Tesla App 4.60.5 Makes Wheel Covers a One-Tap Toggle — and Hints at Robotaxi Loaners

Tesla rolled out app version 4.60.5 on September 4, 2026, and while the official release notes are thin, the code inside tells a more interesting story. Two undocumented changes stand out: a much simpler way to tell your car whether your aero wheel covers are on or off, and the first real hint that Tesla plans to hand you a robotaxi ride instead of a loaner car when your vehicle is in for service. Both apply across the lineup — Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, and Cybertruck — and both are available worldwide.

Wheel Covers On or Off, Without the Menu Hunt

If you've ever popped your aero covers off for a weekend and then gone looking for the right setting in your car, you know the drill: Controls > Service > Wheels, then scroll a long list of wheel types trying to find the one that matches what's actually bolted to your car. It's buried, it's fiddly, and most owners never bother.

With 4.60.5, Tesla appears to be fixing that. Instead of treating "wheel with cover" and "wheel without cover" as two entirely separate wheel types, the app is set to treat them as the same wheel with a simple on/off state. The expectation is that you'll be able to flip between the covered and uncovered look right in the Tesla app and in the vehicle, without digging through a list.

Why This Setting Actually Matters

Here's the part a lot of owners miss: the wheel you select isn't just for the pretty picture on your screen. Tesla uses it to calculate your expected range, because some wheels are meaningfully more efficient than others. Aero covers exist for exactly that reason — they smooth airflow over the wheel face and buy back a small amount of efficiency.

So if you run your covers off for looks and never update the setting, your car is estimating range based on a configuration you're not actually driving. Making the toggle easy means more owners will keep it accurate, and accurate estimates matter most on the days you're road-tripping and leaning on the trip planner.

The wheel you pick in the app isn't cosmetic — it feeds your range estimate. Take the covers off, flip the toggle.

A few practical notes for owners who swap covers seasonally or for photos:

• Update the setting whenever you change the covers, not just when you remember — it's a two-second job once this rolls out.
• Removing covers is a looks-versus-range trade. The range hit is typically small, but it's real.
• Keep your removed covers somewhere they won't get scuffed. A soft bag in the frunk or trunk beats loose in the cargo area.
• If you're pulling covers on and off regularly, make sure your lug nut covers and center caps are seated properly each time.

Robotaxi Instead of a Loaner Car

The second undocumented change is arguably the bigger deal. Today, when you drop your Tesla off for service that'll take more than a few hours, Tesla sometimes offers a loaner. Sometimes. Loaners aren't always available, and Tesla has fallen back on Uber credits — or, frustratingly, on offering no backup transportation at all.

Strings in this app update point to robotaxi rides becoming an option for that backup transportation. The logic is easy to follow from both sides: you still get moved around while your car is in the shop, and Tesla covers that need at a fraction of what loaner fleets or third-party rideshare credits cost.

This one may not be far off, either. Tesla could realistically start offering robotaxi rides during service today in areas where the service already operates, like Austin, Texas, and expand it in step with the broader robotaxi rollout. If you're in an early robotaxi market, don't be shocked if this shows up as a choice next time you book a service appointment.

What Came Before: 4.60.0 and 4.59.5

4.60.5 builds on a busy few releases. Version 4.60.0 laid groundwork for passkey support, letting your phone authenticate with Face ID or a fingerprint instead of a password — strings like passkey_eligible and passkeyEnrolled showed up, though the feature isn't live yet. That release also pointed to a Tesla Wallet V2 (the wallet holds saved cards, Tesla credits, gift cards, and bank details, and could eventually hold key cards and phone keys), plus a batch of Powershare updates for V2H and V2L-capable vehicles.

On the Powershare front, it's worth knowing the hardware differences: Cybertruck supports V2H at up to 11.5 kW, while the new Model Y L appears to support it at just 2.4 kW with a Powerwall. Several new Model Y Premium trims support V2L. Before 4.60.0, version 4.59.5 brought Pet Mode Live Activity to Android, Tesla Assist with photos, and the ability to continue Assist conversations.

Our Take

The wheel cover toggle is a small quality-of-life fix that quietly improves something owners rely on daily — range accuracy. And if you've been running your covers off because you prefer the look, this is a good reminder that the setting exists and that keeping it current costs you nothing.

The robotaxi-for-loaner change is the one to watch. It's a real shift in how Tesla handles service days, and it means the gear you keep in your own car matters a bit more — because a robotaxi ride gets you home, but it doesn't carry your charging cable, your adapters, or your roadside kit. Worth keeping the essentials in a grab bag you can pull out at drop-off.