Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

2021 heated steering wheel Discussion thread

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
View attachment 636837

there was also a tear down on the Model Y on YT done by a friend of the poster. They didn’t see anything new either, and claimed it was the “new wheel”. It was the old style steering wheel. Note the seems on the wheel in the screen shot, as the steering wheel that’s heated is seamless.
I don't know if that shot was of the wheel or just a stock photo for illustration. The claim in the video was the person had a wheel with metal scroll wheels. It's not that clear, but if this is evidence that there is a "2021" wheel with metal scroll wheels but still with the seams, why wouldn't it be possible there is a 4th revision where the heating elements were added?

I tried to google to find if the early metal scroll wheel steering wheels had the seam still, but wasn't that successful.

I’ll lose hope when the off the line vehicles are running a public firmware, the same as I am, and I don’t have the feature. Until then, we all shall see!
 
  • Like
Reactions: JaeTheDev
I don't know if that shot was of the wheel or just a stock photo for illustration. The claim in the video was the person had a wheel with metal scroll wheels. It's not that clear, but if this is evidence that there is a "2021" wheel with metal scroll wheels but still with the seams, why wouldn't it be possible there is a 4th revision where the heating elements were added?

I tried to google to find if the early metal scroll wheel steering wheels had the seam still, but wasn't that successful.

The seam being the tell all would make sense, I guess. Seem-less and an element for heat makes sense? Could be onto something here! Haha.

I’m not positive, but my screenshot looks like metal scrolls, doesn’t it? They are pretty gray...
 
The seam being the tell all would make sense, I guess. Seem-less and an element for heat makes sense? Could be onto something here! Haha.

I’m not positive, but my screenshot looks like metal scrolls, doesn’t it? They are pretty gray...
I'm not quite saying that. I'm saying if this is evidence of three versions:
1) 2020 model with rubber scroll wheel and seam
2) 2021 model with metal scroll wheel and seam
3) 2021 model with metal scroll wheel and no seam

Then it isn't a stretch there may be a 4th version:
4) 2021 model with metal scroll wheel and no seam with heating element added
 
Last edited:
I'm not quite saying that. I'm saying if this is evidence of three versions:
1) 2020 model with rubber scroll wheel and seam
2) 2021 model with metal scroll wheel and no seam
3) 2021 model with metal scroll wheel and no seam

Then it isn't a stretch there may be a 4th version:
4) 2021 model with metal scroll wheel and no seam with heating element added

Nothing is a stretch.... with Tesla! Haha!
 
  • Funny
Reactions: TBrownTX
NP Jae.
I'm actually wanting the newer code... The current autopilot is getting really frustrating (I purchased FSD).
Here are a couple of my issues: phantom braking (I *think* it's only on merging lanes?). Some (not-so-smooth) freeway turns (gets annoying as AP self corrects). AP wants to go into a faster lane (but I can see a car approaching FAST in that lane).
Still loving the car though!
 
If it is a software lock, it’s definitely not 2021.4.3 that unlocks it. It would have been reported by now I’d assume. Not looking good for us though, ugh.

I don't know. My friend with the MY with heated wheel was on ancient firmware. He got 2021.4.3 and I didn't see all the MY with 2021.4.3 getting heated wheel. I'm pessimistic Tesla has a sleeper heated wheel in every 2021 MY/M3.
 
NP Jae.
I'm actually wanting the newer code... The current autopilot is getting really frustrating (I purchased FSD).
Here are a couple of my issues: phantom braking (I *think* it's only on merging lanes?). Some (not-so-smooth) freeway turns (gets annoying as AP self corrects). AP wants to go into a faster lane (but I can see a car approaching FAST in that lane).
Still loving the car though!

You are derailing your own thread!! ;-)
That is very normal for the FSD package as it exists, and does not change with the latest release (or any release - it can't 'see' far enough). Sorry to hear you bought into the FSD myth. With FSD you get what you get and you don't get upset ;-)
 
You might be talking about for warming the battery, if you are trying to get to a supercharger to take full charge rates or something. If there is a 30 minute recommendation for warming the cabin, I havent seen one (doesnt mean it doesnt exist), but my experience with my own car says there is no way it would take anywhere near 30 minutes to change the cabin temperature to an acceptable level.

In my case its cooling rather than warming, usually, but in the summer my car can be > 140 degrees and it takes about 7-10 minutes of pre conditioning to get to around 70 degrees. There is no chance that it would take 30 minutes to change the cabin temperature of a model 3 to 70 degrees, even if its freezing outside.

cabin temperature does not equal steering wheel temperature. It takes longer to heat the metallic core of the steering wheel than the air

see Latent heat - Wikipedia or Thermal mass - Wikipedia or Heat capacity - Wikipedia

and try to stay on topic. The topic is how long you would have to heat the cabin with a heat pump to raise the temperature of a steering wheel to a comfortable level, not how long you would have to preheat the cabin to have the air feel warm.

Here is another science concept to consider Thermal conductivity - Wikipedia. I assume you know that if you stick your hand in a 400F oven without touching the rack or the sides of the oven your won't get burnt by the air but if you touch the 400F rack or sides of the oven for even an instant you will get burned.

Solid objects like a steering wheel conduct heat to/from your skin quicker than the air does. That's why we want the steering wheel to be body temperature or higher. But we don't want the air body temperature or higher.

If it's 30F outside I want the air in my car to be in the 60-70F range so I don't have to take my coat off, but I want the steering wheel in the 90-110F range to keep my hands warm. I won't be turning the heat pump up to max to get the steering wheel that warm.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: jsmay311 and alexGS
cabin temperature does note equal steering wheel temperature. It takes longer to heat the metallic core of the steering wheel than the air

see Latent heat - Wikipedia or Thermal mass - Wikipedia or Heat capacity - Wikipedia

and try to stay on topic. The topic is how long you would have to heat the cabin with a heat pump to raise the temperature of a steering wheel to a comfortable level, not how long you would have to preheat the cabin to have the air feel warm.

Here is another science concept to consider Thermal conductivity - Wikipedia. I assume you know that if you stick your hand in a 400F oven without touching the rack or the sides of the oven your won't get burnt by the air but if you touch the 400F rack or sides of the oven for even an instant you will get burned.

That's because solid objects like a steering wheel conduct heat to/from your skin quicker than the air does. That's why we want the steering wheel to be body temperature or higher. But we don't want the air body temperature or higher.

If it's 30F outside I want the air in my car to be in the 60-70F range so I don't have to take my coat off, but I want the steering wheel in the 90-110F range to keep my hands warm. I won't be turning the heat pump up to max to get the steering wheel that warm.

I can tell your head never stops spinning. Your comment as well as your signature. WOAH! LOL
 
cabin temperature does not equal steering wheel temperature. It takes longer to heat the metallic core of the steering wheel than the air

If it's 30F outside I want the air in my car to be in the 60-70F range so I don't have to take my coat off, but I want the steering wheel in the 90-110F range to keep my hands warm. I won't be turning the heat pump up to max to get the steering wheel that warm.

Do you use a mouse on a pc/laptop? How warm is your house/office? How can you possibly keep you pinkies warm unless the mouse is 110F?

Putting this another way, I can't stand breathing cold air in my car - so I preheat, long and often - so my car 'feels' warm and no surfaces are sapping that heat away. Then I get in the car and the heat goes to my profile setting (a few degrees less than the preheat, and seats off) then heat is radiated from the surfaces around (plus air heat).

Put another way, I take my coat off (and often shoes) when I drive more then a few minutes. Why not be comfortable?

I do want a heated steering wheel, however.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JaeTheDev
Do you use a mouse on a pc/laptop? How warm is your house/office? How can you possibly keep you pinkies warm unless the mouse is 110F?

Putting this another way, I can't stand breathing cold air in my car - so I preheat, long and often - so my car 'feels' warm and no surfaces are sapping that heat away. Then I get in the car and the heat goes to my profile setting (a few degrees less than the preheat, and seats off) then heat is radiated from the surfaces around (plus air heat).

Put another way, I take my coat off (and often shoes) when I drive more then a few minutes. Why not be comfortable?

I do want a heated steering wheel, however.

I don't leave my computer mouse laying outside in the parking lot at work 8 hours at a time. If it's at room temperature it isn't warming my hand but it isn't robbing a ton of heat from my hand either. A steering wheel that got down to 30F is going to be well below the temperature of my computer mouse even if I turn the heat pump on in my car for any reasonable amount of time. I'm not going to run the heat pump long enough to rob me of driving range just to warm the steering wheel, but I'll happily turn on a heated steering wheel.

As to the coat issue, when it's cold and windy out I don't want to get out of the car and stand in the cold to put my coat on. Maybe you are short or maybe your coat is but I don't find it easy to take off or put on a full length winter coat while sitting in my drivers seat. Even my medium coat or light jacket is hard to put on or take off while sitting behind the wheel. Forgive me for having long arms/being tall and having hands that can get cold easily.