As nice as that feature is in the winter, it’s still not the same.
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Does/will the Model 3 have a heated steering wheel?
- Thread starter Brandon332
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swaltner
Active Member
Had it on the Leaf for the last 5 years and swore every vehicle from then on would have it. Kept telling folks that asked about my reservation that this may keep me from placing an order.
Over the years, I had talked myself into the $1,000 for the cold weather package from the Model S, then $5,000 for the Premium Upgrade Package. When it became clear that it wasn’t included on the 3 and I could place an order, I couldn’t talk myself into spending up to $12,500 ($5,000 for PUP plus up to $7,500 tax credit lost) on this ONE feature if I waited until it WAS available.
If Tesla adds this before the tax credit starts getting lowered (likely Jan 1, 2019), I’ll be a little upset at myself for my lack of patience. However, I made the decision to purchase with the best information available at the time and there will always be the NEXT Tesla that I purchase....
Over the years, I had talked myself into the $1,000 for the cold weather package from the Model S, then $5,000 for the Premium Upgrade Package. When it became clear that it wasn’t included on the 3 and I could place an order, I couldn’t talk myself into spending up to $12,500 ($5,000 for PUP plus up to $7,500 tax credit lost) on this ONE feature if I waited until it WAS available.
If Tesla adds this before the tax credit starts getting lowered (likely Jan 1, 2019), I’ll be a little upset at myself for my lack of patience. However, I made the decision to purchase with the best information available at the time and there will always be the NEXT Tesla that I purchase....
I really wanted heated steering wheel - but I figured I'd rather get a bigger battery so I could happily warm the entire car 
With the Leaf I had to use the heated wheel because I could afford to use the car heater without dramatically reducing range, so I'd be driving with a thick jacket and hat to keep warm. Or be melting in the summer with AC set to 82.
Not an issue now though, AC on 72 and still using less energy than the Leaf while driving 10-15 mph faster.
With the Leaf I had to use the heated wheel because I could afford to use the car heater without dramatically reducing range, so I'd be driving with a thick jacket and hat to keep warm. Or be melting in the summer with AC set to 82.
Not an issue now though, AC on 72 and still using less energy than the Leaf while driving 10-15 mph faster.
dhanson865
Well-Known Member
I really wanted heated steering wheel - but I figured I'd rather get a bigger battery so I could happily warm the entire car
With the Leaf I had to use the heated wheel because I could afford to use the car heater without dramatically reducing range, so I'd be driving with a thick jacket and hat to keep warm. Or be melting in the summer with AC set to 82.
Not an issue now though, AC on 72 and still using less energy than the Leaf while driving 10-15 mph faster.
melting in the summer? AC doesn't use enough power to avoid. I leave my leafs set at 60F year round. If it's 75+ my AC is running (on the lowest fan speed if need be but I don't avoid running AC).*
Best thing about a proper plug in hybrid or full EV is that AC is practically free. Sitting in a parking lot or drive through you have no reason to turn it off. You don't have a gas engine running at a minimum RPM that still wastes gas because it provides more power than the AC uses. It just barely sips from the HV pack.
* If you had your leaf set at a warmer temp the Leaf will mix heat and AC to reach the desired temp. Wastes a ton of power, On older leafs you have to manually install a heat off switch, newer leafs have it stock. But so long as the heat is forced off with the overide switch AC is practically free. Even if you don't have the switch just setting the leaf to 60F all the time will avoid most of that heat blending.
dhanson865
Well-Known Member
I think you misunderstand
AC in summer at 80 is because it’s 95-100 outside. Pretty sure the AC isn’t going to be mixing in heat at that point.
It does on the leaf if your set point is equal to the inside temperature of the car no matter how high or low the set point is. If you set the AC to 60F and it's 80F inside and 100F outside, fine no heat for you. If you set the AC for 78F and it's 78F in the car and 100F outside, bam the heater comes on to blend with the AC and hold it at 78F instead of accidentally letting it go below 78F. It'll actually kick on at low amounts for a 1 or 2 degree delta and kick on harder as the AC hits the set point and even harder if it hits below the set point.
Newer leafs have factory heat off switch that disables that behavior and older leafs can retrofit a similar aftermarket switch. But without that switch set to disable heat the Leaf will merrily turn on heat in the hottest summer days.
Stupid design but that is the Nissan Leaf for ya. The Nissan engineers were used to blending waste heat from the engine to keep the set temp moderated, no waste heat in the EV, well then we'll just turn on this handy resistant heater we put in the car...
If you still have a leaf you can confirm with the leafspy app and an ODBII dongle. Watch the heater come on during AC use.
On a 2011 or 2012 you have to buy an aftermarket mod such as Heater OFF switch on 1. gen. "plug &play" solution! - My Nissan Leaf Forum
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ccutrer
Active Member
Wow... have these guys never heard of duty cycles? This explains sooo much. I was wondering wtf it was turning on heat when I have it set to 72, and it’s 75 outside (I would turn off heat, and just let the fan blow).
dhanson865
Well-Known Member
Yeah it duty cycles as well but somebody wanted finer control apparently because the min power for the AC compressor was higher than the min power for the PTC heater. So if you disable the heater it'll cycle but the inside temp can vary drastically vs the set point.
My fix for that when it gets too cold set at 60F is to just lower the fan speed to 1, switch to bi-level vents (foot and dash), and/or manually cycle the AC using the AC button if needed.
I'm pretty sure that
A. The Tesla lineup of S, 3, X are all considerably larger than the Leaf meaning the min compressor level divided by cubic feet is a lower number keeping this situation from ever being an issue for Tesla
B. Even if it were, the higher sales price probably gives Tesla the leeway to fix it in a fashion that doesn't seem so utterly stupid.
Now if only Tesla would take a look at point B and apply it to the steering wheel I could stop talking about how the boneheaded Nissan Leaf has a feature the Model 3 doesn't have.
That explains a lot.
I did a whole bunch of miles (52K) in my Leaf, but SO glad to be rid of it.
Sounds like the new Leaf is just as stupid.
No more than two fast charges per trip, not really 200miles, more like 110.
Whats the point?
There are a lot of cars in the same price range as a 3 that at least offer a heated steering wheel and Tesla should too and make it part of the PUP or a winter package. I think the heated steering wheel is necessary on an EV and besides that it is just a nice touch.
Agreed - it is a no brainer on any car (someday it will be like heated seats, available on all cars pretty much), and more so on an EV, and even more so when the main user interface is a touchscreen. I'm hoping it ends up being available pretty soon. My performance (damn them for making that in reach lol) AWD 3 will be coming by October, so hopefully it isn't "one week later". My 2013 S does not have it, but at that point I had never driven a car with the option, so I didn't know what I was missing. My wife's last 2 cars had it, and that was definitely the only thing I liked better than what I had on the S...
I have one and I have all 5 heated seats, premium package... no heated steering wheel. I am waiting for this feature to become an option with my next purchase. I know that it's self-driving, but, you do have to put your hands on the wheel periodically and that feature doesn't work everywhere. I live on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington and, in some remote areas or rural areas where there are no markings on the road, it limits the self-drive. I would wear gloves, but, it's hard to use the touch screen with them on. A heated steering wheel would be a nice feature. I heat the cabin and heat the seats, but that doesn't always keep your hands warm when you are holding the steering wheel.
srs5694
Active Member
Both my current car (a Chevy Volt) and my previous one (a VW Golf Cheating Diesel) had heated steering wheels, so the lack of this option on the supposedly more upscale Tesla Model 3 that I ordered last week is a disappointment. There are gloves that supposedly enable one to use touchscreen devices, so I figured I'd go shopping for them. Maybe now's the time to do that, too; with winter ending, gloves are likely to be in the close-out bins....
srs5694
Active Member
SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
There are good, inexpensive choices. I rub my fingers together before I touch the screen --- it works *almost* as good as an un-gloved hand.
Our early 2017 MS has the cold weather package so have used the heated steering wheel on it. Nice. The heated side mirrors are nice too. I have found on my Model 3 LR AWD with premium package the side mirrors seem to be heated (assume warm air gets sent out to the back side of mirrors since I've seen the mirrors clear up shortly after getting in the car if I haven't done pre-conditioning. I will also add that the ventilation system on the Model 3 is very powerful and if you adjust the vent pattern to aim it towards the steer wheel and use pre-condition the next morning the steering wheel will feel pretty warm when you get in. I like a lot of air movement in my car and generally keep the fan set to 6 so sure that helps warm things up more quickly as well.
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