steering wheel damage

[redmosquito]

The bottom left side of the steering wheel in my Model 3 (delivered Sept 2018) is showing wear. Other areas of the steering wheel are fine. I've noticed that the stitching on the seam on the bottom of the wheel is not "centered". The seam is slightly to the right of center. I believe this is stretching the steering wheel cover and causing the material to crack on the left side.

I'm curious if anyone else has had this problem. I did find one thread on the official Tesla forums about it (Steering Wheel "Fraying" Quality Control Issue | Tesla). I recently had the car in for service and they refused to fix it under warranty.

Damaged section


Bottom seam off-center


Seam on top right of wheel (looks fine)


Seam on top left of wheel (also looks fine)

 

[glide]

That looks like trash. Tesla will tell you it’s “within spec” though.

 

[Nogasmn]

Why is that seam so off center in the 2nd pic. That should have been noted and fixed before delivery. I would try to go up the chain in order to have your steering wheel replaced, if not an upholstery company can replace the leather. How many miles?

 

[redmosquito]

I'm just under 20k miles. Kicking myself for not addressing sooner. I haven't had a good look at other M3 steering wheels to see what the bottom seam looks like, but I assume it's centered and probably flatter. The seam on mine is raised considerably.

 

[Dolemite]

unacceptable

 

[640k]

only 20k miles and you have that type of wear? OP - i had my last car for 12 years, never had any signs of wear on the leather steering wheel until I had to enter/exit my car with a hip brace due to surgery. the metal bracket rubbed against the steering wheel and created a wear pattern very similar to yours. it never got any worse, but i beat myself up for having an otherwise pristine car "ruined" by my own carelessness.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

The off center seam is a manufacturing defect. LOL that Tesla would catch and do anything about a defect like that. Their quality control team is permanently out to lunch.

The damaged area looks to me like it was scuffed, and with 20K miles, you'll never get Tesla to take responsibility for that given how they usually are about fixing their own mistakes, much less other people's mistakes.

That scuff could have happened during service. I have had several leather steering wheels damaged over the years by service departments. It seems to somehow give them pleasure to put a scuff or large scratch in steering wheels just like my yard guys likes killing sprinkler heads and landscape lights and how my housekeepers love sucking the cord into the vacuum and washing clothes that say dry clean only.

 

[Nogasmn]

The off center seam is a manufacturing defect. LOL that Tesla would catch and do anything about a defect like that. Their quality control team is permanently out to lunch.

The damaged area looks to me like it was scuffed, and with 20K miles, you'll never get Tesla to take responsibility for that given how they usually are about fixing their own mistakes, much less other people's mistakes.

That scuff could have happened during service. I have had several leather steering wheels damaged over the years by service departments. It seems to somehow give them pleasure to put a scuff or large scratch in steering wheels just like my yard guys likes killing sprinkler heads and landscape lights and how my housekeepers love sucking the cord into the vacuum and washing clothes that say dry clean only.

Your housekeepers do your laundry! I wish my service did mine, it's hard enough to get them to dust the window sill in my bathroom.

 

[redmosquito]

Yeah, I haven't experienced this sort of wear on the steering wheel on prior cars. And my prior cars didn't have easy entry to move the steering wheel out of the way...

The rest of the wheel is fine and has no damage.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

And by the way, the scuffing can be easily repaired. I believe these steering wheels are still leather. Looks like yours is. A mobile leather reconditioner can easily fill, sand and re-dye to make that part look like new. The off center is a whole other issue that hinges on your level of OCD.

Used steering wheels in good condition aren't too expensive if you want to go out of pocket.

Here's one for $250 including shipping:
Tesla Model 3 Genuine M3 OEM Nice Dark Gray Leather Steering Wheel | eBay

Would make more sense to get another one than to do any major repairs on yours to fix the alignment.

 

[XLR82XS]

That looks like trash. Tesla will tell you it’s “within spec” though.

Probably. Maybe that's why they went to the "vegan" material.

 

[glide]

Probably. Maybe that's why they went to the "vegan" material.

Why? Are they the only auto manufacturer on the planet who can’t figure out how to work with leather?

 

[TLLMRRJ]

Why? Are they the only auto manufacturer on the planet who can’t figure out how to work with leather?

It's the crazy tree huggers.

 

[qdeathstar]

My seams are off center too...