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Very stiff steering wheel even in comfort mode

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Hi everyone, I just received my brand new 2017 Tesla X 100D with premium package. I was incredibly excited. Unfortunately, the car I have has a very stiff steering wheel even in comfort mode. There is a difference with standard and sport so I don't think that it's a software issue.

My back is killing me after a week of driving the car to the point where I am considering just paying to break the lease and get a different car.

The Tesla service center is telling me that it is the new car and they can't do much about it unless Engineering does something. I have never had an issue with steering wheel or an uncomfortable car before and never thought to even investigate. It seems like the earlier version had a softer steering wheel and I just tried one tonight. There is a definite difference.

I am curious if anyone has had this issue before and what they have done with it.
 
Which software version is on the car? I just drove my wife's X last night and thought the steering felt heavier in Standard than it had in the past and definitely heavier than my Model S. I put it in Comfort, which made it better, but still was surprised how heavy it felt in Standard and I moved it back and forth as few times just to be sure nothing was wrong.
 
No I mean which version? If you look in the App all the way at the bottom it will say which version you have. I have 2017.42 in my X and only since I installed that did I notice the steering being stiff. I just asked my wife and she said she didn't notice it today.
 
The Tesla service center is telling me that it is the new car and they can't do much about it unless Engineering does something.
Based on your description, there is something wrong with your car. A steering wheel that requires so much effort that it gives you back pain sounds almost unbelievable.

Since you are in the SF Bay Area where there are multiple Service Centers, I suggest that you take your car to another Service Center and ask them to drive it and see what they say.

Or PM me, come to my house, and we can compare your X to my 3 month old X with the same firmware version. I can't imagine a steering wheel that could produce such symptoms.

And then you can try parallel parking my Roadster. That really takes some effort! :) (No power steering)
 
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No I mean which version? If you look in the App all the way at the bottom it will say which version you have. I have 2017.42 in my X and only since I installed that did I notice the steering being stiff. I just asked my wife and she said she didn't notice it today.

17.42 was downloaded to our X yesterday morning. We subsequently made a 200 mile trip and I did notice that the steering seemed a somewhat stiff. However the car was in AP mode for a good portion of the drive and no back problems were noted.
 
Yeah the feeling of the steering on our X does not rise to the level on back pain inducing either, I just happened to notice it yesterday after 2017.42 update and when I saw this post it rang a bell for me a little.
 
This sounds like there is no or low steering assist but you’d be hanging on the wheel like it was a Semi if it were gone completely. I had to manhandle mine to the flatbed when it failed and it’s bad without assist. But if that was the case it would be throwing alerts also.

Very strange for a car with 17.40. You might try powering off the car completely and restarting but I hesitate to recommend that to someone that has never done it before.

Mine on 17.42 may be a little stiffer than it was with 17.40 but I’d not notice it if I wasn’t looking for it.

The normal power steering is equivalent to any other car, especially in ‘Comfort’.
 
That is a great idea. I will do the Service Center tours with my X. And then, will come try the roadster just for the kicks of it, but I sure hope I find a solution before getting to that step!

Keep in mind that being French, I don't really exercise aside from walking so, while I have never had a steering wheel issue with any of my previous cars, you all might not feel it as much:) It's definitely stiffer than the 16X that I tried though.
 
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Hi everyone, I just received my brand new 2017 Tesla X 100D with premium package. I was incredibly excited. Unfortunately, the car I have has a very stiff steering wheel even in comfort mode. There is a difference with standard and sport so I don't think that it's a software issue.

My back is killing me after a week of driving the car to the point where I am considering just paying to break the lease and get a different car.

The Tesla service center is telling me that it is the new car and they can't do much about it unless Engineering does something. I have never had an issue with steering wheel or an uncomfortable car before and never thought to even investigate. It seems like the earlier version had a softer steering wheel and I just tried one tonight. There is a definite difference.

I am curious if anyone has had this issue before and what they have done with it.
You might have a problem with wheel alignment. Get the service centre to check the alignment.
 
One week old 100D and the steering is definitely stiffer than my one year old 90D ...I immediately switched the new one to comfort mode but didn't help ..New car has other problems so when I go to the SC I'll have them look at the steering too ..
My SC is 250 miles away so not a happy camper ..Also the problems cannot be fixed by a ranger . Love the Tesla ' s enough to absorb much of what they throw at me ..
 
Hi Everyone and particularly for you ditzpro, I can report back that the wheel got a little less stiff over time and I dropped it off at service for a revision and recalibration of the wheel. I don't know that it made a huge difference but enough that I am clear I can keep the car and won't kill my back in the process. I am thrilled!
 
Hey just a note that I have a new S100D (Jan delivery and August build) and the wheel is definitely stiffer than our X on comfort mode. Just drove the X immediately after and it’s a big difference. Also seems there’s less give on the X.

No difference between standard and comfort in the S. slight diff on sport.

I’ll chat w service tomorrow

Ian
 
My X100D also have the premium package and the steering is quite stiffer than older Model X and S that I drove.

It’s not like it would give me any pain, but my comfort mode is like sport mode from XP90D, then there is a slight difference for standard and sport modes.

I really wish I could choose comfort to be way lighter and keep the sport mode as it is.
 
I got my 2017 X100D new in late September (of 2017), it was an inventory model that just barely got AP2.5. I think my steering was stiff when I got it, and sometimes you couldn't feel the difference between sport and comfort at all. I also experienced a bug where electronic steering assist would go out completely (with a message that it was reduced) a couple times, it is insane how difficult it is to turn even while moving in that scenario, so I doubt that OP is experiencing electronic steering assist issues. It doesn't make my back hurt, but it makes my hands hurt. I'm assuming the reason it makes OP's back hurt is due to other back problems (pretty sure it only makes my hands hurt because of other hand problems, but this doesn't change the fact that I've never had steering any of my previous vehicles lead to hand pain and it's simply too stiff, especially for the comfort setting). I've driven lots of loaners without having this problem, and in most of them, their sport setting has been softer than my comfort setting. Later on, mine would sometimes get as soft as the many loaners I've driven, but it would never stay that way for long. I've had the service center look at it two or three times and been told everything is normal each time. In July, I had a tech drive the 2016 P90D loaner I had just brought back and then drive mine, just in the parking lot, just to feel the drastic difference. He felt it and told me he'd figure it out, so I left in the loaner to come back at the end of the day. When I came back, I was told that they hooked a torque sensor to the wheel and the readings were identical to those on a floor model so it must be normal. I was also told that they used a different brand of rack in the 2016 than the 2017. Since my issue was sporadic, I figured the torque tests didn't mean much and they asked me to have them to look at logs the next time I experienced drastic stiffness. Sent them an e-mail when it happened again and crickets. Escalated way later, and they decided to replace the rack assembly, which includes the power steering assist motor, so I was really hopeful that it would resolve the issue. The trip home after that started out with a decent, but possibly latent steering feel. Unfortunately, it was really stiff again by the time I got home. I reported that back to them and asked what other relevant sensors might have NOT been replaced yet and haven't gotten any response. I'm waiting (probably too) patiently again at the moment.