How to remove E30 airbag steering wheel

[ebsf]

I need to remove the airbag steering wheel on my 1990 E30 so as to check the wiper switch. What I don't want to have happen is detonate the airbag, so I thought I'd see whether I could get some guidance here before I went any further. The Bentley manual has nothing on the topic.

I already have disconnected the battery. There is a small pry-off panel on the underside of the steering column behind which is a connector, which I'm guessing is the plug for the airbag detonator. I expect I should unplug this. There are several screws in the steering wheel on the side facing forward/away from the driver that I'm guessing hold on the airbag cover. These in particular I am reluctant to remove before getting some guidance.

Any thoughts on how to get this thing off, and things I ought to be looking out for? Many thanks in advance.

[lambo]

Well, with the battery unplugged, you should be fine. But if you want to be super safe, the airbag computer is located above the knee bolster which has two plugs that you can undo.

The orange box is the airbag computer.



After that, there are two T30 Torx bits on the back of the steering wheel that will release the airbag from the steering wheel.

[ebsf]

Thanks

Many thanks, I'm going to go take a crack at it right now.

I was wondering what that orange box was. I didn't think it was a flight data recorder.

[ebsf]

Just to circle back, lambo's advice worked well and I managed not to detonate the airbag.

Some offline advice was to wait about an hour after disconnecting the battery before fiddling with the airbag, though, to allow the capacitors in the control units to discharge. In this case, I let it go overnight. I also clicked on the emergency light switch just to have a closed circuit draining whatever residual juice might have been in the system somehow.

Mine had two T25 Torx bits, not the T30 he mentioned, FWIW. The steering wheel retention nut was 22mm and did not require a deep socket, although it did require an extension. If I were fastidious, I would replace this because it is a locknut.

We'll see about the wiper switch. The two mounting/grounding screws were slightly loose, enough to allow the switch assembly to rotate a bit when the switch was worked. I tightened them down a bit, which fixed the play. We'll see whether the switch function improves.

[lambo]

Mine had two T25 Torx bits, not the T30 he mentioned, FWIW.

Ahh I couldn't remember which it was, I know I had tried both haha. My bad!