Tesla heated steering wheel easily passes as one of it’s luxury features. It seamlessly marries luxury with practicality.
Quick View:
- Wondering how the steering wheel is heated? Electric heating elements embedded in the steering wheel generates warmth.
- Want to set the heat yourself? Tesla allows users to customize the temperature settings.
- Why details matter? High-quality materials and ergonomic design enhance the experience.
As the feature is relatively new, there’s much to explore about the development, mechanics, historical background, and exquisite attention to detail of this technology.
Benefits of Tesla’s Heated Steering Wheel
The heated steering wheel gives comfort throughout the winter months. It keeps drivers’ hands warm and comfortable while driving.
This function is in line with Tesla’s goal of improving driving experiences by incorporating user-friendly facilities into their vehicles.
Consequently, the heated steering wheel on the 2022 Model 3 makes driving more fun and comfortable, especially in cold weather conditions.
One of the major benefits is free over-the-air (OTA) software updates.
It will function similarly to the auto setting for heated seats. Including the temperature (high, medium, or low) determined by the temperature of the cabin.
The temperature setting of the heated seat will decrease as the cabin warms up.
The other feature will be new manual settings of low or high, rather than merely off or on. This will allow you to choose when you want your heated steering wheel to be hotter or colder.
Down Sides of Tesla’s Heated Steering Wheel
The feature of heated steering wheel is not so attractive to many. Here are a few reasons why:
- Using touchscreen menus to turn the heated steering on is inconvenient. It takes some effort to switch it on. To turn it on from the touchscreen, you must click two or three times.
- After 10 minutes, it becomes far too hot. And it becomes difficult to switch off while driving. The feature should automatically regulate or turn off. Note that this is only for older models that cannot support the auto-heating upgrade.
Is Model 3 Heated Steering Wheel Upgrade/Retrofit Possible?
Yes, you can physically install it. However, Tesla would not let their service technicians enable the software and turn it on. They can’t do anything other than tell you that it’s software disabled.
So you will have to do this daunting task yourself. But the good thing is, it’s not that difficult to do.
It appears that a specific part within the wheel would need to be inserted. This should be followed by a firmware upgrade.
What you have to do is:
- Plug into the wires that run to the driver seat warmers.
- Connect those wires to the wheel area by running them via the console.
- Then connect the appropriate connections to a heated wheel.
You can also check out this video if you are serious about doing it.
How Does Tesla Heated Steering Wheel Work?
Here’s how Tesla’s heated steering wheel typically works:
Heating Element
A heating element is the central thing of the heated steering wheel. This is often placed into the steering wheel’s rim. Its near the leather or synthetic material that covers the wheel.
When an electrical current travels through the heating element, it produces heat.
Control Options
The user can only access the heated steering settings through the touchscreen. He can turn the heated steering wheel settings on, or change the settings from the control panel.
For this,
Go to climate control > activate and adjust the heated steering wheel.
There is an option to regulate the heated steering wheel inside the climate control settings. It is commonly indicated by a steering wheel icon or a temperature control slider.
Temperature Selection:
Drivers can select their desired steering wheel temperature. Tesla typically offers several temperature levels (such as, low, medium, and high).
Related Post: Tesla Steering Wheel Lights: Enhanced Driving Experience
How to Use Tesla Heated Steering Wheel Safely?
Basically, to turn the heated steering wheel feature on or off, you have to do the following:
Tap on the fan icon on the touchscreen to display climate controls, touch the steering wheel icon.
Now to use it safely, you need to control the temperature. Tesla vehicles usually offer multiple heat settings (low, medium, high). Make sure you select the setting that doesn’t get your steering overheated.
The steering tends to become overheated after a few minutes. This happens even with new upgrades. So remember to turn it off.
In this case, hand gloves can protect you from both the heat and the cold! Better be safe than sorry.
Many Tesla users utilize the “preconditioning” feature. Use it to warm up the cabin before you enter your Tesla. This includes preheating the heated steering wheel along with other parts of the car.
Related Post: Tesla Steering Wheel Weight: A Threat or Blessing?
People Also Ask:
Is the heated steering wheel available in all Tesla models?
Yes. Initially, the Tesla heated steering wheel was available in the Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. But after November 2021, all Teslas come with a heated steering wheel.
Can I activate the heated steering wheel remotely with the Tesla app?
Yes. You can turn on the heated steering with Tesla’s mobile app.
Does using the heated steering wheel drain the car’s battery?
Yes. However, it’s not a significant drain, especially for short trips.
Can the heated steering wheel cause burns or discomfort?
Yes, sometimes the steering wheel can get overheated if the temperature is inappropriately set. However, the maximum damage it can cause is skin irritation, not skin burns.
Does the heated steering wheel work while Supercharging or using Tesla’s Sentry Mode?
Not yet. It may run but will definitely be limited.
