Tesla Model S: Steering yoke / wheel rim peeling, and wrong airbag after a yoke-to-wheel swap
Steering yoke / wheel rim peeling, and wrong airbag after a yoke-to-wheel swap is a common interior fault on the Tesla Model S on the 2021–2024 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $0 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 11 documented faults on the Tesla Model S.
- Vehicle
- Tesla Model S
- Years
- 2021–2024
- Fuel
- ev
- System
- Interior
What you are looking at
No photograph available
What goes wrong
The synthetic leather on the refreshed Model S steering yoke (and some round wheels) is widely reported to wear through and peel where the hands rest, sometimes within months of delivery. Tesla issued service bulletin SB-24-32-005 for 2021-2024 Model S and Model X builds, giving a one-time replacement with an improved yoke that also has a physical centre horn. Separately, NHTSA recall 23V-743 (Tesla SB-23-20-005) found that when a yoke was swapped for a round wheel, or the other way round, the wrong driver airbag could be fitted, which may deploy incorrectly in a crash; Tesla inspects and replaces the airbag free. On an older car the one-time peel replacement may already be used, so a second replacement is paid.
What you would notice
- Flaking, shiny or cracked leather on the yoke grips
- Black material coming off on your hands
- Car has a round wheel but was built with a yoke, or the other way round
- Horn is a touch button on the wheel spoke rather than a press in the centre (original first-type yoke)
How to check it
Where to look. Steering yoke or wheel rim and centre airbag pad
Look closely at the grip areas at roughly 10 and 2 o'clock for peeling, cracking or a worn shiny patch, and rub a finger over them to see if material comes off.
Check whether the horn is a press in the centre pad (later replacement yoke or wheel) or a touch pad on the spoke (original 2021-2023 yoke).
If the car has had its yoke swapped for a round wheel or the reverse, ask for the Tesla service invoice and ask the seller to show in the Tesla app that recall 23V-743 (SB-23-20-005) is not open.
Ask whether the one-time peel replacement under SB-24-32-005 has already been used.
If a workshop inspection is possible: ask a Tesla service centre to confirm by VIN that the fitted driver airbag matches the fitted yoke or wheel and that no steering or airbag campaign is outstanding.
What it costs to put right
$0 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.
Ask the seller
- “Has the yoke or wheel ever been replaced, and was it done by Tesla?”
- “Was the one-time peeling replacement already used?”
- “Can you show me in the Tesla app that there are no open recalls?”
Now check the Tesla Model S you are actually looking at
Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.
Where this comes from
- Tesla service bulletin SB-24-32-005 Replace Steering Yoke Due To Peeling Issue (Model S/X 2021-2024)
- NHTSA recall 23V-743 / Tesla SB-23-20-005 incorrect air bag with replacement steering yoke or wheel (2021-2024 Model S/X)
- Tesla Motors Club 'Yoke peeling' and 'Peeling yoke replacement' threads
- Drive Tesla Canada: Tesla releases new and improved yoke, replacements to begin in March (2024)
Tesla Model S buyer questions
Is steering yoke / wheel rim peeling, and wrong airbag after a yoke-to-wheel swap serious on a Tesla Model S?
We rate it major and common on the Tesla Model S. The synthetic leather on the refreshed Model S steering yoke (and some round wheels) is widely reported to wear through and peel where the hands rest, sometimes within months of delivery. Tesla issued service bulletin SB-24-32-005 for 2021-2024 Model S and Model X builds, giving a one-time replacement with an improved yoke that also has a physical centre horn. Separately, NHTSA recall 23V-743 (Tesla SB-23-20-005) found that when a yoke was swapped for a round wheel, or the other way round, the wrong driver airbag could be fitted, which may deploy incorrectly in a crash; Tesla inspects and replaces the airbag free. On an older car the one-time peel replacement may already be used, so a second replacement is paid.
How much does it cost to fix on a Tesla Model S?
$0 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.
Which Tesla Model S years are affected?
Our research records this fault on the 2021–2024 Tesla Model S. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.
How do I check for it before I buy?
Look closely at the grip areas at roughly 10 and 2 o'clock for peeling, cracking or a worn shiny patch, and rub a finger over them to see if material comes off. Check whether the horn is a press in the centre pad (later replacement yoke or wheel) or a touch pad on the spoke (original 2021-2023 yoke). If the car has had its yoke swapped for a round wheel or the reverse, ask for the Tesla service invoice and ask the seller to show in the Tesla app that recall 23V-743 (SB-23-20-005) is not open. Ask whether the one-time peel replacement under SB-24-32-005 has already been used. If a workshop inspection is possible: ask a Tesla service centre to confirm by VIN that the fitted driver airbag matches the fitted yoke or wheel and that no steering or airbag campaign is outstanding. Look here: Steering yoke or wheel rim and centre airbag pad