Heated Steering Wheel? Indicated by Metallic Scroll Wheels?

[dashrb]

Hello all,

I thought I heard that the Model 3 was getting a heated steering wheel. Has this happened yet? Does anyone have one?

I understand the scroll wheels on the steering wheel have changed from black rubber to silver metal. Does this correspond with the presence of a heated steering wheel?

In other words, are both of these statements true?:

1. If you have a heated steering wheel, then you have metal scroll wheels
2. If you have metal scroll wheels, then you have a heated steering wheel

If you have evidence in support, or contradictory to, these statements, please let me know!

(My real motivation: I'm buying a Model Y and trying to informally determine whether the presence of the metal scroll wheels will imply a future heated steering wheel capability, which is as of today unannounced but seems logical to me. After all, why would they modify the steering wheel to have metal scroll wheels on it, only to subsequently update the steering wheel again, to incorporate a heating element? Seems like they would want to make only one hardware change for inventory purposes, and it also seems like they would want a quick method to visually identify the heating capability, for the benefit of sales, service, and customers alike.)

Thanks for your insights!

-rb

 

[glide]

No one knows. Anyone who tells you they do is lying.

Someone with one of the new steering wheels would need to open it up and see if a heating element is present. Or wait for confirmation from Tesla.

 

[dashrb]

So although they announced it for the model 3, it's not enabled (or maybe not even produced) yet?

 

[glide]

So although they announced it for the model 3, it's not enabled (or maybe not even produced) yet?

They did not announce it for the Model 3.

If you have a link from Tesla stating otherwise I’m sure everyone would be happy to see it.

 

[JulienW]

So although they announced it for the model 3....

WHAT, please provide a link where Tesla announced this.

 

[dashrb]

Still RUMINT quality, apparently. GreenTheOnly sees the software code that supports it in the 3, and there's an owner who says that a Tesla rep confirmed it but that's not an official corporate announcement. Sorry. Seems like good intel, but it's unconfirmed as of yet.

Tesla Model 3 heated steering wheel allegedly confirmed by Switzerland branch

It would seem that the forthcoming "holiday" update will enable it. My bet is that the metal scroll wheels will be the visual indication that your vehicle has the heating element inside. This is total speculation!

 

[dmurphy]

I have no insight either way but what I can say is this ...

The Model 3's heat is so efficient that I really don't miss my heated wheel at all. Had one in both of my prior Caddys and thought it'd be a major issue with the 3... it's not.

When using scheduled charging especially - the cabin warms up so well that all the materials are warm, too. I have a hard time explaining that so bear with me ... but in my prior ICE cars even though the heat was on, I felt all the touch materials in the car were still cold-soaked. I don't get that in my 3; I feel like for whatever reason, the heat's so good and efficient that even the steering wheel, armrests, seats, etc warm up nicely ...

Just saying that even if the heated wheel doesn't materialize, I've found the 3 to be the most comfortable winter car I've ever driven, even without it. Like sitting in my living room!

 

[glide]

Still RUMINT quality, apparently. GreenTheOnly sees the software code that supports it in the 3, and there's an owner who says that a Tesla rep confirmed it but that's not an official corporate announcement. Sorry. Seems like good intel, but it's unconfirmed as of yet.

Tesla Model 3 heated steering wheel allegedly confirmed by Switzerland branch

It would seem that the forthcoming "holiday" update will enable it. My bet is that the metal scroll wheels will be the visual indication that your vehicle has the heating element inside. This is total speculation!

There are plenty of threads on this rumor already. It is pure speculation.

So we started off with “it has been announced by Tesla” and now we’re at “some guy on the internet said...”

 

[Schwarma]

On my new MY, I said "turn on the heated steering wheel" and it didn't say "command not supported" so I'm hoping it's a sw update. We will have to wait and see what Elon was talking about.

 

[Discoducky]

We are picking up a new 3 Tuesday which was built on 12/4 and a heated steering wheel would be so nice.

 

[jeffbco]

After all, why would they modify the steering wheel to have metal scroll wheels on it, only to subsequently update the steering wheel again, to incorporate a heating element? Seems like they would want to make only one hardware change for inventory purposes

The scroll wheels are not an integral part of the steering wheel - they are a completely separate module so I wouldn't make any assumptions trying to correlate scroll wheel to heating element in the steering wheel itself. "Some One" is always getting quoted - he gets around.

 

[JulienW]

On my new MY, I said "turn on the heated steering wheel" and it didn't say "command not supported" so I'm hoping it's a sw update. We will have to wait and see what Elon was talking about.

Dec, 2019.

 

[AllanO]

I have a hard time explaining that so bear with me ... but in my prior ICE cars even though the heat was on, I felt all the touch materials in the car were still cold-soaked. I don't get that in my 3; I feel like for whatever reason, the heat's so good and efficient that even the steering wheel, armrests, seats, etc warm up nicely ...

Well, at least for the steering wheel, I think there is an explanation: It is because you don't have instruments in front of you. Where any other car would have instruments, the 3 has air vents. So the steering wheel is probably seeing a stream of hot air coming directly from the vents, instead of having to get indirect heat from the cabin air.

 

[dmurphy]

Dec, 2019.

There is a heater in the S & X, so I wouldn’t take that as a sign of anything except “oops we forgot to disable the command on the 3/Y”

That said, great music choice.

 

[Blackbart]

I have no insight either way but what I can say is this ...

The Model 3's heat is so efficient that I really don't miss my heated wheel at all. Had one in both of my prior Caddys and thought it'd be a major issue with the 3... it's not.

When using scheduled charging especially - the cabin warms up so well that all the materials are warm, too. I have a hard time explaining that so bear with me ... but in my prior ICE cars even though the heat was on, I felt all the touch materials in the car were still cold-soaked. I don't get that in my 3; I feel like for whatever reason, the heat's so good and efficient that even the steering wheel, armrests, seats, etc warm up nicely ...

Just saying that even if the heated wheel doesn't materialize, I've found the 3 to be the most comfortable winter car I've ever driven, even without it. Like sitting in my living room!

My wife has a condition where her hands are insanely sensitive to cold and felt that she could not have a car without a heated steering wheel. She bought a 3 all the same and has experienced exactly what you describe. I’m sure she’d use a heated steering wheel if it appeared in her car as an option tomorrow - but she has no problem without it.

 

[JulienW]

My wife has a condition where her hands are insanely sensitive to cold and felt that she could not have a car without a heated steering wheel....

Raynaud's condition and VERY common with about 10% having and most not knowing. I have it some too and makes running in the winter tough, even in GA. I probably have 10 different glove types for running in every temp and weather variation. Nothing like finishing a cold run and having a heated steering wheel to grab. I do miss that.

Raynaud’s Disease and Raynaud’s Syndrome

 

[jjrandorin]

So although they announced it for the model 3, it's not enabled (or maybe not even produced) yet?

Do you have another place where the "they announced it" and the "they" is tesla? This rumor has been around for a while, and I read the teslarati article you linked which still just has greentheonly saying "its in the code".. which could mean its coming, or could mean they forgot to take it out of the code.

That "tesla switzerland rep said...".... you have been a member here since 2012, so likely know better than most to take whatever some line level tesla employee says with a huge grain of salt.

You could be right, but no one knows if there will be a heated steering wheel in a model 3 (possible) or if so, what denotes whether a model has one or not. Still, as a few have mentioned, the ability to pre heat the car makes this not as necessary as some other vehicles so its much ado about nothing to me.

 

[6spdcoupe]

We need someone to open up their steering wheel to see if it comes with the heating mechanism. People do crazy stuff for internet points and this would be a huge thing for our community. For me, that would be "official confirmation". Not this "I heard from this person" hearsay crap.

 

[KenC]

I got my heated steering wheel:

$25 at Amazon. Not pretty, but it's Winter!

 

[dgb62]

I just ordered a M3LR. My sales guy said there is no heated SW in the 3 or Y. He said "if you want a heated SW it's a $30K upgrade to the S or X". It would be great if he was wrong cuz I live in NE and it's freaking cold. Although gloves are cheap...