VE Steering Wheel Removal - How To Take Off The Airbag

[RiCeY]

The official word from Holden:

Warning: When performing service on or near the SIR components or the SIR wiring, the SIR system must be disabled. Refer to SIR Disabling and Enabling . Failure to observe the correct procedure could cause deployment of the SIR components, personal injury, or unnecessary SIR system repairs.

Note: The inflatable restraint sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) maintains a reserved energy supply. The reserved energy supply provides deployment power for the SIR air bags. Deployment power may be available for up to 60 seconds after disconnecting the vehicle power. Disabling the SIR system prevents deployment of the SIR air bags from the reserved energy supply.

I'm guessing if there was zero risk they wouldn't tell you to disable the system.

 

[Lecko]

Hey guys, I changed the wheel all sweet with that disconnected the battery then did it. Plugged the battery back in now it chucks the stability control off and I can't turn it back on. What did I do wrong here haha

 

[Wheatley098]

Great post thanks a lot i just bought a new Red hot wheel for my VE Calais and thanks to your post i had it fitted in 20 minutes the wheel itself was not a problem to pull off as it is on a parallel spline so once i undid the torx bolt it pulled straight off on it can only go back on in the same spot due to the design of the spline.I decided just to disconnect the battery rather than remove the fuse it was simple.The bigger the blade on the screwdriver the better as i just turned it but the screwdriver has to be short enough to fit behind the wheel with out being too long and the dash getting in the road.
Cheers
Redmick

So the VE wheel goes on the way it came off? If so then that is such a stress reliever!

 

[TAS1981]

Hi guys, noob here.

Bought an SSV 2007, the leather trim that sits on top of the two lateral spokes of my wheel is slightly upward pointing, ie not completely flush behind the media controls and level with the top of the airbag pad.

It seems to me that it's possible at some point the airbag has been deployed and bent the plastic underneath maybe? Or am I being paranoid? Can't find a single other indicator of an accident??

Cheers- Tom

 

[Wheatley098]

I've decided on pulling the battery of aswell as the fuse, But how would I move the steering wheel without the car locking the wheel in place? (VE Saftey Mech)

 

[Veberlina]

Just got my new HSV wheel installed, took about an hour not too bad. A few
more tips:

- practice lifting the rods on the wheel youre installing, this will give you a good idea of what you have to do and you wont be stabbing around blind
- its easier with with a thin nail punch
- when putting the airbag back on just press it firmly into the cavity in ur steering wheel, it just clips in
- the plugs on the airbag are removed by pressing the switch on the side and levering them from underneath with a small screwdriver
- just dc ur battery and wait 30 mins, u can still turn the wheel with the key in the ignition using a small amount of force. This is the safest and easiest way to unclip both sides of the airbag.

The results:

 

[bosmonaut]

I disconnected the battery when i did mine. I saw some people say it was ok to just pull the fuse but as the VE has so many fuses I didn't want to risk it in case the air bag circuit is getting supporting power from another system. I had no issues with mine requiring Tech 2 ing. not that it would matter. I've got a tech 2 anyway lol

 

[Red Centre Bluey]

Read right thru the whole thread to get removal instructions, and saw other folks tips, much good advice.

But...

Do NOT do what scrounga said and use a 'near enough' Allen Key (hex tool) on the bolt. use the RIGHT tool, they are cheap enough, even the 'expensive' ones, and will fit the tool opening properly. You wouldnt use A/F sockets on metric nuts/bolts, nor Pozidrive screwdrivers in Phillips head screws, or vice-versa, they WILL damage the fastener.

Regarding turning the wheel 180 degrees to access the second clip, raise the front of the car on a jack, just enough to lift the front wheels off the ground.

I am also sure most all the vehicles have adjustable steering columns, so pull the wheel all the way out, and all the way down to help get it away from the cluster and improve access. Duhh!

 

[VE-Jay]

Alot of people have been asking how to remove the steering wheel on a VE.. so here is a bit of a guide on how to do it.

Step 1:
Locate and remove the airbag fuse (look in the passenger footwell). I like to switch the car to 'on' after I have pulled the fuse just to check that I have the right one. It will come up with 'Airbag Fault' if you have done it correctly. Some people say to remove one side of the battery too, that is entirely up to you.

Step 2:
Turn the steering wheel 90° left

Step 3:
Feel behind the steering wheel and locate a square hole (circled in red)

Step 4:
This is where it can get fiddly. Put a flat blade screw driver in the hole with the blade running horizontal (as shown by the red line in the previous picture).

Basically you are trying to pull the retaining clip away from the airbag hooks. The clip system has been traced in red (on one side only) to give you a better idea of how it works. The green circles are the springs which hold both sides of the clip system together.

This is a close up of one side of the clip.

The screw driver blade will go behind the red circle and the two red arrows are where the airbag hook underneath. When you lever the screw driver upwards it will pull the clip across enough to 'pop' out one side of the airbag.

Step 5:
Turn the wheel 90° right and repeat. The airbag will now come off freely.

Step 6:
Unclip the blue and orange plugs that go to the airbag.

Step 7 (for total removal of steering wheel):
This is only going from memory (but it isn't too hard to work out what is going on).
Unclip the white plug in the center of the steering wheel

Step 8:
Undo the big torx nut in the middle using a T45 torx bit and you are done.
EDIT: I've been told a T50 works better but I haven't tried it myself.


Like I said, it is very fiddly and might take some time to actually get the airbag off but once you know what you are doing and how the clip system works it is pretty easy. If you have any questions or if I haven't explained something properly here just post and I will try and answer them.

Alot of people have been asking how to remove the steering wheel on a VE.. so here is a bit of a guide on how to do it.

Step 1:
Locate and remove the airbag fuse (look in the passenger footwell). I like to switch the car to 'on' after I have pulled the fuse just to check that I have the right one. It will come up with 'Airbag Fault' if you have done it correctly. Some people say to remove one side of the battery too, that is entirely up to you.

Step 2:
Turn the steering wheel 90° left

Step 3:
Feel behind the steering wheel and locate a square hole (circled in red)

Step 4:
This is where it can get fiddly. Put a flat blade screw driver in the hole with the blade running horizontal (as shown by the red line in the previous picture).

Basically you are trying to pull the retaining clip away from the airbag hooks. The clip system has been traced in red (on one side only) to give you a better idea of how it works. The green circles are the springs which hold both sides of the clip system together.

This is a close up of one side of the clip.

The screw driver blade will go behind the red circle and the two red arrows are where the airbag hook underneath. When you lever the screw driver upwards it will pull the clip across enough to 'pop' out one side of the airbag.

Step 5:
Turn the wheel 90° right and repeat. The airbag will now come off freely.

Step 6:
Unclip the blue and orange plugs that go to the airbag.

Step 7 (for total removal of steering wheel):
This is only going from memory (but it isn't too hard to work out what is going on).
Unclip the white plug in the center of the steering wheel

Step 8:
Undo the big torx nut in the middle using a T45 torx bit and you are done.
EDIT: I've been told a T50 works better but I haven't tried it myself.


Like I said, it is very fiddly and might take some time to actually get the airbag off but once you know what you are doing and how the clip system works it is pretty easy. If you have any questions or if I haven't explained something properly here just post and I will try and answer them.

Outstanding post which I’m reading years later. Is there any reason I can’t see your photos though? I’m trying to find the technique when removing the air bag through the two small holes.

 

[Timmaay]

So the VE wheel goes on the way it came off? If so then that is such a stress reliever!

I know this is an old thread, but I'm reading it because I'd like to straighten my wheel a bit, it points to the right by about 1 spline when driving straight ahead. Can it be moved, or is it on a master spline? If that's the case, I guess the only other way to do it would be to get a toe adjustment....