Replacing a Steering wheel on a 6th Gen Civic
05-01-2004, 10:39 PM
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Replacing a Steering wheel on a 6th Gen Civic
I will attempt to be as thorough as possible.
To replace a Steering wheel on a 6th Generetaion 1996 to 2000 Honda Civic:
First, I have a 1996 Civic LX sedan. I got a replacement steering wheel (OEM) and replaced it with ease thanks to the Helms manual. Any info needed, email me at mparise58@yahoo.com and put Hondatech or Honda in the title.
Okay. Replacing a 96 Civic Steering wheel:
NOTE: Have your car level or facing slightly downhill, don’t have it face uphill at all.
NOTE: Steering wheel and wheels should be pointed as straight as possible.
NOTE: Airbag deployment can break your face. Use caution and don’t drop it so as not to set it off.
Step 1: Disconnect the negative battery connection wire. Use a 10mm wrench.
Step 2: Disconnect positive battery terminal wire. Use a 10mm wrench. Positive is the one with the red cover, although if you don’t know this, hire someone.
3: Wait 3 minutes so that the power drains. Yes, you loose with your radio stations and maybe adaptive strategy, but the airbag can break your face. 4. In the cabin, under the driver’s side dash, get under the steering wheel. The column’s plastic cover on the bottom has 3 screws that can be removed with a regular Phillips screwdriver.
5. The steering column cover (goes round the key (ignition) mechanism) is held together with plastic semi-locks? Whatever. Push the underside in a little, pull a tad, and get the 2 pieces apart. Lower the steering wheel to get these plastic covers off. Now you can see all the wires.
6. Under the dash, you will find in the column in the middle, a large yellow plastic connector and white plastic sort of holding it in place. Push the white plastic in and get that yellow connector out of its ‘holster’.
7. If you got this right, I guess there’s no way for me to check you, but it’s a 2 wire plug. Its yellow, and its got a rectangle in the middle. To disconnect this, pull on that middle part, you’ll notice a springy action. Get that unplugged. It auto-shorts. This is the connector for the airbag.
8. On the steering wheel, as you look at it from the front; the one piece in the middle with the H on it is the airbag unit. There is the actual wheel part. On the back of the wheel, feel around. This is plastic. On this plastic on the back of the wheel, are 3 shapes outlined. These must be removed. The one on the left (facing the wheel from drivers seat) can be popped off with a flathead screwdriver. The one on the right, um, you have to use the grip from your finger to push it toward the front of the car. It may flex, if so, get your fingernail under it and pop it off. It’s loosely held on. The middle panel is on the underside of the wheel. This can be popped off with a flathead screwdriver as well.
9. The underside most panel (the last one you popped off, there is another 2 wire connector under there. It’s a spring-loaded auto-short one like the one before. Do the same thing, and disconnect it. It should be held in the wheel by white plastic as well.
10. Ok, now those 2 plastic panels on the sides. Look in them; there are torx head screws. These are the two screws that hold the airbag in place. Use a T30 torx head screwdriver to unscrew one, then the other. Now only gravity is holding your airbag in place. Try to have a friend help now. Lift the airbag by its sides (it’s the center piece of your Honda steering wheel with the H on it). Slowly lift it away from the wheel, but stop at maybe 4 inches. Look in there, there is another wire holding it to the wheel. This is a single ground wire. It goes to a metal “L” looking piece of metal held by a screw. Push down on the clip and jiggle it a little. The “L”s tip has a hole in it for a better grip for that ground. When that is done, take the airbag out, put it on a carboard box that is level with the ground. Do not tip the airbag, store it face up. DO NOT DROP IT!!
11. If cruise control is there, reach around to the right side and feel for the 2 holes on this black box with the buttons. Each hole has a Phillips screw in it. Unbolt the two. Now look at the steering wheel with no airbag in it. You should see a plug going to the cruise control box. Unplug it, remove the cruise control button box, and unbolt the two bolts holding the cruise control bracket in place with a Phillips screwdriver.
12. Unplug the ground on that “L” in the steering wheel. It comes out of a hole in the steering wheel, that wire. Push on it and jiggle it like the one for the airbag ground.
13. If I didn’t forget anything, you should have a airbag out of the car, and wires hanging out of the hole in the steering wheel. Those wires attach to a buss of wire that coils (so when you turn the wheel.) The only thing holding the wheel on is a single bolt in the dead center of the steering wheel.
14. Use a 19mm socket head, a wratchet, and a extender to unbolt this bolt. You may have to hold the wheel too. Its 36lb-ft, so give it a tug if its never been removed. Its kinda a pain, this bolt. When that’s off, you’ll have to pull the steering wheel with a side to side shaky motion to get it off. Don’t pull too hard. The round coil thing with the buss may stick. When I pulled the wheel off, I had to feed the wires and heads through that hole. I pulled the wheel so hard, the buss coiling unwound. Its easy to wind back up.
15: Get those wires through the hole, and boom, your steering wheel is off.
16. If putting on a aftermarket one, use their instructions. I do not have directions for tricking the computer into thinking the airbag is attached when it isn’t. Plus, insurance won’t cover you in a accident cause you screwed with a 1000$ airbag that’s designed to save your life. Use it!
17. To put on the new wheel (or replacement OEM one), follow the instructions in reverse order. Push the new wheel on, but slide those wireheads through that hole before. 18. Rebolt everything. The steering wheel bolt is 36 lb-ft. The other screws, put them on as tight as before, but better too tight than too loose, especially with the torx head bolts holding the airbag in place. Do not forget to reconnect the airbag connectors in both places. Don’t put the steering wheel on upside down, there’s an arrow saying this side up, follow that.
When everything is connected, make sure the wheel is tight. Make sure those SRS yellow plugs are connected, or the computer will make a fuss over it. When connected in the car, go connect the positive battery connector, tight enough not to move. When you put the negative wire to the battery, it will spark. Just put it on at once, the spark is normal. But don’t keep sparking it. Then tighten that bolt on it.
Now that its installed, turn the key to On, and make sure it beeps, and the SRS light goes on, then off after a few seconds. Then the car is ready to go.
I’m sorry I have no pictures at the time. If you have any real problems, let me know. If you have trouble codes, I have a Helm’s manual and can look up stuff. Hope this helps the archive.
-Mike
To replace a Steering wheel on a 6th Generetaion 1996 to 2000 Honda Civic:
First, I have a 1996 Civic LX sedan. I got a replacement steering wheel (OEM) and replaced it with ease thanks to the Helms manual. Any info needed, email me at mparise58@yahoo.com and put Hondatech or Honda in the title.
Okay. Replacing a 96 Civic Steering wheel:
NOTE: Have your car level or facing slightly downhill, don’t have it face uphill at all.
NOTE: Steering wheel and wheels should be pointed as straight as possible.
NOTE: Airbag deployment can break your face. Use caution and don’t drop it so as not to set it off.
Step 1: Disconnect the negative battery connection wire. Use a 10mm wrench.
Step 2: Disconnect positive battery terminal wire. Use a 10mm wrench. Positive is the one with the red cover, although if you don’t know this, hire someone.
3: Wait 3 minutes so that the power drains. Yes, you loose with your radio stations and maybe adaptive strategy, but the airbag can break your face. 4. In the cabin, under the driver’s side dash, get under the steering wheel. The column’s plastic cover on the bottom has 3 screws that can be removed with a regular Phillips screwdriver.
5. The steering column cover (goes round the key (ignition) mechanism) is held together with plastic semi-locks? Whatever. Push the underside in a little, pull a tad, and get the 2 pieces apart. Lower the steering wheel to get these plastic covers off. Now you can see all the wires.
6. Under the dash, you will find in the column in the middle, a large yellow plastic connector and white plastic sort of holding it in place. Push the white plastic in and get that yellow connector out of its ‘holster’.
7. If you got this right, I guess there’s no way for me to check you, but it’s a 2 wire plug. Its yellow, and its got a rectangle in the middle. To disconnect this, pull on that middle part, you’ll notice a springy action. Get that unplugged. It auto-shorts. This is the connector for the airbag.
8. On the steering wheel, as you look at it from the front; the one piece in the middle with the H on it is the airbag unit. There is the actual wheel part. On the back of the wheel, feel around. This is plastic. On this plastic on the back of the wheel, are 3 shapes outlined. These must be removed. The one on the left (facing the wheel from drivers seat) can be popped off with a flathead screwdriver. The one on the right, um, you have to use the grip from your finger to push it toward the front of the car. It may flex, if so, get your fingernail under it and pop it off. It’s loosely held on. The middle panel is on the underside of the wheel. This can be popped off with a flathead screwdriver as well.
9. The underside most panel (the last one you popped off, there is another 2 wire connector under there. It’s a spring-loaded auto-short one like the one before. Do the same thing, and disconnect it. It should be held in the wheel by white plastic as well.
10. Ok, now those 2 plastic panels on the sides. Look in them; there are torx head screws. These are the two screws that hold the airbag in place. Use a T30 torx head screwdriver to unscrew one, then the other. Now only gravity is holding your airbag in place. Try to have a friend help now. Lift the airbag by its sides (it’s the center piece of your Honda steering wheel with the H on it). Slowly lift it away from the wheel, but stop at maybe 4 inches. Look in there, there is another wire holding it to the wheel. This is a single ground wire. It goes to a metal “L” looking piece of metal held by a screw. Push down on the clip and jiggle it a little. The “L”s tip has a hole in it for a better grip for that ground. When that is done, take the airbag out, put it on a carboard box that is level with the ground. Do not tip the airbag, store it face up. DO NOT DROP IT!!
11. If cruise control is there, reach around to the right side and feel for the 2 holes on this black box with the buttons. Each hole has a Phillips screw in it. Unbolt the two. Now look at the steering wheel with no airbag in it. You should see a plug going to the cruise control box. Unplug it, remove the cruise control button box, and unbolt the two bolts holding the cruise control bracket in place with a Phillips screwdriver.
12. Unplug the ground on that “L” in the steering wheel. It comes out of a hole in the steering wheel, that wire. Push on it and jiggle it like the one for the airbag ground.
13. If I didn’t forget anything, you should have a airbag out of the car, and wires hanging out of the hole in the steering wheel. Those wires attach to a buss of wire that coils (so when you turn the wheel.) The only thing holding the wheel on is a single bolt in the dead center of the steering wheel.
14. Use a 19mm socket head, a wratchet, and a extender to unbolt this bolt. You may have to hold the wheel too. Its 36lb-ft, so give it a tug if its never been removed. Its kinda a pain, this bolt. When that’s off, you’ll have to pull the steering wheel with a side to side shaky motion to get it off. Don’t pull too hard. The round coil thing with the buss may stick. When I pulled the wheel off, I had to feed the wires and heads through that hole. I pulled the wheel so hard, the buss coiling unwound. Its easy to wind back up.
15: Get those wires through the hole, and boom, your steering wheel is off.
16. If putting on a aftermarket one, use their instructions. I do not have directions for tricking the computer into thinking the airbag is attached when it isn’t. Plus, insurance won’t cover you in a accident cause you screwed with a 1000$ airbag that’s designed to save your life. Use it!
17. To put on the new wheel (or replacement OEM one), follow the instructions in reverse order. Push the new wheel on, but slide those wireheads through that hole before. 18. Rebolt everything. The steering wheel bolt is 36 lb-ft. The other screws, put them on as tight as before, but better too tight than too loose, especially with the torx head bolts holding the airbag in place. Do not forget to reconnect the airbag connectors in both places. Don’t put the steering wheel on upside down, there’s an arrow saying this side up, follow that.
When everything is connected, make sure the wheel is tight. Make sure those SRS yellow plugs are connected, or the computer will make a fuss over it. When connected in the car, go connect the positive battery connector, tight enough not to move. When you put the negative wire to the battery, it will spark. Just put it on at once, the spark is normal. But don’t keep sparking it. Then tighten that bolt on it.
Now that its installed, turn the key to On, and make sure it beeps, and the SRS light goes on, then off after a few seconds. Then the car is ready to go.
I’m sorry I have no pictures at the time. If you have any real problems, let me know. If you have trouble codes, I have a Helm’s manual and can look up stuff. Hope this helps the archive.
-Mike
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