Turn signal operation.

[DonTom]

2017 M3.

Do others have the issue of after using the turn signal for one direction it is VERY difficult to shut off without it activating the opposite turn signal? Such as when used for a lane change?

Is there a better way to cancel the turn signal, without it blinking the opposite side?

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[father_of_6]

I don't have this issue. Either I fully press the stalk, which turns the blinker off 99.9% of the time after making the turn, or I just lightly press the stalk and it blanks exactly 3 times.

In the event it's blinking when you don't want it to, pressing it in the opposite direction *is* likely to cause it to blink in the opposite direction. Perhaps a light press in the opposite direction turns it off.

If it's blinking and you want it off, try pressing in the *same* direction that it's blinking.

 

[DonTom]

I don't have this issue. Either I fully press the stalk, which turns the blinker off 99.9% of the time after making the turn, or I just lightly press the stalk and it blanks exactly 3 times.

In the event it's blinking when you don't want it to, pressing it in the opposite direction *is* likely to cause it to blink in the opposite direction. Perhaps a light press in the opposite direction turns it off.

If it's blinking and you want it off, try pressing in the *same* direction that it's blinking.

I was mainly referring to lane changes when using the turn signals when there is no auto shutoff.

Looks like it was mostly operator error here. I just went to the garage to play with my turn signals for a while. I never noticed it only blinks three times when I lightly use the turn signal. All I really needed to do is let it time out. If I try to shut it off before those three blinks is the only time I have this issue of causing the opposite side to blink.

When I press it hard, it stays on forever and then is easier to turn off without going to the other side.

I just need to remember if I press lightly, I should just let it time out after the 3 blinks. If I press hard, I can shut it off without it going to the opposite side.

Perhaps the best way is always wait three blinks before I try to turn them off.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[3sr+buyer]

2017 M3.

Do others have the issue of after using the turn signal for one direction it is VERY difficult to shut off without it activating the opposite turn signal? Such as when used for a lane change?

Never noticed that for lane changes. Sometimes noticed that when turning onto a curved road where it continues to curve enough that it may not self-cancel, so you press the stalk in the other direction, but it self-cancels just before so your press turned on the opposite direction turn signal.

 

[DonTom]

Never noticed that for lane changes.

I don't think I will have the problem again. Even though I had my Tesla since new in 2018, I did not realize that there was a separate turn signal for lane changes that will time out after three blinks. See what happens when you try to stop it in two blinks. Now I know to just let it timeout.

Maybe someday I will RTFM!!!

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[dBdt]

On my 2021 M3LR and whatever software version I'm running (I'm up to date with production releases), there is a setting under Controls for Automatic Turn Signals that can be set to Auto Cancel. For me, this is the greatest thing since sliced bread. You do the half push on the stalk that would normally just give 3 blinks, but with this setting, the car keeps the turn signal on until it decides you have actually changed lanes and then turns it off. I find it rarely makes a mistake.

 

[dusty22]

You do the half push on the stalk that would normally just give 3 blinks, but with this setting, the car keeps the turn signal on until it decides you have actually changed lanes and then turns it off. I find it rarely makes a mistake.

I noticed that the signal cancels as soon as the front wheel crosses the lane marking of the lane that the car is leaving.

 

[Transformer]

Auto Cancel is nice! When moving into + through a left turn lane, it keeps the signals on. After instead settling into the left turn lane, it tends to turn them off. So it might be responding to the steering curve as well as the lane lines. If it cancels too soon, try experimenting with the steering curve and please let us know what that reveals.

How does 3 blinks leave enough time for (1) other drivers to react before you begin changing lanes then (2) change?

Tesla owner's manuals are the best I've ever read, and they release regular improvements for download. (P.S. The Leaf has the worst. It's inaccurate and uninformative.)

 

[BitJam]

Auto Cancel is nice! When moving into + through a left turn lane, it keeps the signals on. After instead settling into the left turn lane, it tends to turn them off. So it might be responding to the steering curve as well as the lane lines. If it cancels too soon, try experimenting with the steering curve and please let us know what that reveals.

Auto cancel does not work well here in rural New Mexico. It turns the signal off when I move into (perhaps poorly marked) left turn lanes. This seems silly and pointless. For me it is far better to use the old system where movement of the steering wheel turns off the blinker.

What do you mean be "steering curve"? Do you mean how quickly I move into the turn lane?

 

[ceejay44]

I have had the same problem of the blinker not stopping after the gentle press, but only on one side (can’t remember if it is the leg or right). I imagine it’s broken.

 

[BitJam]

Do others have the issue of after using the turn signal for one direction it is VERY difficult to shut off without it activating the opposite turn signal? Such as when used for a lane change?

I recently had this too. It was embarrassing driving down the road blinking in one direction and then the other, back and forth.

I think it is related to a new (unannounced) feature that does not require a double tap to change from blinking left to blinking right. In the past you had to tap twice, once to turn off the current blinker and then a second time to enable the other blinker. The new way is much better and more intuitive.

But the downside is it's harder to disengage a blinker since a single tap can engage the opposite blinker. I imagine the way to disengage is to tap in the same direction as the current blinker.

 

[dBdt]

The left turn lane behavior sort of makes sense to me. The car is just thinking of this as a lane change...it doesn't know it is a left turn lane. The lane change is done, so the blinker is turned off. Then, I have to put it on again to do the second turn, which is the actual left turn. There's room for improvement if the car could tell it is a turn lane, but thought of that way, it at least makes sense.

What I dislike is how the M3 autopilot handles the right lane near exits. In my state, there aren't any dotted lines across the exit ramp. The M3 on autopilot drifts right as it crosses the ramp, then comes back over. The drift can be substantial.

 

[dusty22]

The left turn lane behavior sort of makes sense to me. The car is just thinking of this as a lane change...it doesn't know it is a left turn lane. The lane change is done, so the blinker is turned off.

In my experience, the blinker stays on if there is a painted left turn arrow on the pavement.

 

[Transformer]

What do you mean be "steering curve"? Do you mean how quickly I move into the turn lane?

I was thinking of the plotted steering angle over time, with Auto Cancel extracting a couple parameters from that. It might include the rate of change or just wait until the steering angle returns to 0 for 1/2 second.

In my experience, the blinker stays on if there is a painted left turn arrow on the pavement.

Or that.

I have had the same problem of the blinker not stopping after the gentle press, but only on one side (can’t remember if it is the leg or right). I imagine it’s broken.

The recommended way to cancel a turn signal is to tap in the same direction.

But there's long been a problem where the turn stalk doesn't respond to a quick tap. It takes maybe 1/3 second to work.

I haven't hit that problem in a while. Maybe they fixed it or I got used to doing a longer tap.

 

[dBdt]

In my experience, the blinker stays on if there is a painted left turn arrow on the pavement.

For me, it depends on how far the arrow is from where I change lanes. I'm guessing that is what I am seeing and bet that performance is regional, depending upon the details of the painting or even hilliness. For this reason, I don't consider it an error when it doesn't pick up the lane info. I'd rather have to put it on a second time than have to turn it off.

 

[DonTom]

I was thinking of the plotted steering angle over time, with Auto Cancel extracting a couple parameters from that. It might include the rate of change or just wait until the steering angle returns to 0 for 1/2 second.


Or that.


The recommended way to cancel a turn signal is to tap in the same direction.

But there's long been a problem where the turn stalk doesn't respond to a quick tap. It takes maybe 1/3 second to work.

I haven't hit that problem in a while. Maybe they fixed it or I got used to doing a longer tap.

That doesn't work on my 2018 M3. Makes no difference how long I hold in the tap. It just keeps on blinking in the same direction.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Transformer]

That doesn't work on my 2018 M3. Makes no difference how long I hold in the tap. It just keeps on blinking in the same direction.

-Don- Reno, NV

In case the Owner's Manual (2024.2.4) text helps (unfortunately it assumes a stalkless car):

To engage a turn signal, press the corresponding arrow
button on the left side of the steering wheel. A turn
signal cancels based on the angle of the steering wheel
(for example, you finish making a turn). You can also
cancel a turn signal by pressing the turn signal button a
second time.

If Controls > Lights > Automatic Turn Signals is set to
Auto Cancel, turn signals cancel automatically when
Model 3 detects completion of a maneuver such as a
merge, lane change, or a fork in the roadway. You can
override automatic cancellation at any time (for
example, you want the turn signal to remain on because
you are making more than one lane change). To override,
engage the turn signal by pressing and momentarily
holding the turn signal button (instead of just pressing).
Then, when the first maneuver is complete, the turn
signal remains on. If Automatic Turn Signals is set to Off,
you must cancel the turn signal manually by pressing the
turn signal button after maneuvers such as a merge, lane
change, or fork in the roadway.

The "holding" bit (long-press?) is news to me.

There's no mention the 3-blink feature! Does that feature still work? Stalks only?

The previous Owner's Manual, 2023.44.30, says:

The turn signals flash three times or continuously,
depending on how far up or down you move the stalk.
Lightly push the turn signal stalk up or down for a three-
flash sequence. For a continuous signal, push the stalk
fully up or down.

The turn signals stop operating when canceled by the
steering wheel, by moving the stalk in the opposite
direction, or lightly pushing the stalk in the same
direction once more.

If Controls > Lights > Automatic Turn Signals is set to
Auto Cancel, turn signals cancel automatically when
Model 3 detects completion of a maneuver such as a
merge, lane change, or a fork in the roadway. If
Automatic Turn Signals is set to Off, you must cancel
the turn signal manually by using the turn stalk.

 

[GtiMart]

Pushing the turn signal half way (just long enough...) activates a lane change, which is 3 blinks. A little bit touchy as others say but it works once you get the hang of it.
Keeping the turn signal at half point (where you feel the resistance) will blink until you release it. I often use this when I know the lane change or operation will take more time than just 3 blinks... Because there are two different things that can happen at half point depending on how long you keep it there, you need to get accustomed to that.

Pushing the stalk all the way is a normal blinker that will only release if you turn the steering wheel far enough and then come back, as all other cars.

Since these are "soft" blinkers, you can manually disable them by blinking again in the same direction. You just need to go half way. Some other cars work that way too.

 

[Gasaraki]

2017 M3.

Do others have the issue of after using the turn signal for one direction it is VERY difficult to shut off without it activating the opposite turn signal? Such as when used for a lane change?

Is there a better way to cancel the turn signal, without it blinking the opposite side?

-Don- Reno, NV

Blink the same side again.

We are all used to a switch where left is stalk down, then you move it back to the middle to turn off, etc, etc. On a Tesla the stalk is a toggle so when you go down on the stalk, the stalk just goes back to the middle. So you have two options to turn off the turn signal, move it to the opposite direction, OR just toggle the same direction again.

 

[DonTom]

Blink the same side again.

That does NOT work on my 2018 M3. It was the first thing I tried (and countless times after).

-Don- Reno, NV