Steering wheel heater??

[bbwex]

The manual for the MY says that it has seat heaters and a steering wheel heater. It is clear where the seat heaters are, but I cannot find anything in the manual that says anything else about a steering wheel heater or how to turn it on, etc. Anyone have a clue??

 

[coconutboy84]

You must be reading a model X manual.

 

[jcanoe]

There is a reference in the Model Y Owner's Manual, when preconditioning the Model Y using the Tesla app, to being able to turn on the seat heaters and the steering wheel heater. This is probably a cut and paste error from the Model S/X Owner's manual.

 

[bbwex]

That's a good possibility, as there is no other reference to it, and no hint where it might be turned on. Not a big problem, since my car is in a garage at night, but it would have been nice when I have to leave it outside during the winter if I am out. Oh well........

Thanks for the responses coconutboy84 and jcanoe.

 

[jcanoe]

One tip I read on this forum is to direct the air from the driver's side dash vent at the steering wheel. This may help warm up the steering wheel during preconditioning.

 

[TomServo]

so it's more efficient to use the cabin heat to heat the steering wheel? am guessing you need to preposition the drivers HVAC vents to blow HOT air at the steering wheel when you get out of the car?

 

[jcanoe]

so it's more efficient to use the cabin heat to heat the steering wheel? am guessing you need to preposition the drivers HVAC vents to blow HOT air at the steering wheel when you get out of the car?

No one said it was more efficient than having a heated steering wheel. Yes, you direct the airflow from the driver's side dash vent towards the steering wheel before you exit the Tesla Model 3 or Y vehicle. No need for hot air, just your normal preconditioning cabin temperature setting. Is it ideal? Of course not but it is better than nothing. I wear gloves in the winter when I drive. I have found that insulated gloves provide adequate protection from the cold unless the overnight temperature in my garage, inside my vehicles drops below 20F. At colder temperatures it is painful to hold the steering wheel for the first few minutes.

 

[Reeler]

I leave on my jacket when I get to my car. With a seat heater and steering wheel heater, I can drive with a much lower cabin temperature. My Model 3 has a resistive heater so keeping the cabin as warm as a ICE car doesn't make sense. Toasty hands go a long way toward keeping warm.