Pre-heat seats & steering wheel !

[ElectricTundra]

It's been a couple of years since I've seen any discussion on this. It's that time of year when I'm thankful for being able to so easily pre-heat my car but the frozen hard seats could use a bit of love. I'd really like to see the ability to pre-heat the seats and steering from the app. It doesn't seem like this should be too hard to do.

 

[calisnow]

Yes yes yes yes yesss please Elon. Hello from Wisconsin where winter is just getting started!

 

[Leopold Stotch]

On behalf of Canada. Um. Yes!

 

[rypalmer]

Dear Santa/Elon,

This is what I want for Christmas! That and the option of heated floor mats for my next Tesla.

Best,
Ryan

 

[mkspeedr]

Yes, it would be nice. My F150 does it - it is nice on those cold 50 degree mornings.

 

[Kuhz]

it is nice on those cold 50 degree mornings.

Pfft 50*...

 

[thefortunes]

Yes, it would be nice. My F150 does it - it is nice on those cold 50 degree mornings.

Lol. We still take the Roadster top off at that temp

 

[jjh1234]

Pfft 50*...

Yeah, really. 50 degrees is barely jacket weather. Californians are soft. lol

 

[mkspeedr]

Yeah, really. 50 degrees is barely jacket weather. Californians are soft. lol

I am not sure if 50 degrees makes you soft or smart. Motorcycles do not work well in snow.

 

[ElectricTundra]

I am not sure if 50 degrees makes you soft or smart. Motorcycles do not work well in snow.

Please don't tell that to my bike. It thinks it does.

(Photo not me, but it looks like me. Or, how I'd like to look).

 

[ev-now]

Please don't tell that to my bike. It thinks it does.

(Photo not me, but it looks like me. Or, how I'd like to look).

You ride spiked?

 

[SuisseDriver]

It's been a couple of years since I've seen any discussion on this. It's that time of year when I'm thankful for being able to so easily pre-heat my car but the frozen hard seats could use a bit of love. I'd really like to see the ability to pre-heat the seats and steering from the app. It doesn't seem like this should be too hard to do.

Sometimes, people have really strange request. I mean, heating seats or steering wheel take literally seconds. I think you cannot even count until 30s to feel the seats and the steering wheel getting very warm.
Why on earth would people need to pre-heat like half an hour before???

And why not a function that could put it to drive in advance so you do not lose time switching gear?
Honestly, super weird request...

 

[Lon12]

Point is that if you had that capability you wouldn't have to warm up the car for half an hour. Also below -25C half an hour of cabin heating does not soften up the seat enough. Still hard and cold.

My Leaf does this and it's fantastic!
Throw in rear window defrost and wheel well ice shedding (fender snirt?) please while we are at it. Thanks!

 

[SuisseDriver]

Point is that if you had that capability you wouldn't have to warm up the car for half an hour. Also below -25C half an hour of cabin heating does not soften up the seat enough. Still hard and cold.

My Leaf does this and it's fantastic!
Throw in rear window defrost and wheel well ice shedding please while we are at it. Thanks!

Windows defrost, yes, I see definitely a value. But sorry, warming seats take seconds, not half an hour.

 

[ElectricTundra]

Agree with window defrost, though there are very limited times when I'd need it done before I get in the car. I wonder though if there is snow on the windshield if the melting would create a problematic ice dam?

So, I tried this. I pre-warmed my car to 78°f / 25°c for 50 minutes. It's not even that cold out, about 18°f / -9°c. The cabin was comfy. The seats were much better than after 15-20 minutes of cabin warm-up but were still stiff and cold. I'd guess 3-5 minutes of sitting in them and driving before they were warmed up. HOWEVER, sitting on them initially was still quite unpleasant.

I prefer to pre-heat the cabin for only about 5-15 minutes. I don't need it toasty, and given all the clothing layers I'm already wearing, a cabin temp of about 60°f / 15°c is good. For many in the northern US, Canada and other similar climates it's not unusual for our cars to be parked in much colder temps*. Very often the seats are rock hard and are still somewhat hard and cold 10 minutes later.

Perhaps more important, this is likely not a difficult feature to add so why not do it? It would also likely save considerable energy. Many of us would probably be more likely to pre-heat our seats and steering wheel for 5 minutes than warm the cabin for 15. The seats also take less energy so overall energy savings could be significant.

* Two winters ago we had a 22 day period where the highs never reached above 0°f / -18°c.

 

[Xenius]

Windows defrost, yes, I see definitely a value. But sorry, warming seats take seconds, not half an hour.

True, but would still be a nice to have. Nobody would turn them on 30 minutes before....but hey, if they want to waste energy, that's on them.

 

[henderrj]

It's been a couple of years since I've seen any discussion on this. It's that time of year when I'm thankful for being able to so easily pre-heat my car but the frozen hard seats could use a bit of love. I'd really like to see the ability to pre-heat the seats and steering from the app. It doesn't seem like this should be too hard to do.

Couldn't agree more, and it doesn't even get that cold here in the Pacific Northwest. Alas, even though I have the cold weather package I don't have a heated steering wheel. Would need a hardware upgrade for that! Hmm, wonder if they'd do it.

 

[Don TLR]

You ride spiked?

We don't need no Stinkin Spikes

We don't get cold enough here in AZ to warrant a preheating of the seats but I can see where some would want it, Turn the temp on 5 minutes before you leave and just as you're walking out hit the seat heater button for that much more warmth while still plugged in..

 

[ElectricTundra]

@andrewket and @localmilemn have both replied to an Elon software tweet this morning asking for pre heat options for seats. Like them if you can to help get Elon's attention.

FWIW, I'm writing this from a very cold and hard seat in my S.

 

[ElectricTundra]

You ride spiked?

Depends. Studs on pure ice or light snow cover but spikes if necessary.

A buddy who rides his road bikes all year has some tyres that only have studs along the edges. Higher pressure provides for a fairly smooth ride with little stud contact except when cornering, lower pressure brings them in to more constant contact. Most days he rides non-studded (gold wing) but if the roads won't be clear then the studded bike (Secca I think) gets the nod. I think that these are technically illegal but cops rather intentionally don't notice them.