euroben
Established member
I’m planning on making this same upgrade. Have bought one from Italy for a good price. When it arrives I hope it’s an easy job
Technical Panda steering wheel upgrade.
- Thread starter The Pretender
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Technical Panda steering wheel upgrade.
I changed mine to the flat bottom wheel it’s plug and play but the air bag is slight different my old airbag fitted but it sits up slightly if I was to do it again when you buy the steering wheel also take the airbagI'm thinking about upgrading my steering wheel to a 2017 steering wheel.
I don't like the edge in it, an unnatural feel with edge in the middle.
How my present steering wheel look like.
2017 steering wheel.
Buttons and airbag look exactly the same to me, it must be plug&play IMHO.
euroben
Established member
The airbag is the same part number so I don’t think it has changed as far as I can see. Are you sure it is seated correctly?
Hi yes sir it’s in and seated correctly it works just fine as I said if I was to do it again I would have bought the airbag with the steering wheel
euroben
Established member
I haven’t fitted mine yet but I have kept my original airbag. I checked with Fiat and they said the airbag module is the same part number and is unchanged. But your comment suggests it’s not. I wonder if the original poster has had this issue as well.
Don’t get me wrong it works and works prefect I got it on eBay for £60
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euroben
Established member
Looks perfect! Are those rubber fiat panda mats I see? I didn’t think they made them for RHD…
Your right they didn’t so I bought a set for a left hand drive I just swapped over the front two steering wheel wise Iam just being picky Iam more than happy with it and would recommend doing it very handy job done
euroben
Established member
Any tips for getting the air bag out? I can’t get mine popped off. What tool did you use for the holes?I'm thinking about upgrading my steering wheel to a 2017 steering wheel.
I don't like the edge in it, an unnatural feel with edge in the middle.
How my present steering wheel look like.
2017 steering wheel.
Buttons and airbag look exactly the same to me, it must be plug&play IMHO.
I gave up and got my mechanic to do it. He struggled too!
I used a small flat headed screwdriver the knack is when you get one side popped don’t lift it up to high just enough then go and pop the other side it has to come off near enough level I watch a guy on YouTube
euroben
Established member
How far in did you have to push the screwdriver? I don’t seem to be able to feel anything to release when I poke in the hole with a screw driver but I’m wondering if it’s too short?
How you can go in a lot more but you will be passing the spring the way I done it was use the screwdriver with one had and catch the airbag with the other so if you push the spring you can lift the airbag up
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You need a suitably sized round bar or say a 4 or 5mm hex key. Here's some photos I took (with airbag out) to try and illustrate where and what you have to press on and the clips that you are trying to free it from. I suspect in an ideal world you press both in simultaneously while someone gently pulls the airbag away from the wheel. If you do one at a time you have to keep some upward force (outwards from the steering column) while you tackle the second clip or it just pops back in. It is doable!!
In an ideal world you'd use something with a slight dip/vee on the end, the better to locate on the spring, a bit like an old-fashioned fishermens' disgorger. I note how 'mashed' the surround is on the images above!
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Yes, well observed, not my mashing! Someone had been there before me
Good suggestion re tooling; also if you get close to matching the hole diameter it has no where to go.
euroben
Established member
How hard do you need to push to release the spring? I’m just worried about breaking it!
The spring is tough as old boots, no chance of breaking it. The best tool is either something with a forked end which allows it to 'capture' the spring's round section or as I used, a pin punch of about 5-6mm diameter with a flat end. You need to persevere, getting the exact right angle is difficult and needs practice. I nearly gave up but finally managed it in the end.
It’s one of the most hateful jobs to do very frustrating it must have took me an hour the first time the second time no problem
