2008 Z06 Steering Wheel Removal

[Denis]

Looking for advice on removing the steering wheel on my Z06 To have it refurbished but have never taken a steering wheel of a car with a airbag before. It will be going back on again afterwards obviously but will be off the car for a couple of weeks, just concerned about it throwing codes etc.

Any advice from people that have done this.

 

[Stingray]

Assuming you are going to disconnect the battery before you start - as is always advised when going anywhere near an airbag - I cannot see there is any question of Codes being triggered. Disconnect the battery, go and do something else for 20 minutes, then consider getting to work. Do not reconnect the battery until the steering wheel is back on and fully wired up.

This from the web,
"Disconnecting the negative battery cable is the first essential step toward preventing accidental deployment when working on or near air bag systems. In fact, it's the primary precaution recommended to emergency service personnel attempting to remove injured people from crashed cars with undeployed air bags. But that's by no means all you need to know about preventing injury while working on or around air bag systems.

"Some air bags can deploy even if the battery is disconnected. This reserve electrical energy is built into some systems to enable the air bags to deploy in the event the battery is destroyed in a front-end collision. Generally, the reserve energy lasts for about two minutes. So if you were to disconnect the battery and immediately go to work on or near an air bag component, you might get more than you bargained for. You'd be wise to wait 10 minutes or more before assuming an air bag system has been deactivated."

 

[Denis]

Thanks Stingray knew about disconnecting the battery but a reminder never hurt's. Would definitely disconnect both terminals to be totally confident and probably leave over night, over cautious I know but better then the alternative

 

[teamzr1]

Keep in mind if you disconnect the battery, then all controllers will lose all setting and will have to be relearned again or reset by you

Decide if doing that or instead pulling fuses for the SIR, SDM or steering wheel airbag
I have attached 200 pages of the GM service manual for C6s for all safety devices as a PDF
Refer to starting at page 102-104

As for engine relearn, allow engine coolant to warm up
then idle for another 5 minutes
then turn A/C on full blast (the coldest temp setting), idle another 5 minutes
Go for like a 20-mile drive, mix up your drive style, engine loads but do NOT do WOT until
getting at least 10 miles driven
This allows the PCM to relearn such as fuel trims, timing, engine knock, etc

 

[Stingray]

I have attached 200 pages of the GM service manual.....

In this wacky world there comes a point where "copious data" and "useful information" are not necessarily the same thing!

Have a good one....

 

[Tattooboy]

Done mine, 2006, piece of cake. Just disconnected the battery and left for 15 mins for any residue power to dissipate, then there’s 2 holes at 3 and 9 o’clock that you need a thin Allen key to push in and release the metal sprung retainers, then the airbag pops off. Gentle disconnect the 2 air bag wires and you then get access to the centre nut. Undo nut a little, then give the wheel a good hit from behind, then completely undo the nut and remove the wheel. Really is simple. Never needed to do the above suggested info, only thing I done was relearn the windows.

 

[Denis]

Thanks for the responses all manage to remove it yesterday, it’s now off getting a makeover

 

[Denis]

Well got my steering wheel back after it’s modification and have to say it is so much better then the standard one. The quality is superb and feels so much better

 

[craigyboy]

Nice upgrade and who did the work?

 

[Denis]

It was done by Royal Steering wheels in Great Missenden