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Aftermarket yoke steering wheel in Model 3
- Thread starter BojangleGuy
- Start date
M1tch
2021 M3P with EAP
Also interested in peoples thoughts. And has anyone found a good aftermarket version where the buttons are illuminated and work and the heating function works too?
Every "reiew" of cars with it say its not good...I'd never want one.
CONSUMER REPORTS FINDINGS
According to a recent CR review:
Tesla swapped the tried-and-true round steering wheel for a flat-bottomed, rectangular yoke reminiscent of what pilots use to steer an airplane. A traditional circular steering wheel is no longer available on the Model S nor on the mechanically related Model X SUV, even as an option. And that’s not the only steering wheel change. Flat, touch-sensitive buttons on the yoke replaced the vehicle’s turn signal and windshield wiper stalks. Those buttons also are how drivers now flash their high-beams or honk the horn.
And that appears to the root of CR’s less-than-positive take on whether the yoke should remain a non-optional feature for Tesla due to touch-sensitive controls that can easily be inadvertently engaged at the worst possible moments and direct the driver’s attention away from the road.
In fact, 10 test drivers from CR reported that they noted repeated instances of the yoke while driving having, “…slipped out of their hands during a turn, every ache and pain from gripping the handles during a highway cruise, every time a tester’s hands didn’t fit on the yoke’s grips, every time we accidentally honked the horn while trying to make a turn, and every time we had to look down to see which turn signal was which….”
The test drivers expressed some shared confusion over why in spite of some really good moves Tesla has made such as leading the move toward providing software updates easily and directly to vehicles, that Tesla (or Musk to be specific) saw it necessary to depart from the traditional steering wheel design that is, “so essential, ubiquitous, and universally understood, that to change it for the sake of changing it seems both foolish and foolhardy…” for purely cosmetic reasons so as not to “be boring.”
ONE PRO AND SEVERAL CONS TOWARD THE YOKE
But it’s not all bad news. The test drivers did point out at least one benefit that is a pro to the yoke:
“The yoke gives a panoramic view of the Model S’ wide gauge cluster (the screen or gauges that traditionally sit behind the steering wheel) but its bottom right corner blocks a portion of the center control panel, which is also the location of the one button that displays the all-important vehicle controls menu.”
However, in spite of this one benefit to the yoke, the drivers found that the following cons did not make them fans of a flat-bottomed, rectangular style steering wheel.
Trouble Making Turns---Backing out of driveways, making a sharp turn into parking lots, and similar maneuvers turned out to be problematic when it came to managing a good grip---especially for hands that are relatively small for such a large yoke body.
Hard to Hold On To---The drivers complained that the yoke “forces” a driver to hold unnaturally tight on the yoke’s body resulting in fatigue and pain---even after a few minutes of driving. Plus, during turns at higher speeds, there is noted difficulty in “catching a grip” should the yoke slip from a driver’s fingers. But even more annoying was complaint that, “…the odd-shaped yoke requires the driver to exert various different degrees of push and pull forces, which can cause the car to lurch instead of steering smoothly.”
Missed Signals---Making a distinction between the correct button to press while the yoke is not at a purely horizontal level can lead to confusion, having to look away from the road to the yoke, and having differing pressure sensitivities for different functions, all added to awkward and possibly hazardous driving. According to CR, some drivers admitted to skipping the use of turn signals just to avoid the hassle of pushing the right button the correct way.
“The lack of a turn signal stalk actually bothers me even more than the steering wheel,” stated one of the test drivers.
Similar to this were also complaints of button fumbling that led to unintentional high-beam, windshield wiper, and embarrassing horn engagement.
High-Speed Driving---While the yoke is well suited for high speed racing on a track with anticipated curves, driving at higher speeds on an actual common roadway where debris, stopped vehicles or other obstacles need to be maneuvered around quickly and precisely, led to the message that the yoke fails markedly in this consideration.
watch
CONSUMER REPORTS FINDINGS
According to a recent CR review:
Tesla swapped the tried-and-true round steering wheel for a flat-bottomed, rectangular yoke reminiscent of what pilots use to steer an airplane. A traditional circular steering wheel is no longer available on the Model S nor on the mechanically related Model X SUV, even as an option. And that’s not the only steering wheel change. Flat, touch-sensitive buttons on the yoke replaced the vehicle’s turn signal and windshield wiper stalks. Those buttons also are how drivers now flash their high-beams or honk the horn.
And that appears to the root of CR’s less-than-positive take on whether the yoke should remain a non-optional feature for Tesla due to touch-sensitive controls that can easily be inadvertently engaged at the worst possible moments and direct the driver’s attention away from the road.
In fact, 10 test drivers from CR reported that they noted repeated instances of the yoke while driving having, “…slipped out of their hands during a turn, every ache and pain from gripping the handles during a highway cruise, every time a tester’s hands didn’t fit on the yoke’s grips, every time we accidentally honked the horn while trying to make a turn, and every time we had to look down to see which turn signal was which….”
The test drivers expressed some shared confusion over why in spite of some really good moves Tesla has made such as leading the move toward providing software updates easily and directly to vehicles, that Tesla (or Musk to be specific) saw it necessary to depart from the traditional steering wheel design that is, “so essential, ubiquitous, and universally understood, that to change it for the sake of changing it seems both foolish and foolhardy…” for purely cosmetic reasons so as not to “be boring.”
ONE PRO AND SEVERAL CONS TOWARD THE YOKE
But it’s not all bad news. The test drivers did point out at least one benefit that is a pro to the yoke:
“The yoke gives a panoramic view of the Model S’ wide gauge cluster (the screen or gauges that traditionally sit behind the steering wheel) but its bottom right corner blocks a portion of the center control panel, which is also the location of the one button that displays the all-important vehicle controls menu.”
However, in spite of this one benefit to the yoke, the drivers found that the following cons did not make them fans of a flat-bottomed, rectangular style steering wheel.
Trouble Making Turns---Backing out of driveways, making a sharp turn into parking lots, and similar maneuvers turned out to be problematic when it came to managing a good grip---especially for hands that are relatively small for such a large yoke body.
Hard to Hold On To---The drivers complained that the yoke “forces” a driver to hold unnaturally tight on the yoke’s body resulting in fatigue and pain---even after a few minutes of driving. Plus, during turns at higher speeds, there is noted difficulty in “catching a grip” should the yoke slip from a driver’s fingers. But even more annoying was complaint that, “…the odd-shaped yoke requires the driver to exert various different degrees of push and pull forces, which can cause the car to lurch instead of steering smoothly.”
Missed Signals---Making a distinction between the correct button to press while the yoke is not at a purely horizontal level can lead to confusion, having to look away from the road to the yoke, and having differing pressure sensitivities for different functions, all added to awkward and possibly hazardous driving. According to CR, some drivers admitted to skipping the use of turn signals just to avoid the hassle of pushing the right button the correct way.
“The lack of a turn signal stalk actually bothers me even more than the steering wheel,” stated one of the test drivers.
Similar to this were also complaints of button fumbling that led to unintentional high-beam, windshield wiper, and embarrassing horn engagement.
High-Speed Driving---While the yoke is well suited for high speed racing on a track with anticipated curves, driving at higher speeds on an actual common roadway where debris, stopped vehicles or other obstacles need to be maneuvered around quickly and precisely, led to the message that the yoke fails markedly in this consideration.
watch
No one cares what CR has to say.
The Yoke is amazing.
Wish the 3/Y came with it.
I drove my friends S with it and it was super easy to use right way. Turning is easy and it just feels more proper to grasp in your hands.
Truly feels like a spaceship with it.
The turn signals were also not hard to adjust to using in my short drive.
If you can't use the yoke then you have personal issues lol
Makes sense. Will get one and hopefully won't regret it. I was eyeing a yoke from a company based here in California. I want fast shipping and thinking of getting one from them.
I’m
you don’t remember seeing a part number on the connector? Unfortunately the steering wheel I ordered does not come with the connector and I am having a hard time finding any information on this. And I don’t want to cut the one off my OEM steering wheel
jebinc
Well-Known Member
I no longer have pictures from this installation. Best of luck sourcing the harness. Maybe Homie can just send you one for cheap?
You can take a look through this thread I moved your post into, lots of feedback in this one. If this doesnt work, you can search the TMC model 3 subforum for "yoke" and there are a few other threads as well, however this is the biggest one.
SpriteM3
Member
I didn't install a yoke but I did install an aftermarket carbon fiber wheel. It was easy, took about 20 minutes.
As far as the yoke goes, maybe I'm getting old but I'll never understand. It's not intuitive and awkward. I personally would never install it into my 3 and if I ever purchase an S some day I'm almost sure sometime down the line Tesla will switch it back to a regular wheel and everyone will say "huh.. that yoke was a bad idea."
I agree it is awkward. It looks pretty “futuristic” which was really my motivation for thinking about it, but I agree it may not be the best from a conventional standpoint.
For those who are doing research on the safety of this, I thought this article had some good insights, from a consultant for the National Safety Council.
In short, the main issues this individual called out was muscle memory - not airbag deployment.
slate.com
I personally plan on doing this mod.... AFTER I get my wife's outdoor shed. (Gotta do this with precision and thought, to minimize questions LOL)
In short, the main issues this individual called out was muscle memory - not airbag deployment.
Why Tesla’s New “Yoke” Steering Wheel Could Be a Safety Problem
The learning curve on this thing will be sharp.
I personally plan on doing this mod.... AFTER I get my wife's outdoor shed. (Gotta do this with precision and thought, to minimize questions LOL)
JimShaw
Member
I have a M3 and installed a yoke myself and love it. Feels like I'm driving a go-cart
Was it hard install myself? I was nervous and watched a ton of YouTube videos of owners that did it them self. So, I gave it a try and discovered it was pretty easy. But I purchased a yoke that had all the parts already installed on the yoke. I didn't have to transfer anything from the wheel to the yoke.
If you go back and to post #393, I have a couple pictures right after installation.
Last edited:
puckpurnell
Member
I have a 3 and a refreshed S. I can't tell you how happy I am every time I get back in the 3 and have a real steering wheel and stalks.
I would dump the yoke in a second if I there was a factory supported solution for getting the stalks back. The yoke is bad enough but the loss of the stalks drives me crazy every day. Imagine if you had to go to the main screen every time you wanted to change from forward, park or reverse. Now slide your finger down or up, far enough each time in just the right spot to engage the gears. Now compare that to a quick tap on the stalk up or down to change gears.
How about taking away the horn from the center of the wheel. Depending on when your S was built, their is no option via software to enable pressing in the middle to activate the horn. Capacitive buttons suck with normal gloves on as well. The list of idiotic decisions with the yoke and its implementation are long.
The yoke just sucks a lot of the enjoyment out of the car unless you are driving on freeways. The vast majority of the time I'd rather drive the 3 rather than the S because of the yoke. I am about to the point of just going with an aftermarket solution to get a wheel back and live with the lack of stalks. Try making a tight 3 point turn with yoke and no easy way to change gears and pretty quickly you'll realize this is one use case where it fails miserably.
At least if you go with a yoke on the 3, you keep the stalks so it isn't as much of a cluster.
I would dump the yoke in a second if I there was a factory supported solution for getting the stalks back. The yoke is bad enough but the loss of the stalks drives me crazy every day. Imagine if you had to go to the main screen every time you wanted to change from forward, park or reverse. Now slide your finger down or up, far enough each time in just the right spot to engage the gears. Now compare that to a quick tap on the stalk up or down to change gears.
How about taking away the horn from the center of the wheel. Depending on when your S was built, their is no option via software to enable pressing in the middle to activate the horn. Capacitive buttons suck with normal gloves on as well. The list of idiotic decisions with the yoke and its implementation are long.
The yoke just sucks a lot of the enjoyment out of the car unless you are driving on freeways. The vast majority of the time I'd rather drive the 3 rather than the S because of the yoke. I am about to the point of just going with an aftermarket solution to get a wheel back and live with the lack of stalks. Try making a tight 3 point turn with yoke and no easy way to change gears and pretty quickly you'll realize this is one use case where it fails miserably.
At least if you go with a yoke on the 3, you keep the stalks so it isn't as much of a cluster.
Hey all, been doing some work on my model 3.
I have added interior lights, Tesla emblem lights on the doors and created 2 videos on how to install a yoke and center console cluster. I’m new to doing work on cars but love working on computers. Please tell me what you think.
I have added interior lights, Tesla emblem lights on the doors and created 2 videos on how to install a yoke and center console cluster. I’m new to doing work on cars but love working on computers. Please tell me what you think.
EVRider-FL
Active Member
Didn't watch the video, but what kind of yoke did you install? Most people who swap out the steering wheel are doing it to replace their S/X yoke with a "normal" wheel.
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