No pics as yet, I'll look and see what I have.
Disconnect the battery. Let the car sit for 10 minutes or so - there is a capacitor or something in the airbag system that could deploy the airbag if you immediately try to remove it.
Under the column is a little plastic 'door.' Open this, fish out the orange connector, and unplug it. This is the airbag connector.
Two torx bits on the back of the wheel hold the airbag on; can't for the life of me remember what size. They are captive screws, just loosen them then pull the airbag loose. There is another connector that plugs into the airbag itself, take that off once the airbag is loose.
Remember, an airbag is an explosive device - take a little care with it. It shouldn't just go off, but you never know!
Now you can see the center nut - 22mm. You'll probably need a breaker bar unless you have manly forearms. I prefer to insert the key, unlock the wheel, and just hold on to the wheel as I stand outside the car and loosen the nut. I don't like the idea of that much torque on the locking pawl. To each his own, some people like to lock the wheel and just crank.
Anyway, remove that nut, then unlock the steering wheel with the key. Make sure your turn signal switch is in the center/neutral position. Lift the wheel off.
Installation is the reverse of removal; make sure that when you put the wheel back on your turn signal switch is in the center position, otherwise you'll break the little plastic lug that cancels the turn signals, and you'll have to cancel them yourself.
BMW calls for replacing that 22mm nut each time you remove it, but blue Loctite should work fine.
Don't reconnect the battery until the airbag is fully connected, including the connector under the column - the SRS light will illuminate and won't go off, and even the dealers can no longer reset that.
Topic: Sterring wheel removal (Read 9771 times)