Tesla Fixes Its Most Annoying Design Change

Tesla has finally admitted what owners have been grumbling about for the last years. When the Model 3 Highland showed up in 2023, the company decided to ditch the traditional turn signal stalk and replace it with steering wheel buttons. On paper it sounded futuristic, but in reality most drivers just found it annoying.

Now the stalk is making a comeback, at least in China. The latest configurator quietly shows that every new Model 3 sold there comes with a proper lever once again. It is almost as if Tesla tried to reinvent the wheel, realized it was square, and then went back to the round version everyone liked.

For those who already bought a Highland and got stuck with the buttons, Tesla has cooked up a fix. Starting mid-September, Chinese customers will be able to order a retrofit kit for around 350 dollars. It includes a new steering wheel without the awkward buttons and, of course, the stalk itself. The work has to be done at a service center since technicians need special tools.

There is a small catch, though. At launch, the kit only works on Model 3s built after February 7, 2025. Tesla promises wider compatibility later, so owners of earlier Highlands just need to hang tight. Considering the Model 3 is one of Tesla’s global bestsellers, it feels very likely that Europe and North America will eventually get the same option too.

What about the rest of the lineup? For now Tesla is keeping quiet about the Cybertruck, Model S, and Model X. Still, if this move proves popular in China, it would not be surprising to see turn signal stalks creeping back into more models.