[burnt_crisps2]

Now that’s something you don’t see very often regardless of brand, model, etc.
Just seen this posted on FB...

Anyone’s steering wheel just come off?
Was reversing into the drive and it just came off in my hands!!! Very scary!
I must say Tesla have been amazing. Called the roadside assistance and they are collecting in 1 hour and a replacement car (Jag) being delivered within the hour! Can’t say fairer than that.

 

[srichards]

Yikes. That's bad! I know they're into driverless cars but I think having a removable steering wheel might be taking it too far

I'd report to Tesla ASAP. Edit just seen you have. Oops.

 

[cah197]

Maybe it’s the autonomous mode that came in the software update?

 

[donald]

Maybe there is a nut loose on Tesla's assembly floor?

 

[simon-g]

There's (meant to be) a great big 10mm hex bolt keeping the steering wheel on - see

Obvious to say but there really shouldn't be any reason a car would have it missing, and I don't think there's enough space behind the airbag for it to fully unscrew without removing the airbag first.

 

[Carty]

A VERY urgent recall on the cards here I think !.

 

[electricdriver]

A VERY urgent recall on the cards here I think !.

They'll be really keen to look at this particular car and find a reason why not...if it is @donald's "nut loose" then it's going to cost them a lot of money, if they can find a specific component failure on this vehicle then they'll likely be able to convince themselves it's a one-off and move on. This is where you hope the corporate accountability / reporting system works as it's really easy for the first signs of an issue like this to be lost. Letter and photographs to head office if you're feeling doubtful...

 

[Jon G]

They may probably prefer to find "missing nut" and pass it off as a manufactuing oversight than "loose nut" thats worked free somehow. Neither fills you with confidence though.

 

[dk6780]

They may probably prefer to find "missing nut" and pass it off as a manufactuing oversight

Particularly as the"missing nut" invariably is reported as a contractor who left shortly afterwards and only worked on a handful of cars.
Most worrying are the systems that didn't spot the component not being used or the lack of torque applied.

 

[Gt6k]

Do we know that this actually true, the Facebook link doesnt work.

 

[Jon G]

Do we know that this actually true, the Facebook link doesnt work.

I’ve seen the original FB post as it was in the owners group and it’s fairly well vetted to only allow owners in. While plenty of people are shocked, nobody seems to doubt the story.

 

[Marli]

You can clearly see in the second photo a nut is missing.

 

[A_Camera]

I’ve seen the original FB post as it was in the owners group and it’s fairly well vetted to only allow owners in. While plenty of people are shocked, nobody seems to doubt the story.

FB is also full of trolls. There is no way you can make sure that you actually are an owner, so there is no way to prevent that any "non-owners" become members, and even so, that is NOT evidence for the story to be true. In fact, though I am not a Tesla fan (far from it), but I can't believe the bolt was missing from the beginning, and I also can't believe it unscrewed itself without ANY help. Very strange that nobody questions the story in that FB group, and that would worry me more than the fact that occasional lemons can be found even among Tesla cars.

 

[A_Camera]

You can clearly see in the second photo a nut is missing.

Missing...? or unscrewed for the photo... nobody knows. I suspect the later being the truth. BTW, it's not a nut, it's a bolt.

 

[Gt6k]

If no bolt was put in originally then it would have immediately come off. If the bolt was removed, maybe to fix a fault spotted in QC then not replaced then this might happen. The question would be is the bolt in the steering wheel loose under the airbag or is it actually missing. Ford had to recall more than a million cars in 2018 due to suspect steering wheel bolts.

 

[burnt_crisps2]

Well it certainly could be fake news as the internet is awash with all manner of stuff that has no truth in it whatsoever, especially with regard to Covid19 too.

The guy Jason on FB UK user group has posted more pictures and states the bolt was indeed missing and the car is a month old. And as stated in his original post the car has been collected and replaced with a Jag.

He has tweeted Elon.

He has this response from Tesla...
Jason .... Just heard from Manchester SC. They have confirmed that the bolt holding the steering wheel in place was missing. This has now been put in place and the car is on its way back to me. It’s also had some wiring rerouted which was an apparent recall earlier in the year!. They can’t escalate as the senior managers have all been furloughed, but they will escalate when they can. They are sending confirmation of what they have done to me in writing.

And this is the job report.

All of the above tends to show its genuine and not fake news.

I think I would be going out to my M3 (if I had one) and giving the steering wheel a good tug to see if it comes off whilst the car is parked safely on the drive.

suggest all others out there do this....
Better Safe than sorry!

 

[Gt6k]

The problem is if the bolt is torqued up then removed it may take a very very firm pull to dislodge the splines whilst normal temperature cycling will allow it to pop off at anytime from an hour to a year later.

 

[dk6780]

Yes, but judging by the YouTube videos it isn't that hard to remove. Personally, if I had an M3, I'd remove the airbag module to check the bolt was in place (being aware of the safety precautions concerned).

 

[BruceyB]

I don't think its faked, and yes its terrible QC but lets not pretend this is an issue exclusive to Tesla

Ford Recalls Cars for Loose Steering Wheels - Consumer ...www.consumerreports.org › car-recalls-defects › ford-r...

 

[Jon G]

FB is also full of trolls. There is no way you can make sure that you actually are an owner, so there is no way to prevent that any "non-owners" become members, and even so, that is NOT evidence for the story to be true. In fact, though I am not a Tesla fan (far from it), but I can't believe the bolt was missing from the beginning, and I also can't believe it unscrewed itself without ANY help. Very strange that nobody questions the story in that FB group, and that would worry me more than the fact that occasional lemons can be found even among Tesla cars.

The facebook Owners group is affiliated with Tesla to the point that they exchange information and to be a member you need to provide VIN details to get in that are cross checked with Tesla.

The facebook group is also extremely pro Tesla, it actually acts as Teslas voice on a number of matters and a communication channel which I personally don't like. This is a matter of fact, it also has hundreds of Tesla UK members of staff on the group although they don't post directly to my knowledge . Nobody challenged the person who reported it and I can assure you conversations would have been had and the post rebutted if it was false by the owners group leadership, they don't stand for any rubbish like this if it is untrue.