Tesla App Showing KM instead Of Miles (This is How To Fix It)

Last updated on April 18th, 2023 at 11:16 pm

It can be frustrating when your Tesla displays distance in kilometers instead of the preset miles. This could also be a little confusing.

Except you travel a lot and can understand road signs in metric and imperial, the average person will need help moving from one system to another.

Considering this, you will want to know why your Tesla app shows kilometers instead of miles.

Your Tesla app might show KM instead of miles due to a change in the preferred unit of measurement in the app settings or a regional mismatch between the car’s location and the owner’s account information.

This article will explain the issues that can cause your Tesla to show distance in kilometers instead of miles and how to fix them.

Why is My Tesla App Showing KM Instead of Miles?

Tesla owners have reported cases where their in-app battery shows charge in K.M. instead of miles, which regional mismatch, bugs, and incorrect language settings can cause.

A regional mismatch is one of the biggest causes of incorrect distance values, while application bugs are the second most common.

Incorrect language settings are also one of the most overlooked culprits that can cause the problem.

Some of these issues can be fixed with a simple app update, while others require Tesla customer service support.

Here are some problems that can cause your Tesla App to display in kilometers instead of miles.

#1. App Settings

If you purposely or accidentally set your Tesla App account settings to display metric units instead of imperial units, your Tesla app will show K.M. instead of miles.

If you use an older or outdated version of the Tesla App, there could be a bug causing this issue.

A quick app update should rectify any issues you encounter. You can also enable location and storage access to the Tesla app so it can get location updates.

#2. Phone Language Settings

Most mobile applications use your phone’s preferred language to choose the kind of S.I. unit to display measurements.

Setting your language to U.K. English will automatically cause your app to use metric units (K.M.) instead of imperial units(miles).

Make sure you choose American English as your phone’s preferred language if you want your Tesla app to show values in miles.

#3. Regional Settings 

The region you set your Tesla will influence whether it displays kilometers and miles because non-American countries use the metric system of measurement while the USA uses imperial.

A Tesla that is region locked to non-American countries (France, Japan, etc.) will display its distance in kilometers, while a Tesla region locked to the USA will measure in miles.

Try to avoid buying fairly used and second-hand cars from overseas, so you are not stuck with a Tesla whose language and region you cannot easily change.

How Do I Switch Between Miles and Kilometers on Tesla App?

You can switch between miles and kilometers by changing your Tesla account regional settings, updating the app, or changing your device language settings.

It is a fact that growing up with a particular system of measurement, e.g., metric, makes it hard to understand another system of measurement, e.g., imperial.

Going from calculating distance and speed in imperial to metric can lead to problems that can cause Tesla owners to make errors and lead to accidents while driving.

Below is a way to set your Tesla on-screen and the app to display kilometers instead of miles.

#1. On The Car Display

The Tesla car display is the central screen drivers use to navigate, check charge status, and change settings inside their Tesla. 

If your Tesla doesn’t want to show your battery charge in miles, you can change your profile settings with the car display, which should reflect on the Tesla app.

• Go to your homepage 
• Click on make a new profile 
• Select display
• Change your regional settings to the USA
• Select the distance icon in the “energy display” setting
• Scroll down and choose miles instead of kilometers in the “Distance” setting
• Save the new profile
• Switch to the profile, and your Tesla will display in miles instead of kilometers.

#2. In The Tesla App

A bug in your current Tesla App version might cause it to display the remaining battery charge in km instead of miles.

• You can tap the battery icon to change the display from km to percentage. 
• Change your phone language settings to the USA.
• Set your regional settings to the USA from your phone app store or play store.
• Update your Tesla App from the app store or play store.

Why Can’t I Change KM to Miles on Tesla App 

There is currently no option to change distance units from kilometers to miles in the Tesla, but you can change it in multiple ways.

Things like buggy app versions, incorrect language settings, and regional issues are some of the things that can prevent you from changing your distance to miles.

Below is a compilation of things that can prevent you from changing kilometers to miles on your Tesla app.

#1. Region Lock

Teslas sold in European and other parts of the world use metric units as a measurement standard.

The imperial system measures temperature in Celsius (C) instead of Fahrenheit (F), length in meters (M) instead of yards (Yd), and speed in kilometers per hour (Kph) instead of miles per hour (Mph).

That means if you import your Tesla from any of these countries, it will use the metric system instead of the imperial one.

To resolve the issue, go to the app settings, select “Vehicle” and then “Units,” and make sure that “Imperial” is selected. Also, check your app store for online updates and bug fixes; if the issue persists, contact Tesla Support.

You can change your Tesla region to the USA to get this feature or contact your nearest Tesla customer service for assistance.

#2. Bugged App Version

Older versions of the Tesla app had a bug where it started displaying the Tesla app in kilometers instead of miles.

Tesla app versions 4.4.0 and 4.4.2 on iOS devices had this particular bug, but the subsequent update fixed it. 

If the issue persists after updating, uninstall and reinstall your Tesla app and reboot your device.

So ensure you are not using an outdated Tesla App version that might leave you with wrong regional settings and incorrect units you cannot change.

#3. Language Settings

Phones set up with U.K. English or any other language in the world will use metric units of measurement, including turning miles to kilometers.

You might not have changed your language settings recently, but an automatic update could have done that.

To change your preferred language back to U.S. English, go to your phone setting, select a language preference, and choose English language (U.S.).

If the problem persists, you must seek professional help from Tesla customer service while waiting for a solution.

Here is a table showing distances in kilometers and their equivalent in miles.

Distance (K.M.)	Distance (miles)
60 kilometers	37 miles
100 kilometers	62 miles
150 kilometers	93 miles
300 kilometers	186 miles

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