2021 heated steering wheel Discussion thread

[Ctuna]

Never had a car with a Heated steering wheel before and it's kinda nice but
how do you turn it off when you don't want or need it?
Also any way to turn off the Headlights when you are parked .
Dog mode is not the answer as that just exchanges the Lights off for
climate control on.

 

[JaeTheDev]

Never had a car with a Heated steering wheel before and it's kinda nice but
how do you turn it off when you don't want or need it?
Also any way to turn off the Headlights when you are parked .
Dog mode is not the answer as that just exchanges the Lights off for
climate control on.

Press the climate control to get to the climate menu. The steering wheel icon can be pressed to turn in off. Its located at the bottom in the middle of the screen.

Headlights can be turned off by going to the options menu > lights > headlights > off

Let me know if need visual aids. Gladly show if needed!

 

[Ctuna]

Got it thanks , I need to read the manual more but it's all kind of lot at once.

 

[SK360]

I came across this reddit post a few months ago

https://www.reddit.com/r/teslamotor..._kit_to_add_a_heated_steering_wheel_to_a_m3y/

where OP tied into the CANBus at the steering wheel to read the heated seat messages and ran some simple commands to power the heating element wire at some scale factor matching the heated seats. He had somewhat success with it (couldn't get it really hot), but seems overly complicated. Turning on the heated seats in the app would also turn on the heated element in the steering wheel.

I considered doing something similar by using a wireless LED driver instead like this Amazon.com and having it wirelessly control it, but I don't have the working space at home to actually sit there and wire it up.

I just got the PyjamaSam heated steering wheel retrofit controller installed with an OEM heated wheel into my 2019. I ended up swapping my stock rubber scroll wheels in as I have seen complaints about the metal ones getting warm/cold and being overall more slippery to operate. So far everything works amazingly well. I have it following the drivers seat heat levels but it's very easy to change it to follow something else. I've tested it with the rear middle seat heat level as well as the rear window lock button to enable the heated wheel. There will soon be firmware updates for the controller to allow fancier control methods.

Very happy with this setup.

 

[JaeTheDev]

I ended up swapping my stock rubber scroll wheels in as I have seen complaints about the metal ones getting warm/cold and being overall more slippery to operate.

Nice retrofit!
Ive never heard this above though. Ive had 5 Teslas now with metal scrolls vs 1 I had rubber, and never had this issue. That would be nasty though if I did! LOL

 

[SK360]

Nice retrofit!
Ive never heard this above though. Ive had 5 Teslas now with metal scrolls vs 1 I had rubber, and never had this issue. That would be nasty though if I did! LOL

Ah... I just saw these and decided to keep my rubbers... I still have the metal ones here, maybe one day I'll try em

Steering wheel scroll wheels get really hot?

Does anyone have experience the scrolling button on the steering wheel of Model 3 2021 gets very hot and also the back of the computer?

teslamotorsclub.com

Scroll wheel hot!

We live in South Florida, so our Model 3 black steering wheel is not surprisingly a challenge, which we will resolve with a steering wheel cover which handles the sun/heat with better color/materials. However, the BIG challenge is the scroll wheels on the steering wheel get hot enough in the...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[Guacahummus]

I just got the PyjamaSam heated steering wheel retrofit controller installed with an OEM heated wheel into my 2019. I ended up swapping my stock rubber scroll wheels in as I have seen complaints about the metal ones getting warm/cold and being overall more slippery to operate. So far everything works amazingly well. I have it following the drivers seat heat levels but it's very easy to change it to follow something else. I've tested it with the rear middle seat heat level as well as the rear window lock button to enable the heated wheel. There will soon be firmware updates for the controller to allow fancier control methods.

Very happy with this setup.

View attachment 929519

Where did u place the controller? I don't see in the pic.

Also how hard was the programming for it?

 

[SK360]

Where did u place the controller? I don't see in the pic.

Also how hard was the programming for it?

It's there, tucked under the left scroll wheel with the black and white wires coming out of it.

Really no programming... you copy and paste some values it tells you into the canserver config and hit save and everything just works.

 

[Durzel]

I keep meaning to do this, to justify having spent £975 () on a currently useless wheel.

I really want to splice the power into a proper source, as I believe you're pretty limited in terms of what set points you can set it to without it tripping an efuse in the car (due to unexpected power drain), but I don't have the balls or the skills to do this.

I'm also hoping I can convince Tesla to re-add the heated steering wheel control to my car (which doesn't work, of course) so I can have an OEM like experience, rather than having to tie it to another control.. but not holding out much hope of that.

 

[SK360]

I keep meaning to do this, to justify having spent £975 () on a currently useless wheel.

I really want to splice the power into a proper source, as I believe you're pretty limited in terms of what set points you can set it to without it tripping an efuse in the car (due to unexpected power drain), but I don't have the balls or the skills to do this.

I'm also hoping I can convince Tesla to re-add the heated steering wheel control to my car (which doesn't work, of course) so I can have an OEM like experience, rather than having to tie it to another control.. but not holding out much hope of that.

You can depin the steering wheel 12v from VCLeft and use a relay to pull power from a more solid 12v source. PyjamaSam sells a relay kit to do just that and you can crank the output to 100% and temps sky high without tripping any fuses. controller is still required in the wheel.

Someone with root access to their gateway enabled the heated wheel button and they were able to read the values via CANBus and trigger pyjamasam's controller board. The button won't work with stock wheel circuit though.

 

[Durzel]

You can depin the steering wheel 12v from VCLeft and use a relay to pull power from a more solid 12v source. PyjamaSam sells a relay kit to do just that and you can crank the output to 100% and temps sky high without tripping any fuses. controller is still required in the wheel.

Someone with root access to their gateway enabled the heated wheel button and they were able to read the values via CANBus and trigger pyjamasam's controller board. The button won't work with stock wheel circuit though.

Yup, I'm on that Discord - I'm guessing you are too

It's a level of modification that is beyond me, to be honest. Depinning, etc.. I just know I'd mess it up somehow.

I've just opened a service request to ask if Tesla will re-enable the UI element on my car. Expecting them to tell me no - though - since it would leave my car in a odd state. When I took it in they got the button to appear in the UI, and the app, but it didn't do anything, so they undid all their changes.

 

[SK360]

Yup, I'm on that Discord - I'm guessing you are too

It's a level of modification that is beyond me, to be honest. Depinning, etc.. I just know I'd mess it up somehow.

I've just opened a service request to ask if Tesla will re-enable the UI element on my car. Expecting them to tell me no - though - since it would leave my car in a odd state. When I took it in they got the button to appear in the UI, and the app, but it didn't do anything, so they undid all their changes.

I am

Yeah if we can figure out how to get Tesla to enable the UI button and it can be read on CANBus then we would have an easy path to controlling it. I saw your previous posts saying they were able to enable the wheel but it didn't show up in the UI, didn't realize you managed to get the UI button

 

[Durzel]

I might have misspoke. When I took my car in they spent 3 1/2 hours trying to get it working, and apparently ran a script that was available to them on it that was designed for 2021+ LR/P cars that had come over with the heated wheel unentitled.

At a guess this script modifies the gateway configuration to tell the car that it has a heated steering wheel, and that it was enabled (two distinct options, I believe). When this was done - so I was told - the UI element appeared in the car and the app, but pressing it did nothing. I don't know whether pressing it actually toggled it (the UI element) on and off, whether it did nothing at all visually when you pressed it, or whether it threw an error when you pressed it.

Either way they told me that pressing this UI element did not heat the wheel up and concluded what is known to be the case now - that later cars had an upgraded left body controller fitted. This controller has completely different connectors so isn't practically retrofittable.

Because they couldn't get the UI element to do anything, they reversed everything they did and redeployed the firmware. I was never given the option to keep the car in a broken state - to do something with at a later date - which makes me think they won't allow it now, but I want to get an explicit answer anyway. I'm even happy to pay, and sign something to accept that it doesn't work.

 

[SK360]

I might have misspoke. When I took my car in they spent 3 1/2 hours trying to get it working, and apparently ran a script that was available to them on it that was designed for 2021+ LR/P cars that had come over with the heated wheel unentitled.

At a guess this script modifies the gateway configuration to tell the car that it had a heated steering wheel, and that it was enabled (two distinct options, I believe). When this was done - so I was told - the UI element appeared in the car and the app, but pressing it did nothing. I don't know whether pressing it actually toggled it (the UI element) on and off, whether it did nothing at all visually when you pressed it, or whether it threw an error when you pressed it.

Either way they told me that pressing this UI element did not heat the wheel up and concluded what is known to be the case now - that later cars had an upgraded left body controller fitted. This controller has completely different connectors so isn't practically retrofittable.

Because they couldn't get the UI element to do anything, they reversed everything they did and redeployed the firmware. I was never given the option to keep the car in a broken state - to do something with at a later date - which makes me think they won't allow it now, but I want to get an explicit answer anyway. I'm even happy to pay, and sign something to accept that it doesn't work.

I have a tech friend as well as a service advisor friend at our local service center...

 

[Durzel]

I should add that if the guy on the Discord who rooted it is using the UI element, I would assume that it does actually come on.

I would be interested to know what the "Auto wheel heat" thing does for him, what CAN data he is seeing for different heat settings, given there would be no feedback from the wheel on a pre-2021 car. It may well be a "dumb" thing, like the seat heaters, where it's just telling you what level of heat it's trying to make "the thing".

 

[604_Dialect]

Just curious, I have a August-build 2021 Model 3 SR+, and I do not have the option to turn on the heated steering wheel. From reading this thread, I thought that 2021 model cars have it, but I don't? I do have heated rear seats, the new door trim, matrix lights and heat pump if that matters.

It looks like cars built around the same time as mine have the option, and according to tesla-info, if I enter my VIN, it says I have the heated wheel.

 

[JaeTheDev]

Just curious, I have a August-build 2021 Model 3 SR+, and I do not have the option to turn on the heated steering wheel. From reading this thread, I thought that 2021 model cars have it, but I don't? I do have heated rear seats, the new door trim, matrix lights and heat pump if that matters.

It looks like cars built around the same time as mine have the option, and according to tesla-info, if I enter my VIN, it says I have the heated wheel.

2021 M3SR+'s had matrix headlights? Are you sure? Id love to see a pic as thats a unicorn to my knowledge if so!
Did you look in your phone app under climate too?

 

[604_Dialect]

2021 M3SR+'s had matrix headlights? Are you sure? Id love to see a pic as thats a unicorn to my knowledge if so!
Did you look in your phone app under climate too?


View attachment 929634

I know multiple people with 2021's that have Matrix lights, maybe it's a Canadian thing. Heres my app, and the headlights.

 

[stopcrazypp]

2021 M3SR+'s had matrix headlights? Are you sure? Id love to see a pic as thats a unicorn to my knowledge if so!
Did you look in your phone app under climate too?


View attachment 929634

Where did you get it is unicorn? I have a 2021 SR+ that was built at end of 2020 and I have Matrix. From memory Tesla actually put in matrix fairly early on and then there was a batch of newer cars afterwards that they started putting in the older lights.

Edit: Matrix lights were introduced in the 2021 model year which started in October of 2020:

Tesla is upgrading Model 3 and Model Y headlights with more powerful and precise beam

Tesla announced to its staff that it is upgrading Model 3 and Model Y headlights with a design that will work in all regions.

electrek.co

In mid-2022 Tesla substituted in non-Matrix:

Tesla appears to have reverted to using non-matrix LED headlights in latest Model 3 builds [Update]

Buyers expecting to receive their new Tesla Model 3 in the coming days and weeks may want to check their headlights at delivery. According to recent reports, Tesla appears to have reverted to installing the […]

driveteslacanada.ca

 

[JaeTheDev]

Where did you get it is unicorn? I have a 2021 SR+ that was built at end of 2020 and I have Matrix. From memory Tesla actually put in matrix fairly early on and then there was a batch of newer cars afterwards that they started putting in the older lights.

Edit: Matrix lights were introduced in the 2021 model year which started in October of 2020:

Tesla is upgrading Model 3 and Model Y headlights with more powerful and precise beam

Tesla announced to its staff that it is upgrading Model 3 and Model Y headlights with a design that will work in all regions.

electrek.co

In mid-2022 Tesla substituted in non-Matrix:

Tesla appears to have reverted to using non-matrix LED headlights in latest Model 3 builds [Update]

Buyers expecting to receive their new Tesla Model 3 in the coming days and weeks may want to check their headlights at delivery. According to recent reports, Tesla appears to have reverted to installing the […]

driveteslacanada.ca

I must have crawled under a rock for a year. LOL! I had thought only some MYLR's got them here and there and 2021+ MYPs. I blame my ignorance on not paying too much attention to Model 3's after selling my 21 LR in mid 2021. My LR did not have matrix headlights.