Model 3 Loses Power Steering? UI_a020

[Mr. Jones]

My 2018 dual motor model 3 updated to 2022.36.20 and immediately I have intermittent power steering loss. Indeed, it is so intermittent that sometimes I'll turn the car in and it doesn't have power steering. Then I jump out and jump back in and it's back. It did go out on the way to the service center. They won't check the car for a a week or so, but it's there now. $5,000 estimate for a steering harness is preliminary from them.

Anyone else lose power steering in their model 3 after this update? I know a ton of Model S/Xs got "recalled" over this same software update.

 

[CJtes]

Yes just happened to me while driving

 

[ParaAdBellum]

Was it not covered under warranty? Same thing happened to me today

 

[CJtes]

My car is a 2019 model with under 7000 miles. The warranty for this type of problem expired last year. They charged me $70 to inspect it. The mechanic was at first under the impression that this happened when I was first engaging car to depart. No. It happened while I was driving. Not fun. I have FSD but I dont use while its still in beta. Not even the autosteer. Especially not after this incident. If this happens to you dont try and take a turn. Drive it in a straight line and park it. I was told sometimes getting out of car, and locking it, will sometimes reset the steering.

 

[CJtes]

Was it not covered under warranty? Same thing happened to me today

No its a 2019 that I bought new. The warrenty ended last year. However it only has under 7000 miles. You can read my further elaboration post today

 

[gottagofast]

This sounds bad imagine if you were on a mountain road with cliffs going 50 mph, you think the update caused this or it was just a random failure? And 5,000 seems like a a lot to just fix power steering, that’s the most expensive repair I’ve heard of outside of the battery

If this was caused by an update it seems like it could be fixed with an update esp since you said it’s only intermittent

 

[BigNick]

A loss of power steering can leave the car nearly un-driveable for many at parking lot speeds, but steering effort reduces with road speed.

But having the steering assist cut out at an unexpected time in the middle of a turn is possibly the worst possible thing you could have happen, short of a catastrophic suspension/steering/brake failure at speed.

Unfortunately in a Tesla there's no fuse to pull to disable the power assist (which might sound like a dumb thing to do, but I'd rather drive a car that predictably requires some muscle to steer, rather than one where the assist might cut out in the middle of a turn.)