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.
Trying to talk my friend with early 20 MY and new 21 M3 w/heater to do a wheel swap and tell us the results.

The blue plug actually plugs in on the right side of the wheel (not sure why all the harness pictures have it flipped).
 

Attachments

  • 20210318_184743.jpg
    20210318_184743.jpg
    233.3 KB · Views: 192
  • Helpful
Reactions: Durzel
Trying to talk my friend with early 20 MY and new 21 M3 w/heater to do a wheel swap and tell us the results.

The blue plug actually plugs in on the right side of the wheel (not sure why all the harness pictures have it flipped).
That would be a pretty useful test!

I’d say it’s almost certain the wheel won’t heat when attached to the MY, but only because it won’t have the option enabled.

That blue plug appears to have a label that says “THERM” (thermal?) on it :)
 
I’d say it’s almost certain the wheel won’t heat when attached to the MY, but only because it won’t have the option enabled.

OR... the option is only not enabled because there's no heated wheel hardware.

So those are the two possibilities:
  1. When the vehicle has the heated wheel hardware, the software detects it and displays the UI
  2. The software displays the UI due to an arbitrary flag that someone had to set for the vehicle
Option #1 seems more plausible to me. Option #2 implies that someone could mistakenly set that flag on a vehicle without the hardware, which would cause the UI to be displayed but non-functional. Option #2 is also more work.

If we were betting a dollar, my bet would be that swapping wheels will work without any intervention by Tesla.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Phlier and Durzel
That would be a pretty useful test!

I’d say it’s almost certain the wheel won’t heat when attached to the MY, but only because it won’t have the option enabled.

That blue plug appears to have a label that says “THERM” (thermal?) on it :)
Given Tesla's stance on people installing their own garage door opener, I'd imagine it is locked in software to discourage us from electrocuting ourselves. That also assumes that the wiring in the column is compatible.

That wire plugs into my right scrollwheel.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Durzel
OR... the option is only not enabled because there's no heated wheel hardware.

So those are the two possibilities:
  1. When the vehicle has the heated wheel hardware, the software detects it and displays the UI
  2. The software displays the UI due to an arbitrary flag that someone had to set for the vehicle
Option #1 seems more plausible to me. Option #2 implies that someone could mistakenly set that flag on a vehicle without the hardware, which would cause the UI to be displayed but non-functional. Option #2 is also more work.

If we were betting a dollar, my bet would be that swapping wheels will work without any intervention by Tesla.
Apparently Gentherm is an automotive cable supplier. https://www.gentherm.com/en/solutions/automotive/electronics-cables
 

Attachments

  • 20210318_221235.jpg
    20210318_221235.jpg
    377.5 KB · Views: 186
Good point. That's a very good reason for it to actually be #2 above.
I’m convinced it’s a flag for the simple reason that SR+ cars are being delivered without the heating activated, and LR are. I would think they are both being shipped with the same wheel hardware at this point.

This would suggest to me that SR+ will get the option to pay to unlock it at some point, like rear heated seats.

Being able to unlock would mean Tesla, or a Tesla system, telling the car that it has that feature (after it has been purchased).

There may be some kind of communication between the steering wheel controller (in the wheel) and the car to advertise that it has the capability to, as a failsafe.
 
So could it be that it's just the harness that is needed for those with the newer steering wheel? Was that the reason for the delayed and random introduction, a shortage of this harness.

Always worth a reboot as well after any change, it activated those who installed the under car pedestrian warning speaker.
 
If you don't have the extra blue connector (i.e. heated wheel harness) then I would presume you don't have the heating element in the wheel, or the modified steering wheel controller either.

Sadly I think it is wishful thinking that people with LRs and Ps already delivered with the "new style" steering wheel are just waiting for Tesla to unlock it for them. MIC and latest Fremont M3s are arriving with the heated wheel already activated, and people are upgrading to the current version (2021.4.x) without losing heated wheel functionality.

That's just my opinion though, it is possible I guess there was a crossover point of parts. I would assume the steering wheel assembly is fitted to the car as a one-piece thing (i.e. embedded harness, controller, etc), rather than assembled in the factory.
 
Just disconnect the battery if you're worried. The wheel itself takes less than a minute to open.

The battery under the rear seat, correct? Then use something to stick in the little holes, and pop the bag off, correct? From there, unbolt the wheel, and then look for what? Noob here to this stuff.

What year and is yours? Im a 2021 December build, so hoping for the wheel at some point. My SA told me mine does not have the wheel though, so... kind of gave up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: blue3LR
The battery under the rear seat, correct? Then use something to stick in the little holes, and pop the bag off, correct? From there, unbolt the wheel, and then look for what? Noob here to this stuff.

What year and is yours? Im a 2021 December build, so hoping for the wheel at some point. My SA told me mine does not have the wheel though, so... kind of gave up.
I'm a 12/20 build (awd-lr)as well. You need to disconnect the 12 under the frunk, per Tesla model 3 guide. I used an Allen wrench to pop the airbag off. The spring wires are an inch or two in, you have to push them in and towards the windshield. I was pushing straight in and the bottom latch wasn't releasing.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20210320-173728_Drive.jpg
    Screenshot_20210320-173728_Drive.jpg
    189.6 KB · Views: 169