Update date: September 2026
Introduction:
The built-in pump for the Tesla mattress offers several advantages: it is easy to carry, convenient to operate, and high in power. Currently, NovaPads' Air-Foam mattress and Auto-Leveling mattress are both equipped with built-in pumps. Every built-in pump has undergone strict and repeated testing before the mattress leaves the factory, so the chance of failure is very low. Even so, small number of Tesla owners still worry that once the built-in pump stops working, the entire mattress will become unusable. To completely ease this concern, this article explains how to replace the built-in pump core within 5 minutes.
You can also watch the video version of the built-in pump replacement tutorial.
When does the built-in pump need to be replaced?
Before the replacement steps, we need to understand when the pump core of the built-in pump needs to be replaced. There are two situations in which we need to replace the built-in pump:
- When the built-in pump is broken.
- When the Tesla mattress has a "slow" air leak (usually 5-10 hours). After a careful and comprehensive inspection of the mattress, no leak point is found on the mattress surface, so replacing the built-in pump core has to be considered.
Note: Our built-in pump has an overheating protection function. After continuous long-term operation, the interior of the pump may overheat (especially in summer), thereby triggering overheating protection. It is usually recommended not to use it for more than 3 minutes at a time. After overheating protection is triggered, you need to wait for the built-in pump to cool down, and then the pump will resume working.
Replacement steps:
1. Remove the waterproof protective cover of the screw:
Use tweezers (or another pointed tool) to remove the four waterproof silicone protective caps on the built-in pump panel of the Tesla mattress one by one. After removal, the 4 fixing screws can be seen.
2. Remove the screws on the panel:
Use an electric Phillips screwdriver to remove the four screws one by one.
3. Remove the built-in pump panel:
After the screws on the panel are removed, turn the rotary switch to the "deflate" position, and the built-in pump panel will automatically pop up and separate from the pump. Then turn the rotary switch back to the "OFF" position and continue with the following steps.
4. Remove the screws of the built-in pump core:
Use an electric Phillips screwdriver to remove the four screws fixing the built-in pump core protective shell one by one.
5. Take out the built-in pump core:
After the screws are removed, the inner protective shell of the pump core becomes loose. After moving the protective shell away, the built-in pump core can be seen.
While pushing the built-in pump core to the left, press it down. At this time, you will see that the cover plate on the left is pushed up by the spring. Use your hand or tweezers to hold the left cover plate in place, and the left spring loses its squeezing elastic force on the pump core. The old built-in pump core can then be taken out.
6. Replace the built-in pump core:
Before reinstalling the built-in pump core, it is necessary to confirm that the new built-in pump functions properly.
First insert the right side of the new built-in pump core (the side with the opening) into the right spring. Use your hand or tweezers to hold the left cover plate in place. At this time, the new pump core can be placed between the two springs. Release the left cover plate, and the left spring restores its elastic supporting force and locks the new pump core in place.
7. Reinstall the built-in pump:
Following the reverse order of removing the built-in pump, reinstall the pump core inner protective shell and the panel one by one.
Note: When reinstalling the panel, be sure to organize the wire harness before covering the panel.
8. Check whether the built-in pump works normally:
There are mainly two inspection goals.
(1) The built-in pump functions normally — it can complete inflation and deflation.
(2) The built-in pump is completely sealed — after the mattress is fully inflated, it will not leak within 24 hours and still has support.
If there are no problems after inspection, the replacement of the built-in pump core is complete.
If you have any further questions, please contact support@novapads.com.