Steering wheel change

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Introduction

This guide explains how to demount and install Jimny's steering wheel.

There may be several reasons to do this:

1. To repair/refurbish a worn steering wheel
2. To replace the air bag module or the horn button(s)
3. To replace the ordinary wheel with a half-leather premium factory wheel
4. To replace the ordinary wheel with a fancy sexy wheel from another vehicle

Types of steering wheels and airbags

• In research conducted by forum user Talkstar, he noticed that all Suzuki vehicles use the same type of spline connector for the steering wheel and for the steering column.
• Therefore, it should be physically possible to exchange any steering wheel between all or most Suzuki vehicle models.

• However, depending on year of manufacture, it may or may not be 100% possible to swap any existing airbags among the lineup as well.
• Talkstar's research found the following regarding the airbag wiring connector in the steering wheel:
  • Suzuki cars manufactured until 2004 use a rudimentary larger connector, similar to the connector used in Mitsubishi vehicles.
  • Suzuki cars manufactured after 2004 use a smaller connector, similar to an Toyota connector.

• It is also possible that an air bag module from a different wheel type might not be compatible with the air bag control computer in the vehicle.
  • Connecting an incompatible air bag module and then turning the vehicle on might trigger a false alarm to the air bag computer, causing the air bag to explode!

• While it is technically possible to cut off the airbag connector and then solder, splice and/or crimp the wires to a different loom, this may not be an advisable solution.
  • Any such improvisation is messing with the SRS system and subsequently altering the electrical resistance in the system.
  • If you are really unlucky, the airbag might not work in the moment when you need it the most, or it might work in the moment when you need it the least.

There have been three models of steering wheels used on Jimnys 3:

• 

  The 1st type used from 1998 to 2005

• 

  The 2nd type used from 2005 to 2014

• 

  The 3rd type used from 2014 to 2018

This guide currently refers precisely to the 2nd type.

The procedure should be quite similar for the 1st and 3rd types too, but it has not been tried on those wheel types.

Checking compatibility of air bag module

If you will not be returning your original air bag module in the steering wheel after replacing the steering wheel (if a new air bag module will be installed), then don't forget to compare all the inscriptions on the back of your old air bag module (after you remove it from the steering wheel) with the replacement air bag module!

You can be certain that the air bag modules are mutually compatible only if the replacement one is the same model and revision as the old one!

Preparations for radio controls

Introduction

This chapter is optional. It applies only if you wish to make use of the radio controls on a new steering wheel which you wish to install.

Steering wheels from some relatively newer Suzuki cars have radio controls built in into them. These controls are not going to work with Jimny 3 standard clockspring. To make them work, there are two solutions: One risky and one safer.

• Jimny 3 uses an older version of clockspring.
  • It is much flatter than Suzukis newer springs.
• Jimny 3 clocksprings are fully integrated into the indicator assembly with four screws.
• A newer model clockspring, which are stand-alone units, simply will not fit due to the different size and how they are set up to work.

Solution A

This is the "safe" solution.

• Obtain a Liana or Vitara XL7 clockspring.
  • They are 100% the same as the Jimny 3 spring and fit straight out of the box.
  • Airbag connector is same as well.

• If you find a Liana clockspring, make sure it has the extra leads for audio controls.
  • Not all Lianas have audio controls.
    • Talkstar's research shows that only the top spec Lianas under last two years of production came with audio controls.
• All Vitaras XL7 have audio controls and leads for cruise control.
  • Therefore, there are 5 additional leads inside a Vitara XL7 clockspring apart from the airbag leads.

• Compare both clocksprings (OEM Jimny vs Liana/XL7).
• Notice that the tabs holding the clockspring on to the indicator canceller differ in height.
  • OEM Jimny has a lower profile than Liana/XL7.
• You have to cut or grind down the tabs on the Liana/XL7 clockspring about 3 to 4 mm (preferably using a dremel-alike tool) for it to sit flush with the indicator canceller.
  • If you do not grind it down, the new steering wheel will not seat properly and might damage your Liana/XL7 clockspring.

• Now the OEM Jimny clockspring can be swapped for a slightly modified Liana or XL7 one.
• Done! Now you have prepared your Jimny 3 for working with steering wheel buttons on a new steering wheel.

Solution B

This is a risky solution - use it only if a donor vehicle for solution A is not available.

• To make use of any buttons on the steering wheel, two new leads have to be added to carry the information from the wheel through the clockspring and out on the other side of the clockspring.

1. Start by disassembling the clockspring.
2. Make note how long the original airbag cables inside the clockspring are.
3. Use fine guage leads and measure two similar lengths of leads that are 400 mm longer than the airbag cables.
4. Drill two small holes (MAX 2 mm diameter) on the backside of the clockspring next to where the airbag cables come out.
5. Do the same thing on the front side (the face side), that sits directly behind the steering wheel.
6. Pull the leads through the holes on the back side.
   • Leave about 200 mm of slack on the outside, behind the clockspring.
7. Securely attach the extra leads with cloth tape to the original airbag lead.
   • Use small snippets of tape every 150 mm for the whole inside length.
8. Pull the leads out on the face, front, side.
   • Leave as much slack as you can.
9. Coil everything back inside the clockspring.
   • To center the spring:
     • First turn all the way to the right untill you fell resistance.
     • Then turn it about 2.75 turns back to the left and align it with the marks on the front of the clockspring.
10. Assemble the clockspring again.
11. Done! Now you have prepared your OEM Jimny 3 clockspring for working with steering wheel buttons on a new steering wheel.

Steering wheel demounting procedure

1. Disconnect vehicle's main battery.
   • Wait at least 10 minutes after that before unscrewing anything on the steering wheel.
     • The purpose of the delay is to allow time for any residual electrical charges in the vehicle to self-discharge.
2. Lock the steering wheel with the front wheels pointing more or less straight ahead.
3. Mark the steering wheel's position in relation to vehicle's dash board / instrument panel.
4. Completely unscrew the two screws on the sides of the steering wheel.
   • In some Jimnys these are torx screws, while in others they are ordinary hex screws.
5. Pull the center air bag module gently one side a bit then the other side a bit, until it gets separated from the steering wheel.
6. Hold the separated air bag module carefully and turn it around so that its back side is visible.
7. There will be two wire sets going into the back of the air bag module.
   • One is a single wire connecting near the edge of the air bag module.
   • The other is a set of wires going into a yellow clip in the center of the air bag module.
   • Use a small screwdriver or a similar tool to gently disconnect (prise off) the yellow clip from the air bag module.
   • Use pliers or a similar tool to disconnect the other single wire from the air bag module.
   • The air bag is now completely separated from the steering wheel.
8. Temporarily store the airbag (carefully!) in a safe location where there is no risk of anything coming into contact with it.
9. Now a gentle ring/disc is clearly visible and accessible behind the nut on the steering column shaft.
   • The ring/disc should not be touched/turned to either direction!
   • Therefore, mark the position of that disc in relation to the surrounding steering column as soon as you can, so that you can return the disc into proper position if you happen to accidentally move it.
   • Beware that if you rotate the disc accidentally more than one full turn, you will have to count the number of turns back in order to return it in exact original position.
   • This ring/disc can snap if it is turned too many full turns.
10. Now loosen the hexagonal nut on the steering column shaft, which holds the steering wheel in place.
    • If I remember correctly, it is a 14 mm hexagonal nut.
    • Just loosen the nut a few full turns, but do not remove the nut from the shaft completely yet.
11. Pull the steering wheel towards you with a lot of force (and wiggle it if you must but just slightly) until it snaps loose.
    • This is usually the most difficult step, as usually the wheel just won't separate from the steering column.
      • There are additional guidelines further down below in the case that the wheel is stuck and won't come loose.
    • The still-present undid nut acts as a safety barrier here, as it will prevent the snapped of wheel to hit you in the face.
      • Without the nut, you would have to replace a few teeth as the part of this procedure too.
12. After the steering wheel snaps loose from the steering column shaft, loosen the nut completely and remove the steering wheel altogether.
13. Removal is done!

Additional guidelines for stuck steering wheel

What to do if the steering wheel is stuck on the steering column (won't separate when pulling it):

• The "classic" remedy for a stuck wheel is to bang the steering column shaft with a hammer while simultaneously pulling the wheel.
  • However, Suzuki's service manual strongly warns against using any hammering force on the steering column, as it is a collapsible modern steering column design.
• Suzuki has a special tool for elegant removal of a stuck steering wheel from the column.
  • The tool is nothing more than a thick steel plate with two threaded holes for bolts.
  • The intended method is - as you screw the plate down to the predefined holes in the steering column, the wheel will have to come off due to counter force.
    • This is a similar principle as when removing a stuck Jimny's rear wheel drum.
  • This tool can be DIY made from a thick piece of steel and using a grinder and a drill, but it takes some time to do it.
• A more elegant "chemical" solution is to spray the top of the steering column shaft (just below the nut) with some "WD-40-alike" lubricating chemical.
  • It is recommended to spray it in at least two iterations and allow at least 15 minutes between each iteration.
  • Then, after waiting at least 15 minutes after the last spraying, try pulling the steering wheel off the steering column again.

Steering wheel mounting procedure

1. Put the steering wheel on the steering column, carefully aligning the teeth on the steering column shaft so that the steering wheel is oriented (in relation to the instrument panel) as it originally was.
   • The markers, which you were supposed to mark before steering wheel's removal, should help here.
2. Screw on the lock nut on the steering column.
   • It is highly recommended to use a torque wrench to properly tighten the nut to the factory specified torque of 33 Nm.
   • This torque value was taken from original Suzuki's service manual for type 6 Jimny revision (built in 2006) which has the 2nd type steering wheel.
3. Carefully bring the airbag module back to the steering wheel.
4. Connect the single electrical wire and also the set of wires with the yellow clip back onto the rear side of the air bag module.
5. Put the airbag module into its position in the steering wheel.
6. Screw both screws in the side of the steering wheel (tightening torque is 9 Nm).
7. Connect the main vehicle battery.
8. Turn the vehicle on.
9. Drive off into the sunset.
   • Drive preferably on a straight road to avoid using the steering wheel :)

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Page last edited on 7/01/2022 by user Bosanek