Woman Goes To Autozone. Then She Buys LED Lights For Her Steering Wheel—It’s Not Just Her
"I actually got this a few months ago."
Customizing your ride is a rite of passage for many drivers. These days, there’s scarcely a square inch of a vehicle that can’t be augmented to suit the owner’s taste.
A woman went to AutoZone and purchased an LED light steering wheel cover, perhaps hoping to give her car a little razzle dazzle.
Gabriella (@bella817_) recently documented her AutoZone purchase on TikTok, which has garnered over 287,600 views as of this writing.
“This is your sign to come to AutoZone and buy this for your steering wheel,” Gabriella begins.
She purchased the Type S drive and glow steering wheel cover for $30. The LED steering wheel cover lights up with a variety of colors.
“We’re going to see if it fits on the car. If not, they will give you 90 days for you to return it,” she continues, adding that an AutoZone employee told her to charge the lights before installing them.
Her excitement was short-lived, however. In a follow-up TikTok, Gabriella shows the LED steering wheel cover illuminating a soft pink color. But it’s not exactly what she envisioned.
“So it works but then it takes a long time to turn on,” she says.
In addition to the delayed start-up time, the steering wheel requires an adapter with a sticky pad.
“My honest review is don’t buy it. This adapter is only here and you have to take the sticker out and the grip is going to go away,” she shares.
Gabriella believes that she’d be better off charging the cover outside of the vehicle, which is arguably inconvenient.
“It’s not worth it for me,” she says. “Don’t buy it. Don’t waste your $33. Go ahead and buy your little Starbs with the little pastry. This is no bueno," she says.
Are Steering Wheel Covers Safe?
For some, steering wheel covers elevate the car's interior aesthetic and overall vibe.
However, others believe steering wheel covers should be banned for safety purposes. Their two main concerns are that they may impede drivers’ grip on the wheel and affect the airbags’ functionality.
While most are designed to increase control and improve comfort, when the cover is loose, drivers’ hands may slip on the wheel.
Regarding airbags, some believe adding a cover hinders proper deployment in an accident. Most covers are designed with this in mind, however. However, it is crucial to select a steering wheel cover that fits properly so the airbags deploy as designed.
LEDs add other potential risks. TTD Craft reports that installing LED lights on the airbag cover itself can cause the airbag to fail, change its trajectory during deployment, or generate “high-speed flying debris.” They also purportedly create electrical risks.
LED steering wheel covers like Gabriella's need to be installed so that the adapter and batteries don’t interfere with the driver’s movements or divert their attention from the road.
How Does The AutoZone LED Steering Wheel Light Cover Fare?
Reviews for the LED light steering wheel Gabriella purchased line up with her assessment. On AutoZone's website, it has a 3.1 out of 5 stars.
“Bought it and was sliding it on my steering wheel and it literally fell apart in the electric wiring connection inside,” one reviewer wrote.
“Although it says it fits my steering wheel, it didn't,” another claimed.
“It didn't work, of course. I had to stretch it to fit my steering wheel which caused it to break the connection inside to the lights,” a third complained.
Some viewers were grateful for the honest review on the LED steering wheel cover.
“The review we were waiting for,” one wrote.
Others disagreed with her take.
“I actually got this a few months ago. They give you a sticky tab and I put it behind the steering wheel. Sooo all you have to do is take the charger out and the plug stays,” one offered.
“I’ve had mine for 8 months now and it’s definitely worth it… It’s not meant to be running all day because you can’t see the lights. It’s only for night and haven’t had to charge mine yet. If you put the adapter in the right spot you don’t have to worry about anything. It’s easy,” another said.
Motor1 has contacted Gabriella via Instagram and TikTok direct message. We have contacted AutoZone via email. This post will be updated if either responds.
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