The Tesla feature getting written up this week as a get-unstuck mode is not called that, and the distinction matters if you are the one shoveling.
Tesla’s 2026 Summer Update, software version 2026.26, adds a setting called Traction Control Mode to the Model 3 and Model Y. It holds three options. Auto for ordinary driving, Slippery Surface for ice and wet pavement, and Stuck Assist for snow, mud and sand. You reach it through Controls, then Dynamics.
Model S, Model X and Cybertruck owners have had selectable modes like this for a while. The two cars that sell in volume did not, which is the actual news.
Key Takeaways
- Tesla calls it Stuck Assist. It is one of three Traction Control Modes, not a standalone off-road mode, and “get-unstuck mode” is a headline coinage rather than Tesla’s term.
- The setting does not persist. Reporting on the rollout says the system returns to Auto at the start of every drive, so it is a per-incident tool rather than a mode you leave engaged.
- It is assistive, not autonomous. You still work the accelerator and steering, and Tesla says the modes will not solve every condition.
- Model S, X and Cybertruck already had this. The update closes a gap on the two highest-volume cars in the lineup.
- Older cars are unaddressed. Tesla’s notes list the feature for “New Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck” without saying whether pre-refresh Model 3 and Model Y qualify.
- Most of the update is not about traction. Grok gained phone calls and climate control, Caraoke gained scoring, and custom wraps can now be sent from a phone.
What the Three Modes Do
Tesla’s release notes describe the set in one sentence: choose Auto for normal driving conditions, Slippery Surface for icy or wet roads, or Stuck Assist when stuck in snow, mud, or sand.
That is the entire official description.
Tesla has not published how the modes differ in calibration, which is the part an owner in a snowbank would want. On other vehicles a stuck-assist strategy usually loosens the wheelspin threshold so the tire can clear itself rather than being braked the instant it slips, which is the opposite of what a normal traction system does. Tesla has not said that is what happens here, and without a press office there is nobody to ask.
The mode resets when you park. Coverage of the rollout reports that Traction Control Mode reverts to Auto at the start of each drive. If you are working a vehicle back and forth out of a rut across several attempts, expect to reselect it. Nothing in Tesla’s notes contradicts this, and nothing in them confirms it either.
What It Will Not Do
Tesla frames this as assistance rather than a solution, and the framing is worth taking at face value.
The driver still supplies accelerator and steering input. Tesla’s own caveat is that the modes will not be an ultimate answer to all driving conditions. Reporting on the feature notes that the usual physical remedies still apply when you are properly buried: letting air out of the tires to widen the contact patch, putting boards or branches under them, or finding people to push.
A software setting changes how power reaches the wheels. It does not change what the wheels are sitting in.
Which Cars Get It
This is the messiest part of the release, and it matters more than the feature.
Tesla’s notes list the Traction Control Modes entry as applying to “New Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck.” Tesla uses “New” to distinguish the refreshed Model 3 and Model Y from the earlier cars. Whether the pre-refresh versions are included in that line, excluded from it, or simply unmentioned is not spelled out, and no source consulted for this piece resolved it.
If you own an older Model 3 or Model Y, check Controls and Dynamics after the update lands rather than assuming either way.
The Rest of the Update
Traction control is the smallest and most useful thing in 2026.26. The bulk of the release is convenience and entertainment.
| Feature | What changed |
|---|---|
| Grok Commands | Can place phone calls, play music, adjust climate and search the Controls panel |
| Automatic Navigation | Suggests recurring destinations based on your routine |
| Preferred Routes | Prioritizes roads you have driven before |
| Caraoke | Scores singing while parked, with stars and saved high scores |
| Custom Wraps | Upload a wrap design from a phone instead of a USB drive |
| Camera Preview | Opens outside of Park |
| Set Arrival Energy | Choose target arrival charge from the mobile app |
| Supercharger Search | Find Superchargers by name |
| Rear Display | Front seat can lock the rear touchscreen |
The rollout runs in waves across several weeks, which is Tesla’s normal pattern. A car that has not received it yet is not broken.
Bottom Line
Stuck Assist is a small, sensible addition that brings the Model 3 and Model Y in line with the rest of the lineup, and it is worth knowing where the setting lives before the morning you need it. Treat it as one more tool rather than a reason to point a Model Y at a snowdrift. It resets every drive, it expects you to keep working the pedal, and it cannot do anything about a car sitting on its floor pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tesla’s Stuck Assist?
Stuck Assist is one of three Traction Control Modes added in the 2026 Summer Update, intended for use when a vehicle is stuck in snow, mud or sand. The other two are Auto for normal conditions and Slippery Surface for ice and wet roads.
Is Stuck Assist the same as a “get-unstuck mode”?
That phrase comes from press coverage rather than Tesla. The company’s release notes call the feature Stuck Assist and present it as a traction control setting, not a separate off-road driving mode.
Where do I find Traction Control Mode in a Tesla?
Open Controls, then Dynamics, then Traction Control Mode. The setting appears once the 2026 Summer Update has reached your car.
Does Stuck Assist stay on?
Reporting on the rollout says the mode reverts to Auto at the beginning of every drive, so it has to be reselected each time. Tesla’s release notes do not address the behavior directly.
Which Teslas get the new traction control modes?
Tesla’s notes list the feature for the New Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck. Model S, Model X and Cybertruck already offered selectable modes, so the meaningful change is for the Model 3 and Model Y.
Will my older Model 3 or Model Y get Stuck Assist?
Tesla has not said. The release notes use the “New Model 3” label without clarifying whether pre-refresh cars are covered. Check Controls and Dynamics once the update installs.
What Tesla software version is the 2026 Summer Update?
Version 2026.26. It began reaching cars in late July 2026 and rolls out in waves over several weeks, so delivery dates vary between owners.
Does Stuck Assist mean a Tesla can go off-road?
No. Tesla describes the modes as assistance and states they will not solve every condition. Drivers still control the accelerator and steering, and conventional recovery methods such as airing down tires or placing traction boards may still be required.
What else is in the 2026 Summer Update?
Grok can now make calls, play music and adjust climate. Navigation learns recurring destinations and prefers familiar roads. Caraoke keeps score, custom wraps upload from a phone, arrival energy is settable from the app, and Superchargers are searchable by name.
Michael Kahn
Michael Kahn is the writer, photographer, and publisher behind The Weekly Driver. He cares about how cars drive and what they're like to own. He covers automobile industry news, car shows and events, and new car reviews. The reviews come from behind the wheel: day trips that favor back routes, treating a good meal as half the reason to go. He directs and produces the visual media, matching each car to a setting and mood that fit it. When he's not reviewing new cars, Michael races paddleboards, camels, and ostriches, along with the occasional exotic car on the racetrack, and has driven in every state and country visited.
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