Tesla Sentry Mode Battery Drain: How Much Per Day (and How to Cut It)

How much battery Sentry Mode uses

Situation	Approximate draw	Per 24 hours
Parked, asleep, Sentry off	Very low	About 1% (Tesla's guidance)
Sentry on, software 2024.38 or newer	~150 W	~3.6 kWh, roughly 4–8% of a Model 3/Y pack
Sentry on, older software	~250–300 W	~6–7 kWh, roughly 7–14%
Sentry on in freezing weather	Higher	Add roughly 20–40%

These are averages from Tesla's update notes, owner measurements and independent testing; your car will vary with battery size, temperature and how many events Sentry records.

Why it uses so much

A sleeping Tesla shuts down its main computers. Sentry Mode can't let them sleep: the cameras and the processing that watches them stay on all the time. Tesla's 2024.38 update moved more of that work to a more efficient path, which is where the drop to about 150 W came from.

How to cut Sentry Mode drain

Exclude Home (and Work, Favorites if your car offers it) in Controls > Safety > Sentry Mode, so it only runs where you need it.
Turn it on per trip from the Tesla app when you park somewhere you're worried about, instead of leaving it always on.
Plug in when you can. Sentry drain comes from the wall, not the battery, when the car's charging setup allows.
Check other drains: Cabin Overheat Protection and third-party apps that wake the car also add up (see our phantom drain guide).
Keep software updated, since the efficiency improvements came in updates.

Sentry Mode turns itself off when the battery drops to 20%.

What it costs in money

At the US average home electricity price of about 18 cents per kWh (EIA, mid-2026), 3.6 kWh a day is roughly 65 cents a day, or about $20 a month if Sentry runs around the clock. On older software it's closer to $35 a month. Your rate may be very different; see our charging cost guide.

See your own overnight drain

AskMyEV answers from saved snapshots and never wakes your car just to check it, so asking doesn't add to the drain. Your AI can compare nights with Sentry on and off from your car's own history.

Grok · AskMyEV connectorExample

How much did I lose overnight, and was it Sentry?

Grokused AskMyEV

You parked at 81% at 6:40 pm and were at 76% at 7:10 am, 5% in about 12 hours.

On the three nights you parked at home (where Sentry is excluded) you lost under 1%. The difference lines up with Sentry being on at the office garage.

Sources

Checked October 12, 2026. Warranty terms, prices and software change; confirm on Tesla's site, in your car or on your own paperwork.

Frequently asked questions

How much battery does Tesla Sentry Mode use per day?

On current software, about 150 W, roughly 3.6 kWh or 4–8% of a Model 3/Y battery per 24 hours. Older software used about 250–300 W, roughly 7–14% a day.

Does Sentry Mode drain the battery when plugged in?

When the car is plugged in it can draw that power from the charger instead of draining the battery.

Does Sentry Mode turn off on its own?

Yes, it turns off automatically when the battery falls to 20%.

How do I reduce Sentry Mode drain?

Exclude Home (and other trusted places) in Sentry Mode settings, enable it only when needed from the Tesla app, and keep your software up to date.