Steering Wheel Removal

someone please help me and tell me how to remove my steering wheel off my 04 tacoma prerunner!!!!!!

 

Remove the cap both side (pencil point) loose torx bolt I guess T30, then remove airbag slowly, disconnect wire airbag

 

You might need a steering wheel puller after the bag and wires are removed. I jsut use my air chisel with a blunt tip. Put the tip on the post, pull up on the wheel and give the air chisel a quick pull of the trigger. Works great.

Before you start removing the air bag assembly, disconnect the negative battery, step on the brakes or turn on the headlight to remove any risidual voltage in the system.

The connectors for the air bag are a 2 part connector. You have to remove the safety clips before you can disconnect the air bag wires.

 

thank you guys a ton!!!!

 

u need some 1 to hold st wheel then break loose big bolt.
before remove st wheel make sure st wheel straight and using a paint pen, finger nail polish, or other appropriate marker, mark the orientation of the steering wheel to the splines on the end of the steering column shaft.

 

If the key is out, the wheel will be locked. No need to hold the wheel while removing the nut.

The paint mark is a good idea.

 

While disconnecting the battery is a good idea anyway, the DERM, which is what fires the airbag, has a built in battery that is not connected to the main electrical circuit. The reason is so that in the case of a severe impact, that could cut a battery cable, the airbag system will still be fully functional. The best way to be 100% safe is to disconnect the DERM (Airbag computer) before doing anything. Now I am not saying that this method is dangerous, because I will be honest, 90% of the techs I know just do it this way. BUT I just wanted you all to know that simply disconnecting the battery will NOT prevent an accidental airbag deployment.

 

True that. Slim odds, about the same as the bag going off without hitting anything, but yeah, the system is never truely dead.

KO

 

Where is this "DERM" located so that it can be disconnected??

 

On the transmission hump. Hard to get at...small hands are a bonus.

 

Great read about to go do this now