance Model only).
- Greeting Animation: Plays a fun animation each time you open the door.
Each of these alerts can be customized with animations such as blinking, fading, pulsing, or loading effects.
Another great customization is the possibility of setting an offset. For example, you can make the light strip blink 10% stronger when you are using the turn signals, compared to the default color.
Conclusion
There will be more to the S3XY Strip in the future, making it smarter and more functional with each update, so stay tuned because a lot of exciting things are on the way.
