You’re standing in a grocery store parking lot, grocery bags in hand, watching a group of teenagers lean against your Model 3. They aren't doing anything wrong, really, but you can't resist. You pull out your phone, tap a button, and a loud, wet "Falcon Heavy" rip echoes from the front bumper. The kids jump. You keep walking like nothing happened. This is the peak of 21st-century automotive engineering.
Honestly, knowing how to make Tesla fart from app is basically a rite of passage for every new owner. It’s juvenile. It’s totally unnecessary. And it is arguably the best feature Elon Musk ever greenlit. But if you're trying to figure out where that hidden whoopee cushion icon went after the latest V12 software update, you aren't alone.
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The Quick Way to Fire a Remote Toot
Most people think you have to be sitting in the driver's seat to trigger the "Emissions Testing Mode." You don't.
To do it from your phone, you need the Tesla Mobile App (make sure it's updated to at least version 4.x). Open the app and look at the quick control icons right under the image of your car. By default, these are usually locks, climate, or the trunk.
Here is the trick: Long-press any of those four icons.
A customization menu will pop up with a bunch of gray icons. Look for the little whoopee cushion. Drag that icon into your top four "Quick Actions" bar and hit save. Now, whenever you want to prank someone, you just tap that icon once from the main screen of the app. It works from anywhere in the world as long as your car has a cellular connection.
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What if it doesn't make a sound outside?
If you press the button and your car is just sitting there silently, your settings are probably wrong. Inside the car, on the big screen, go to Toybox > Emissions Testing Mode. You have to make sure it’s set to play through the external speaker. If you have it set to an internal seat, you’re just farting at an empty cabin.
Also, your car needs to have the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS). This is the external speaker located near the front wheel. Most Teslas built after September 2019 have them. If your car is older than that, you can't "broadcast" the sound to the outside world; it’ll just be a private concert for your upholstery.
Why the "Fun Police" Changed Things
There was a time when you could make the car fart while driving down the highway. It was chaotic. You could literally set the turn signal to fart every time you changed lanes.
The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) was not amused. They called it a safety risk, claiming that custom sounds could interfere with the mandatory pedestrian warning chimes. Tesla had to push a recall update to disable "Boombox" features—including the farts—while the car is in Drive, Neutral, or Reverse.
So, if you're trying to figure out how to make Tesla fart from app while your spouse is driving to work, you're out of luck. It only works now when the car is in Park.
Sentry Mode Live Camera Pranks
If you want to be truly devious, you can use the Live Camera feature. This requires a Premium Connectivity subscription.
- Open the app and go to Security > Sentry Mode.
- Tap View Live Camera.
- Once the video feed loads, look at the bottom of the screen.
- There is a dedicated "fart" button right there.
This is the "pro" way to do it because you can actually see the person's reaction in real-time. You can wait until they are right next to the speaker before you let it rip. It’s oddly satisfying to see a grown adult look at a parked car with total confusion.
The Best Sound Profiles
Tesla didn't just give us one generic sound. They went deep into the "lore."
- Falcon Heavy: Loud, powerful, and sounds like a rocket launch gone wrong.
- Short Shorts Ripper: A tribute to the Tesla stock short-sellers. High-pitched and aggressive.
- Neurastink: A play on Neuralink. It’s... textured.
- Boring Fart: Deep, rumbly, and reminiscent of a tunnel-boring machine.
Troubleshooting the App Trigger
Sometimes the icon is there, you tap it, and nothing happens. First, check your phone's signal. If the car is in an underground parking garage with no LTE, the command will just time out.
Second, check your volume. If you previously used the Boombox feature to play music and turned the volume all the way down, the fart will be muted too. You have to keep the Boombox volume up for the pranks to work.
Another weird glitch happens if the car is "asleep." Sometimes the first tap wakes the car up, and the second tap actually triggers the sound. If at first you don't succeed, double-tap.
Actionable Next Steps
If you've never set this up, go to your car right now and do these three things:
- Open Toybox and select Emissions Testing Mode.
- Set the "Fart Sound" to I'm So Random (it keeps things fresh).
- Ensure the output is set to External Speaker.
Once that's done, open your Tesla app, customize your quick controls to include the whoopee cushion, and wait for the perfect moment. Just remember that in some cities, loud noises from parked cars can technically be a noise ordinance violation, so maybe don't do it at 3:00 AM in a quiet neighborhood. Otherwise, have at it. Your $50,000 car is now the world's most expensive practical joke.