Steering Gear Replacement Guidelines
Provides guidelines on replacing steering gear after a collision. 
For safety, the steering gear must be replaced after a collision or any impact that results in any of the following conditions:
- Changes in the operation of the steering gear, as described in “Changes in the Operation of the Steering Gear.”
- The vehicle cannot be aligned within specifications using normal adjustment procedures, as described in “Alignment Issues.”
- Damage to any of the components listed in “Component Damage".
Warning
Always replace a steering gear that has visible external damage.
Warning
During a collision or an
impact, a shock can be transmitted to the steering gear through another component, and cause
damage to the steering gear components or internal seals that is not externally visible.
Internal damage to the steering gear components or seals will lead to steering gear failure or
hinder the operation of the steering gear. Because it is not feasible to test for internal
steering gear damage or damaged seals at the repair facility, the conditions listed in this
document must be used to assess whether to replace a steering gear after a collision or other
impact.
Note
Use only new, genuine Tesla parts. Do not
replace steering gear components with used, recycled, or aftermarket parts or components.
Contact Tesla Collision Repair with any questions on these guidelines or on a specific repair.
Changes in the Operation of the Steering Gear
Replace the steering gear after a collision or other impact that results in any
of the following issues when turning the steering wheel from stop to stop:
- Jamming
- Catching
- An increase in the effort needed to turn the wheel compared to a non-damaged steering gear
Testing the Operation of the Steering Gear
To test the operation of the steering gear:
- Move the vehicle to a flat and level surface.
- Power off the vehicle.
- Power on the vehicle, but do not press the brake pedal.
- Turn the steering wheel from stop to stop.
- Power off the vehicle.
- Raise the front wheels so that they move freely.
- Turn the steering wheel from stop to stop.
Alignment Issues
Perform a four wheel alignment. If the front wheels cannot be aligned within the specifications listed in the Service Manual (General Information > Technical Data > Wheel alignment) using normal adjustment procedures, replace the steering gear.
Component Damage
Replace the steering gear after a collision or other impact that damages any of the following:
Note
The following images are representative of
the components, and may not look exactly like the components on the vehicle.
| Component | Image |
|---|---|
Steering:
|
|
Drive:
|
|
Suspension:
|
|
Subframe:
|
|