- The Tesla Model 3 will have a turn signal stalk once again.
- The change comes after the American automaker removed both steering wheel stalks when it launched the updated Model 3.
- New Model 3s ordered in China now come with a signal stalk as standard. Older cars can be retrofitted at a service center.
Tesla made a mistake when it removed both steering wheel column stalks on the Model 3 two years ago. The functions of the stalks were moved to the screen and on the steering wheel itself, but not everyone welcomed the change. Thankfully, it’s never too late to make it right, and Tesla is doing just that, starting in China.
New Model 3s delivered in the region will come as standard with a turn signal stalk, as spotted by CarNewsChina. What’s more, cars that have already been delivered to customers will be eligible for a turn signal stalk retrofit at a Tesla Service Center, for a fee, starting next month.
A screenshot of Tesla’s Chinese online configurator showing the signal stalk comes standard (translated).
Photo by: Tesla
For roughly $350 (2,499 yuan), owners of cars built after February 7, 2025, will be able to schedule a service appointment to have the stalk installed. Earlier cars will be eligible, too, but at a later date.
In the United States, Tesla hasn’t said a word about the retrofit, so we don’t know if it will ever come stateside. There are a couple of aftermarket options, though. One company is offering stick-on stalks, while another has found a way to integrate the stalks into the steering wheel column.
The same products can be had for Tesla’s other cars, too, as the Model 3 isn’t the only one to be gutted in the name of simplicity. In fact, none of the American company’s EVs currently come with a shifter stalk in the U.S., and the updated Model Y is the only one to offer a signal stalk as standard.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to do things differently, as new ideas could result in cost savings and a better user experience, but steering wheel stalks have been around for a long time for a reason–they’re safe and they work.
This isn’t Tesla’s first rodeo, though. Back in 2021, the updated Model S was only available with a controversial yoke steering wheel, with the company’s CEO, Elon Musk, saying at the time that the yoke wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon. Fast forward to 2023, and the yoke became an optional extra, while a round steering wheel was reinstated as the default choice. Now, the yoke is only available as a $1,000 option on the Model S Plaid and Model X Plaid.
