[pisgahlvr]

*update* figured it out.

Spent a great deal of time thinking about this, and I finally figured it out after studying some photographs and reading several descriptions of how to do it.

Objective: remove the Msport steering wheel airbag in order to gain access to the paddles.

Tools required: 10mm 1/4" drive socket, 1/4" drive socket extension (if desired), and 1/4" drive ratchet. (1) 1/4" allen wrench. (1) T20 torx driver. (1) a small 5/32" allen to reach in and pull some of the wire looms out of the way inside the steering wheel (completely optional).

I bought a set of M paddles from a member here second hand to install in place of the regular paddle shifters. Rather than pay somebody to do it, I decided to try it myself. Watching a couple videos on youtube removing the airbag on the regular steering wheel, it seemed straight forward enough.

Step 1: Park your car on a flat and level surface. Unlock all doors, and open the trunk. Roll all windows down (optional). Crank your favorite tunes on your smart phone's speaker, or blue tooth speaker (also optional).

Step 2: In your trunk, open up and remove the battery access panel on the right hand side of the trunk. You should see your battery, with the positive terminal forward, and the negative terminal aft. Take your 10mm socket, socket extension, and ratchet and remove the negative terminal. Push it out of the way, and ensure that it does not make contact with the negative terminal of the battery. We do this so that we don't inadvertently set off the airbag while we're removing it.




Step 3: Return to your drivers seat with your 1/4" allen wrench and T20 torx driver.



Step 4: On the back side of the steering wheel, you need to locate two small access holes. There is one on either side, and this is where you're going to be inserting your 1/4" allen wrench. You need to insert it at a specific angle so that you are pushing against a small cylindrically shaped piece of metal that is very much like the end of a very thick paper clip. These are the tension springs that are holding the airbag in place. Once you push these springs far enough in, that will release the tension on the airbag assy, and allow you to pull the airbag out. The second picture, is a very good picture (credit to whoever made this, I found it on the site) of what you are trying to shoot for.





Step 5: Once you release the tension on one side, you can kind tug on the airbag assy, and it will come out. Repeat on the other side.

Step 6: There is a connector going from the airbag, into a plug inside the steering wheel. DO NOT YANK THE AIRBAG OUT WITHOUT FIRST DISCONNECTING THE PLUG. Give the plug a little pull, and it should come right out.

Step 7: Remove the airbag, and you should be left with this:



Step 8: The next thing you want to do, is locate the two T20 torx screws that hold on the left and right paddle. In the two pictures below, I have taken a picture showing the screw where it is supposed to go, and then another picture showing the screw removed, so that you can identify which screw it is.




Step 9: Once you have the two screws out, you need to disconnect the connector from the plug. In my car, it's the blue plastic plugs that you see in the picture below. This is where the small allen wrench comes in handy to fish these out so you can get to them. These small connectors are kind of a bear. I had trouble disconnecting them, and actually broke the connectors on both of my OEM paddles. I think my trouble was mostly lack of understanding of how they are actually supposed to come apart.



Step 10: Once you have the connectors removed, you should be able to remove the paddles from the steering wheel. My new paddles came disassembled and I had to put them together, but that was probably because I got them second hand. They are really easy to take apart, and once you look at them, you can figure out how they are supposed to go back together. But here is a picture of how you start disassembling the paddle from the switch. Simply take your small allen, and push that plastic pin out, and the switch assy will come apart.

Step 10b: You MUST disassemble your OEM paddles and transfer the guts over to your new paddles. So this will require disassembly of both the old and new paddles. If you don't do this, the new paddles will not work properly. Once you push that small plastic pin out the paddle and switch will separate from each other. Transfer the switch and all small components including the small wire loom, to your new paddles.



Step 11: At this point, you should be able to plug in and attach your new Mpaddles in place of the old ones. I'm sure there is a torque value for the T20 fasteners buried in some BMW technical manual, however I don't have access to those manuals, so I will give you the same old tried and true advice that I gave out to my young airmen, when performing maintenance on SH-60 Seahawks. "Gutentight".

Step 12: After you have your fasteners torqued down, and your plugs connected, you can proceed to reinsert the wire looms into their respective crevices. Just put them back in, the same way you took them out. Simple.



Step 13: Put the airbag back in, although make sure you reconnect the plug first. Just give it a little push, and it should snap right back into place.

Step 14: Go back around to the trunk, and reconnect your negative battery terminal with your 10mm socket and close up up the battery access.

Step 15: ensure that you don't have any extra lights, or warnings, and do an op-check on your new paddles.

Step 16: Enjoy your car.

*Note: removing the negative battery terminal should not affect any coding, but you will have to reset the time*

[pisgahlvr]

No one has any idea?

And yes, I have seen all of the videos on youtube that show the regular steering wheels. For some reason, no one wants to make a video showing how the Msport airbag comes off.

[tboooe]

subscribed because I plan on removing my M Sport steering wheel soon too.

OP, have you tried first rotating the screwdriver away the steering wheel then towards you to release the clips? That is what supposedly works for the normal steering wheels.

[RarScaryFrosty]

Originally Posted by tboooe

subscribed because I plan on removing my M Sport steering wheel soon too.

OP, have you tried first rotating the screwdriver away the steering wheel then towards you to release the clips? That is what supposedly works for the normal steering wheels.

Get a quarter inch allen key. Look on the sides of the steering wheel and you'll notice 2 small 3/8 inch sized holes. Stick the allen here in there, and feel around for a spring. Press lightly and you'll feel resistance. Once you know you've hit it, press ALL THE WAY IN. Your airbag will eject out from one side. Redo this on the opposite side, and it'll freely pop out as well.

I've removed mine 3-4 times now and it takes maybe 30 seconds max. The first time it took me 15min to fumble around feeling for the spring.

[aktif8]

I did mine recently. It's a bit of a challenge until you understand exactly what it is you are actually doing.

The metal clip that you are depressing is not actually a flat piece of metal, like you might expect. It's extremely thin - think straightened paper clip and you are in the right territory.

As such, you need to ensure that your tool of choice doesn't slip off the clip while you are depressing it.

Hth!

[tboooe]

So based on what aktif8 posted, it would seem that a flathead screwdriver would be the best tool for this job? I guess the only way to do this is to dive in and learn!

[pisgahlvr]

Bump: added a DIY and a bunch of pictures. It was pretty easy once I understood how it worked.

[awyongcarl]

Thanks for the DIY guide, may need it soon when I purchase the M Perf Steering wih Display.

By the way, how does the M Paddles looks like? Got a picture of it?

[pisgahlvr]

Originally Posted by awyongcarl

Thanks for the DIY guide, may need it soon when I purchase the M Perf Steering wih Display.

By the way, how does the M Paddles looks like? Got a picture of it?

Sorry I ran out of daylight to finish up. I will take some pictures this afternoon and add them to the first or second post.

On a side note, the paddles I put in, they don't seem to be working properly. The "plus" paddle is not upshifting at all. And the "negative" paddle is upshifting instead of downshifting. WTF????

*update* I have to clarify the DIY, apparently you're supposed to reuse the guts from your OEM paddles and transfer them to the new paddles.

[Gabirex]

HI,

Does anyone know, if the airbag of a Sport steering wheel can be fitted into an Msport steering wheel?
I am thinking of upgrading the standard steering wheel to an Msport version, and would not like to buy the airbag.

[smithf80]

Originally Posted by Gabirex

HI,

Does anyone know, if the airbag of a Sport steering wheel can be fitted into an Msport steering wheel?
I am thinking of upgrading the standard steering wheel to an Msport version, and would not like to buy the airbag.

no

[pisgahlvr]

Originally Posted by Gabirex

HI,

Does anyone know, if the airbag of a Sport steering wheel can be fitted into an Msport steering wheel?
I am thinking of upgrading the standard steering wheel to an Msport version, and would not like to buy the airbag.

No way, won't work. They are two totally different steering wheels.

[cryptocar]

Originally Posted by pisgahlvr

No way, won't work. They are two totally different steering wheels.

+1

There's even differences in airbags of the same style between regions. Make sure the part number is correct.

[Mountain_Commando]

Originally Posted by pisgahlvr

*update* figured it out.

OP y u no keep pics?