Replace original steering wheel

I worked at a salvage yard for a while. During that time I pulled hundreds of airbags. I thought I'd share a few things.

I've provided this as a supplement solution, not a replacement. It provides important additional information you need to be aware of when working on or around SIR (Supplemental Individual Restraint) airbag systems. It lists the potential dangers of doing so and the appropriate precautions against accidental premature deployment. Any work done on the steering column should include this.

Precautions for working with and handling airbags: Take these Seriously!!!

• Alway wear safety glasses.
• Control the environment - no kids, pets, people horsing around.
  
• Disconnect the negative battery terminal. After you are done, make sure no one is inside the vehicle when you reconnect the battery. If your vehicle has an anti-theft system, you'll need to get your activation codes to reset your sound system.
• Do not use solvents to clean your airbags. They may ignite if accidentally deployed. Use only a damp cloth.
  
• Airbags are sensitive to heat in excess of 190 degrees F. Store them accordingly.
  
• Airbags are sensitive to impact - handle them carefully
• Airbags are sensitive to static electricity - ground yourself, Spray the seat and rug with fabric softener (anti-static - ever heard the term 'static cling')
• Wires for the SIR are bright yellow, the connectors are labeled.
• In addition to forward mounted sensors, there are also three sensors in the dash.
  
• Do not use voltage testers or VOM's on SIR wiring.
• Do not haphazardly disconnect airbag components
  
• Be safe
• Be aware
  

Disable the system:

• Turn the wheel to the straight ahead position
• Lock the ignition and remove the key
• Disconnect the negative battery cable. Be advised, this alone will not render the system safe. The diagnostic module can retain a charge
• Remove the airbag fuse (refer to fuse block cover for location)
• At the bottom of the steering column locate the Airbag connector. (Yellow wire, yellow conduit)
• You may need to remove the sound insulator panel beneath the instruments to access it
• Disconnect the plug

The system is now disabled. That does not mean you can let your guard down. It means that you can now continue working around the system with a higher degree of safety. Continue to observe all safety precautions. Airbags should be handled with caution at all times.

Be safe
Mike

To remove steering wheel usually begins with dis-assembly of the horn cover. Most cars horn covers are held in place by two screws located at rear side of the steering wheel.

Once horn cover is removed youll be able to undo the main nut.

A 4-ended wheel nut spanner or large socket & breaker-bar works best.

Most factory fitted steering wheels can be a very tight fit and will require a fair bit of wiggling and wobbling to work themselves free from the steering column itself, be persistent and work your way around the wheel in a circular fashion to pry it loose.

If its really stuck,You may need to replace the main nut by a few turns ,( to prevent damage to the steeing column's thread), and hit it with a hammer downwards a couple of times.


ALL Sport steering wheels attach to a part called a ' Bosch Kit ' that is suited for whatever model car you have and the amount of "teeth" on the steering column's thread, usually the number is stamped onto the factory s/wheel or column.

So whatever non-factory wheel you chose will require a bosch kit that matches both parts.

They are sold separatley and usually cost as much as the wheel itself !! :P

Here's a site that will explain everything you need to know about airbag lights and resetting the system. http://www.airbagsolutions.com/ This website gives you the procedure for diagnosing and resetting airbag lights. See if your car is listed here. Although it's a pay site ($14.95/day), it's a lot cheaper than going to the dealer http://www.airbagsolutions.com/vehicles_list.aspx On most vehicles, the airbag light should come on for @6 seconds, and then go off if the system is working properly. If there is a fault or a problem in the system, the light will remain illuminated, or flash continuously. If the airbag light does not work properly, some vehicles have an audible tone that sounds indicating a problem with the airbag light system. When the light is on (or the tone is sounding), the airbag will NOT deploy, even in an accident. The flashing light on your car is telling the answer you need. On some vehicles, the light is flashing a two digit code. Once you know the code, you can most likely repair it yourself. There are fairly easy procedures that most people are capable of repairing. Airbagsolutions.com has the fault code charts to tell you what is wrong and how to fix it!
Some vehicle manufacturers accommodate systems without a scanner (like Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, Infinity, Honda, Acura, Ford, Lincoln, Mazda & Mercury) and some require a scan tool.

Im looking for airbags nissan altima 2003