I was out for 2 weeks and when I got back and started driving my model 3P, I could feel the steering wheel was not as heavy as before. My setting was in sports mode. Has anyone seen this behavior previously? Maybe worth mentioning my Tesla went through a software updates while I was gone, but nothing on the update log was about steering mode change.
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Sports mode steering feels significantly lighter
- Thread starter MountNTrumpet
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Thanks for the updates all of you.
My M3P got 2022.24.5 recently, I've driven it a little since then, only casually. I feel like the low speed weighting in Sport mode may have firmed up a little, but not to where it was originally.
Tonight I'm going to put some serious twisty road miles on it. Will have a better evaluation after some hairpins.
My M3P got 2022.24.5 recently, I've driven it a little since then, only casually. I feel like the low speed weighting in Sport mode may have firmed up a little, but not to where it was originally.
Tonight I'm going to put some serious twisty road miles on it. Will have a better evaluation after some hairpins.
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Anyone gonna say it? Dare *I* say it?
As of 2022.24.6 my steering is feeling heftier again. I think. There are some caveats, keep reading for them.
I'm not saying it's back to where it was before 2022.12.3.1. Honestly I'm not sure, it's been so long.
Longer version:
I got 2022.24.6 this morning, just a few days after 2022.24.5. Later I drove about 40 miles of twisties. Much heavier traffic than usual due to Labor Day, but I had a couple opportunities to open things up in Track Mode.
At some point on the drive I found myself thinking Sport mode was a little too hefty and I would prefer Standard mode. That's exactly how I used to feel about Sport steering mode, prior to 2022.12.3.1.
Unfortunately I didn't get to properly evaluate the steering in hairpins because to the aforementioned traffic.
Also I happened to stiffen my dampers for my driving today, and that always firms up the steering a bit, so I need to do more testing across different damper settings.
As of 2022.24.6 my steering is feeling heftier again. I think. There are some caveats, keep reading for them.
I'm not saying it's back to where it was before 2022.12.3.1. Honestly I'm not sure, it's been so long.
Longer version:
I got 2022.24.6 this morning, just a few days after 2022.24.5. Later I drove about 40 miles of twisties. Much heavier traffic than usual due to Labor Day, but I had a couple opportunities to open things up in Track Mode.
At some point on the drive I found myself thinking Sport mode was a little too hefty and I would prefer Standard mode. That's exactly how I used to feel about Sport steering mode, prior to 2022.12.3.1.
Unfortunately I didn't get to properly evaluate the steering in hairpins because to the aforementioned traffic.
Also I happened to stiffen my dampers for my driving today, and that always firms up the steering a bit, so I need to do more testing across different damper settings.
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Eh I'm annoyed that I never had radar in the first place! Is it better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all?
Back to steering weight, I really do think my 2021 M3P's low speed steering assist has improved recently (less assist). I do NOT think it's back to where it originally was though.
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Hey yeah it’s definitely more stiff. Tested it in sport and normal. Even comfort is light but has a slight heft in it.
Will see where it goes
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Thread bump time. A little while ago I drove a Model Y (December 2022 build I believe) just around a garage at very low speeds. It sure felt like the power steering programming that my Model 3 *used* to have.
Then maybe a month or so later I test drove the current Model S. So a real drive, with varying speeds up to its 85 MPH speed limiter, and lots of turning with the silly yoke. Well, yoke or no, it too had better power assist programming than my Model 3 does now. The assist felt more like what I remember the Model 3 used to have. Like what that Model Y still has.
I wish there was a way to escalate this bug to Tesla engineering.
It's not that the steering on my car is bad. It responds very well actually (helped by my suspension upgrades of course). But the power assist programming could be better. And it used to be better. And on some Teslas it still is better. So I'm still frustrated that it's not as good as it used to be, and it could so easily be fixed, if the right people at Tesla cared to prioritize it.
Then maybe a month or so later I test drove the current Model S. So a real drive, with varying speeds up to its 85 MPH speed limiter, and lots of turning with the silly yoke. Well, yoke or no, it too had better power assist programming than my Model 3 does now. The assist felt more like what I remember the Model 3 used to have. Like what that Model Y still has.
I wish there was a way to escalate this bug to Tesla engineering.
It's not that the steering on my car is bad. It responds very well actually (helped by my suspension upgrades of course). But the power assist programming could be better. And it used to be better. And on some Teslas it still is better. So I'm still frustrated that it's not as good as it used to be, and it could so easily be fixed, if the right people at Tesla cared to prioritize it.
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I think it's very hard to make one perfect setting for everyone. Hence, I really appreciated that there are three levels for steering feedback. They used to be noticeably distinct; and I really enjoyed the sport mode. My complain has been that Tesla changed them to be too similar to each other.
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Wish they just had a setting to turn power steering off 
.
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I doubt you would like that on a Model 3. Manual steering works for old school cars with skinny wheels and light weight.Wish they just had a setting to turn power steering off
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I'm used to hydraulic power steering that's why this feels so light. I agree manoeuvring at low speed would be hard work, but at high speed I reckon it would be fine.
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BigNick
Infamous Fat Sweaty Guy
I would like the stiffer Sport setting back as well. I miss the old manual rack&pinion steering feel from 80s imports like the Honda CRX and such.
Back in 2010, I had a 2007 Chevy Cobalt. Chevy issued a recall for its early electric power steering (potentially) losing assist power.
I decided it was better to have no assist at all, than for it to cut out at the worst possible time (such as in the middle of a turn), so I just pulled the fuse and drove without assist for about a year or so, until parts were available to get the work done. Wasn't too hard on a car that rolled on non-performance 205s and weighed just under 3000 lbs, took about day to get used to it.
That was my last fully-manual car. No ABS, no traction control, no automatic transmission, crank windows. $13000 and change, bought new in late 2006.
I don't think my M3P has a fuse to pull so I could test how much of an arm workout it would be, but it would be interesting to try it. I think many would find it "impossible" to drive especially on the stickier performance tires. An RWD without the weight of the front motor on non-perf tires would likely be easier w/o steering assist.
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My first car was my only one without power steering (though I have driven some others over the years). It was a beastly 85 HP FWD moving 2320 lbs on 175/70R14 tires (per specs on the internet - it's been a long time). Steering feel was excellent, very talkative, and the steering had a LOT to say, because its crappy tires were constantly struggling for grip. Parking lot maneuvers were a workout even on that car though.
A friend disabled the power steering on a race-ish / rally-ish car build of a car that was around 2800-2900 lbs when new (per internet), more like 2400-2500 lbs after weight reduction. He weighed everything he took off, and it added up to hundreds of lbs. Definitely bigger, grippier tires though than that manual steering car I mentioned above. Also front engine FWD, so a lot of weight up front still. This car had hydraulic power steering, so he looped the lines in order to avoid resistance from blocked hydraulics.
Well, after a while he admitted to himself it was a mistake. Just too heavy. Not good for low speed maneuvering. He eventually put in an electric power steering rack. (One of his goals for the build was removing all belt driven accessories.)
I can say firsthand that manual steering works on a 2000 lbs mid-rear engine Lotus Elise. It works on a 2000-2300 lbs 80s or early 90s econoboxes. I promise it would be an absolute chore on a 4000 lbs dual motor Tesla Model 3 though, and probably almost as bad on a RWD Model 3. Also the Model 3 has a very quick steering ratio, which is great, but would make manual steering that much more difficult to turn.
A friend disabled the power steering on a race-ish / rally-ish car build of a car that was around 2800-2900 lbs when new (per internet), more like 2400-2500 lbs after weight reduction. He weighed everything he took off, and it added up to hundreds of lbs. Definitely bigger, grippier tires though than that manual steering car I mentioned above. Also front engine FWD, so a lot of weight up front still. This car had hydraulic power steering, so he looped the lines in order to avoid resistance from blocked hydraulics.
Well, after a while he admitted to himself it was a mistake. Just too heavy. Not good for low speed maneuvering. He eventually put in an electric power steering rack. (One of his goals for the build was removing all belt driven accessories.)
I can say firsthand that manual steering works on a 2000 lbs mid-rear engine Lotus Elise. It works on a 2000-2300 lbs 80s or early 90s econoboxes. I promise it would be an absolute chore on a 4000 lbs dual motor Tesla Model 3 though, and probably almost as bad on a RWD Model 3. Also the Model 3 has a very quick steering ratio, which is great, but would make manual steering that much more difficult to turn.
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BigNick
Infamous Fat Sweaty Guy
Two rotations lock-to-lock is super quick. More so than any car I've driven, most were in the 2.5 to 3.5 range, but one was SIX turns (manual recirculating ball steering gear, so I guess they lowered the effort by giving it a really slow steering ratio.)
I think the steering column mounts probably aren't designed for the input forces that would be required either.
I'd try pulling the plug on the assist motor, but I'm afraid it would throw some kind of code that can't be cleared easily. Then I'd have to deal with the SC to get it working again, just not worth the trouble messing with it.
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Hehe yes you are right, I'm sure it would throw all sorts of errors. It should drive through. I'd be surprised if you needed SC help to clear the errors afterwards but maybe...
I'm sure the steering column would hold up perfectly fine for a quick test. It should be designed to hold up to continued driving after sudden power steering loss. That said it is a good point, it probably isn't designed for that much torque if driven that way for the life of the car.
6 turns lock to lock? Was that a bus?
The Model 3 steering ratio feels as quick as any I've ever driven (well besides go karts), and I love that about the car, it was a big selling point to me. How much do I appreciate quick steering? Well let's just say that for my last gas car, which came with a very normal (boring
) 15:1 from the factory, I dropped $2k+ on an 11.5:1 quick steering rack that was rebuilt by a machinist from an OEM donor to have the faster ratio. That was one of my favorite mods on that car, and definitely its most unique/rare mod.
The Model 3 steering honestly feels at least as quick as that rally rack. Maybe a tad quicker. The Model 3 has a smaller diameter steering wheel than that car did so that accentuates the feeling of quickness.
I'm sure the steering column would hold up perfectly fine for a quick test. It should be designed to hold up to continued driving after sudden power steering loss. That said it is a good point, it probably isn't designed for that much torque if driven that way for the life of the car.
6 turns lock to lock? Was that a bus?
The Model 3 steering ratio feels as quick as any I've ever driven (well besides go karts), and I love that about the car, it was a big selling point to me. How much do I appreciate quick steering? Well let's just say that for my last gas car, which came with a very normal (boring
) 15:1 from the factory, I dropped $2k+ on an 11.5:1 quick steering rack that was rebuilt by a machinist from an OEM donor to have the faster ratio. That was one of my favorite mods on that car, and definitely its most unique/rare mod.The Model 3 steering honestly feels at least as quick as that rally rack. Maybe a tad quicker. The Model 3 has a smaller diameter steering wheel than that car did so that accentuates the feeling of quickness.
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I wonder if that's why they lightened it? I don't see why there can't be some sort if slider to control it so everyone can have it how they want.Hehe yes you are right, I'm sure it would throw all sorts of errors. It should drive through. I'd be surprised if you needed SC help to clear the errors afterwards but maybe...
I'm sure the steering column would hold up perfectly fine for a quick test. It should be designed to hold up to continued driving after sudden power steering loss. That said it is a good point, it probably isn't designed for that much torque if driven that way for the life of the car.
6 turns lock to lock? Was that a bus?
The Model 3 steering ratio feels as quick as any I've ever driven (well besides go karts), and I love that about the car, it was a big selling point to me. How much do I appreciate quick steering? Well let's just say that for my last gas car, which came with a very normal (boring
The Model 3 steering honestly feels at least as quick as that rally rack. Maybe a tad quicker. The Model 3 has a smaller diameter steering wheel than that car did so that accentuates the feeling of quickness.
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