Well, I have the same model, so I can really help you a lot!
That guide is fine to understand the basics, BUT you can have FULL ACCESS to the service manual for the refreshed version if you register in service.tesla.com. Since a few months ago they offer the service manuals for free (just choose the free subscription).
In any case, the service manual might not be very helpful. Most likely it refers to a toolbox calibration procedure that you can’t do, or that needs special tools that you don’t have (check it out anyway… is it AP2 or AP2.5? You might have more luck with a Continental radar).
For the calibration “by eye”, just follow these steps:
- Remove the front bumper:
1. There are two screws under the wheel arch you need to remove, then unclip the bumper from the sides. You might need to take the wheel arch cover from under the bumper, but do not do it until you unscrew the two bolts that keep it attached to the bumper from below.
2. From below, you need to take all the rivets that fasten the splash shield to the bumper, as well as the two external screws next to each wheel arch (there are 4, but only 2 connect to the bumper).
3. Open the frunk, take out the plasic trim on top (the top cover, the side covers and the one at the front). After that, it’s just 4 bolts at the front, close to where the Tesla symbol is.
Be careful lifting it, and keep an eye on the front harness cable. In my case, after a repair covered by my insurance, the cable was routed in such a way that I can’t comfortably remove the bumper (it hangs from the cable), so I just put a box below to keep the bumper high whenever I have to do this. The cable is on the passenger side.
- Follow the vertical orientation alignment procedure as you saw in the link you gave me. There are two screws in the radar bracket: one is for horizontal alignment and the other one is for vertical alignment. I never remember which one is which, but it will be obvious when you are at this step. You can use any level that has a flat side, no need to buy the $50 level tool Tesla suggests (which is cool anyway, but I use a crappy $1 level and works).
- If you can’t do the horizontal alignment with Toolbox (and to be honest, I would try a manual alignment in any case, because you need to put the bumper back for this, and if Toolbox doesn’t solve your problems, you’ll need to remove the bumper again) you need to go to the side of the car, find references and look at the radar. Try to make the surface of the radar perfectly perpendicular to the moving direction. I use thread or a ribbon to get my references.
- Once you have adjusted the radar horizontally, check again the vertical orientation. The bracket is crap, and will move.
- Install the bumper back. TRY NOT TO TOUCH THE RADAR. It’s much easier said than done. I would say this is a two people job, but I managed to do it alone. If you touch the radar, you most likely will change the vertical alignment, and although you can adjust that (blindly) without removing the bumper, believe me, it won’t work. So be EXTREMELY CAREFUL when putting back the bumper (yes, it’s heavy). Try to find support on the central area, where you took the four bolts out, and as soon as you align properly the holes, put (very loosely) the bolts to keep the bumper in place. Then go to the next step.
- You need to work from below the bumper. This is the worst part. The splash shield has tabs where some fins of the bumper are inserted. Make sure all the fins are inside the tabs before moving on. I would start from one side, clip the bumper (you might need to move it up to fit the fender), secure it with the screw and check the tabs one by one. There is a bracket under the fog light that tends to fall, you might need to reinstall that as well. You can put the rivets as you secure the fins, but make sure you can work on the next fin, otherwise you might have to undo what you just did.
- Once you are done, tighten all the screws and bolts, reinstall the frunk trim and… DRIVE. You’ll see the error. If you have done things properly, it will (eventually) go away. Sometimes it goes away after 60 miles, some other times it takes 200 miles. If you go over 250 miles and you still see the error, you might have to repeat the process again. Once out to me THREE TIMES to adjust the f@#%ing radar, but believe me, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Before trying again, it might be a good time to check toolbox, just in case.
I hope this helps. I had to do this procedure three or four times for several reasons, and except for the last one, it always took me more than one attempt to calibrate the radar. I didn’t know why it was so difficult, until I found that the bumper easily hits the radar when reinstalling it. It’s really a pain in the neck. I hope your bracket is more solid than mine…