andrewcliffe
Active Member
How to: Replace steering wheel / combination switch / airbag sensor / airbag / cruise control switch
Done by myself 02.12.08 on 1999 C43 (facelift W202) Similar on all W202 cars.
In order to replace the combination switch, here is how I did it.
1. Disconnect battery - do not shut bootlid
2. Pull steering wheel to its maximum reach (for driver with shortest arms)
3. Using a Torx 30 'allen' key of approximately 8 - 10 cm long, undo the two screws which hold the airbag in place and horn in place.
4. With a tippex marker pen, mark the positions of the yellow and grey horn contacts and with a knife blade or flat screwdriver prise off the yellow airbag contact. Mark orientation of the plug with the airbag unit. Store airbag.
5. Friend needed. With a 10mm allen socket on a long breaker bar, undo the steering wheel retaining bolt. One friend holds steering wheel, you undo nut. Do not rely on the steering column lock - you could break it.
6. before removing steering wheel, mark position of spline against steering wheel. On my car there was a little orange mark on the spline which matched against a missing tooth on the steering wheel.
7. airbag contact removal time. Black disk with two holes. Turn to one side or another to expose two screws. Gently ease out the airbag sensor.
8. Now you can undo the three screws which hold the stalks in place. Cruise comes out first and can dangle in mid air. You need to unplug the connector on the back, and also the two contacts. Require squeezing together and move outwards towards you until they are free.
9. You can now replace all the bits in the reverse procedure. Line up marks you made to ensure steering wheel goes on in the correct place. Torque to 80Nm, I put a dab of loctite on the screw as well.
10. If you close the boot earlier, you'll find it may not undo... Open bonnet and on LH side near bulkhead is a plastic box with a lid. Open this. Using a spare 12v battery and jumpleads connect +ve to this and -ve to something on the engine that will act as an earth. I pulled the front plastic cover off and clipped directly onto engine. Turn ignition to 1st stage and you should be able to pop the boot. Now disconnect slave battery and reconnect master battery.
Hopefully it will all go together easily enough.
Tools:
Torx30 allen key
Breaker bar with a 10mm allen key socket
Small phillips screwdriver
Flat headed screwdriver
One friend
Torque wrench
tippex pen
Done by myself 02.12.08 on 1999 C43 (facelift W202) Similar on all W202 cars.
In order to replace the combination switch, here is how I did it.
1. Disconnect battery - do not shut bootlid
2. Pull steering wheel to its maximum reach (for driver with shortest arms)
3. Using a Torx 30 'allen' key of approximately 8 - 10 cm long, undo the two screws which hold the airbag in place and horn in place.
4. With a tippex marker pen, mark the positions of the yellow and grey horn contacts and with a knife blade or flat screwdriver prise off the yellow airbag contact. Mark orientation of the plug with the airbag unit. Store airbag.
5. Friend needed. With a 10mm allen socket on a long breaker bar, undo the steering wheel retaining bolt. One friend holds steering wheel, you undo nut. Do not rely on the steering column lock - you could break it.
6. before removing steering wheel, mark position of spline against steering wheel. On my car there was a little orange mark on the spline which matched against a missing tooth on the steering wheel.
7. airbag contact removal time. Black disk with two holes. Turn to one side or another to expose two screws. Gently ease out the airbag sensor.
8. Now you can undo the three screws which hold the stalks in place. Cruise comes out first and can dangle in mid air. You need to unplug the connector on the back, and also the two contacts. Require squeezing together and move outwards towards you until they are free.
9. You can now replace all the bits in the reverse procedure. Line up marks you made to ensure steering wheel goes on in the correct place. Torque to 80Nm, I put a dab of loctite on the screw as well.
10. If you close the boot earlier, you'll find it may not undo... Open bonnet and on LH side near bulkhead is a plastic box with a lid. Open this. Using a spare 12v battery and jumpleads connect +ve to this and -ve to something on the engine that will act as an earth. I pulled the front plastic cover off and clipped directly onto engine. Turn ignition to 1st stage and you should be able to pop the boot. Now disconnect slave battery and reconnect master battery.
Hopefully it will all go together easily enough.
Tools:
Torx30 allen key
Breaker bar with a 10mm allen key socket
Small phillips screwdriver
Flat headed screwdriver
One friend
Torque wrench
tippex pen
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