Tesla's stalkless design in the Model S, X, and now the Model 3 refresh is something you either learn to love or hate. There's something to be said about flicking a physical lever for turn signals (especially when attempting to navigate through a roundabout or in heavy urban traffic) and gear selection—looking at you, multi-point turn.
If you're one of those people who've written off one of Tesla's refreshed vehicles without physical stalks, I've got some good news for you: the aftermarket community has a fix.
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Tesla's Stalk Controversy
In 2021, Tesla decided to do away with the stalks in the refreshed Model S and X, replacing them with buttons located on either side of the steering wheel. The change was extremely controversial with folks either loving or hating the change. Now, the same stalkless design is featured in the refreshed Tesla Model 3.
Someone had a big brain moment and actually put aftermarket stalks back in the car which Tesla worked so hard to remove them from. And yes, it essentially functions and looks just like it was there from the factory.
Installation seems pretty straightforward, but it takes a bit of doing. Owners will need to tear down their steering column and fish some loomed wiring down to the center console trim where it will connect with the vehicle's existing harness. Once everything is connected and tightened down, it can be reassembled and taken on a test run.
It turns out that the community has been working on a solution for a while. Enhance (which makes the aftermarket S3XY Buttons and Knob) announced it was working on a similar product several months ago for the Highland before it was sold stateside.
And it's not just the Model 3 refresh that had people looking for a solution. In fact, older forum posts show that Model S and X owners found a workaround solution back in 2021 using the clockspring, stalks, and Steering Column Control Module (SCCM) out of a Tesla Model 3. But it wasn't plug-and-play—custom software had to be written as the refreshed Model S and X ignore the CAN messages sent by the Model 3 hardware.
It seems like a similar approach may have been taken with these new custom stalks, as they appear to use custom circuit boards and not the full SCCM—unsurprisingly, this same aftermarket part is also available for the Model S and X refresh.
It's both hilarious and ingenious that this product exists. The need is clearly there; people have been complaining about the lack of stalks online since they first debuted on the S and X nearly three years ago. Even official evaluations like the European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) call on automakers to bring back physical controls to cars for a better safety rating. And many new Model 3 owners don't seem thrilled with this decision either.
If I had to guess, this product will probably sell like hotcakes to anyone willing to tackle a fairly easy installation. At nearly $400, it's feels a bit pricey, but who can put a price on comfort, am I right? Plus, it's already showing up on AliExpress, so it's only a matter of time before multiple Tesla accessory vendors begin selling the accessory as well.
