Tesla Makes a U-Turn as Regular Steering Wheel Returns to Model S and X (2024)

FAQs

Will Tesla go back to a normal steering wheel? ›

The tried-and-true steering wheel returns to the Tesla Model S and Model X. While the steering yoke that has been mandatory since the cars' 2021 redesign is still offered, people who order a new S or X can once again drive with a normal wheel at no extra cost.

Now, Tesla has once again surprised people by quietly adding the round steering wheel as the standard default for both the Model S and Model X. We figured perhaps the Plaid versions would default to the yoke, but they also come standard with the traditional steering wheel.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk justified the redesign in a tweet, saying “Yet another round wheel is boring & blocks the screen. FSD in panoramic mode looks way better with a yoke.” Musk also rejected requests from customers to include a rounded wheel option for the Model S and Model X in 2021.

Tesla has recalled over 40,000 Model S sedans and Model X SUVs from the 2017 through 2021 model years because the electronic power steering may suddenly stop working on rough roads or after hitting a pothole.

In both cases, the agency said the cars had low mileage and were missing a bolt that attaches the steering wheel to the steering column. No fatalities or crashes have been associated with the issue, according to the NHTSA report.

You now have the ability to change your Model S / X Yoke Steering wheel into a full complete rounded steering wheel with all functions and no compromises. On top of that, you can even customize the look and feel to your heart's content. The most comprehensive options to make your steering wheel truly yours.

Medium - Tesla believes that this setting offers the best handling and response in most conditions.

Tesla quietly adds a round steering wheel option to the Model S (pictured above) and Model X, after introducing the yoke to both models in 2021. Those who purchased Teslas with yokes will also be able to retrofit their cars with a round steering wheel for $700 at a Tesla service center.

Overview of Buttons

Your Model S features stalkless driving in which all controls you need when driving are accessible on the steering yoke (or steering wheel).

Owners of Tesla Model X and Model S will have the option to replace the yoke steering wheel with a round one. The move comes after Tesla car owners complained about the learning curve of the box wheel. Tesla will begin to offer retrofits starting in March 2023 for $700.

What year did Tesla change the steering wheel? ›

Tesla made a ton of changes to both vehicles for their 2021 refresh. These included the addition of the Plaid models, a reworked interior, the deletion of the shift and turn signal indicator stalks, and a face-lifted exterior. But more than all of that, what stood out to most was the literal reinvention of the wheel.

Most affected a relatively small number of vehicles. The largest, in 2018, involved replacing steering-rack bolts on more than 70,000 Model S vehicles because of the risk that corrosion could cause a loss of power steering.

When Tesla first launched the refreshed Model S and Model X, it featured a controversial new “yoke” butterfly steering wheel. Some were worried about the actual shape of the wheel being problematic, while others were concerned about the lack of a drive stalk to choose the drive mode.

Tesla has issued a recall on certain Model 3 and Model Y vehicles built between May 2022 and September 2023 where the driver may experience a notchy feel or sensation from the steering wheel when operating the vehicle in cold temperatures.

Courtesy of Tesla. Owners of Tesla Model X and Model S will have the option to replace the yoke steering wheel with a round one. The move comes after Tesla car owners complained about the learning curve of the box wheel. Tesla will begin to offer retrofits starting in March 2023 for $700.

If you have a yoke you dislike, you're not stuck with it. A new page on Tesla's website offers a retrofit kit that will replace your yoke with a conventional steering wheel for $700.