DIY: How to swap an 05 WRX steering wheel into an 04 WRX

[Nettalp]

Note: Since all components are plug and play, cruise control will work properly by still activating your cruise button on the left side by the fog light button. On the 2005 cruise control stalk, the only button that will not work is the side small button that usually activates the cruise control feature. All other features will work, regarding cruise control.

Parts Needed:
2005 - 07 Wrx steering wheel
2005 Wrx airbag
2005 Wrx Clockspring
2005 Wrx turn signal / headlight bracket (Mold numbers >PP-GF20< or 17D480) See image below
2005 Wrx bottom steering column cover

Tools Required:

T#30 Torx bit or screwdriver
17mm Socket with Extension (Install Torque Spec, 33.2 ft/lbs)
Breaker Bar
Torq Wrench
Phillips screw driver
Needle nose plyers (Not Needed but helped)
Rubber Malet
Small Zipties
Patients



STEP 1, FIRST BEFORE ANYTHING, disconnect the battery and pump the brakes, horn, and push some radio buttons. This will allow no power to engage the airbag when working with it. Secondly make space and set your front seat to desired distance. Here's what were working with.


STEP 2
Start with the 2 hex bolts at the side.




STEP 3
Gently pull the airbag toward you and then continue to disconnect the connectors. The airbag connector, has a yellow tab, pull it up gently and then pull the plug to disconnect it from the airbag and set it aside. Then disconnect the cruise control clip.


STEP 4
Steering wheel removal time. Take your breaker bar and 17mm setup. Hold the wheel with 1 hand and then loosen the nut. Unscrew the nut but leave about half of it still threaded on.



STEP 5
To remove the wheel itself, put a hand in the 12 O'clock spot, your knees behind the wheel to apply force and take the rubber mallet and hit the 17mm nut. Do this while tying to pull the wheel off. If it doesnt come off, grab the wheel and pull with both hands. Repeat the process till you pop it loose. Once loose, then unscrew the nut and put the steering wheel aside.


STEP 6
Now onto the clockspring removal: Start with the bottom steering wheel cover then remove the top cover as well.




Continued onto the next post

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[Nettalp]

Top cover has 2 screws kinda hidden. You may need to take out the cluster hood trim to completely remove the top cover.


STEP 7
Once you have the 2004 clockspring exposed, remove the 4 bolts at the corners.



STEP 8
Let the clockspring hang and then continue to unplug the clips and electrical components from the white bracket.


STEP 9
Now your going to have to look at the clockspring wiring and follow the harness into the dash under the steering wheel. Once you find the Yellow airbag connector and the Black Clip, continue to unclip both of them. You will probably need to get better access to them but removing the bottom plastic cover panel under the entire steering wheel. When both clips are released, feed the wires back out the clips and remember how they were fed in.


STEP 10
Set the 2004 clockspring aside. Next is to unscrew the 3 screws on the white bracket.


STEP 11
Compare the 2004 and the 2005 white brackets (2005 Wrx Bracket should have mold numbers listed above in post). Swap over the turn signal and headlight stalks. There are 2 screws for each and they both slip into the white brackets. Now take the 2005 white bracket and install on the metal mount.
Note: the top 2 screw locations DO NOT line up. 2 solutions, you can tap 2 new holes or do it an easy way which still works fine. I used zipties to secure these 2 mount locations, not much force is needed to push the levers, so this is completely fine in my opinion. For the bottom screw, it aligns perfectly and secures the bracket just fine.



STEP 12
Now take the 2005 Clockspring and install it to the bracket with the 4 screw locations. Then run the harness back through the same way you pulled out the 2004 harness. Plug those clips in and also the clips that go to the headlight lever and turn signal lever.
CLOCKSPRING calibrate: Follow the directions as printed on the clockspring. In general, rotate the clockspring gently in a clockwise direction until it is fully wound up. You will feel that it won't go further clockwise once it fully wound. Just be gentle and go slow and don't over force it. Then your going to slowly rotate it back counterclockwise the advised amount of turns. The clockspring should align with arrows at the bottom to show you its at the right location. Make sure it doesnt rotate more that 360 degrees from here.


STEP 13
Reinstall everything and reconnect your car battery and start your car. The 17mm nut should be torqued back to spec, 33.2 ft/lbs. Make sure you have no CEL or airbag lights, you should't as everything is plug and play and compatible. Now that the car is running, very slowly turn your steering wheel left to right, to fully locking positions. Turn your turn signals on left and right while rotating your wheel. Your checking to make sure your clockspring is working properly. Then take her for a spin. If all gravy then sit back and admire your hard work.

[jimbosv650]

Great write-up.

[spokenlastchance]

I'm a little curious as to how you got your cruse switch working. Care to explain or post a link as to where you might have got the information if you didn't come up with it personally?

[Gootz311]

Someone had to ask...

Will this swap work into a 02-03 wrx as well?

[Nettalp]

I originally thought I had to rewire the cruise control...but since the 2005 clockspring was plug and play. When I went to go test drive the car...i tested the cruise control and it worked the same with the 2005 cruise lever.

But I still have to turn cruise on with the button by the foglight button.

This link suggest the cruise control rewiring but in my case since a 2005 wrx wheel, i didnt need to rewire.

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=1706769

Id imagine the swap will work for 02-03 wrx as well but not 100% sure

[pinci]

Going to bookmark this for future use! Good photos with labeling makes it easy to follow and less likely to make mistakes +1 on will this work for 02-03 models. I imagine it should be as the wheels are identical, but I haven't attempted it yet so I have no input.

[jrooks]

Thanks for the write-up!

[Nettalp]

No problem gents..figured it will help since when I was looking into it...no definitive answers.

[Kevinkindt]

Great write up indeed. Complete noob here regarding wheel swaps. I have exactly the same wheel and want to swap out to that same type wheel. Please could someone explain the necessity regarding swapping out the clockspring? Fyi no cruise control on both wheels so only need horn and airbag to hook up? Thanks a million.

[BuffaloWRX]

Sorry to revive an older thread. On Step 13 I'm confused about the green connector on the airbag goes here. Looking at the 2005 sti airbag pictures and parts, I see just one connector hole on the air bag and isn't that connector already wired to the clockspring like I see on my 04 wrx? I know I must be missing something because why would the 05 clockspring be needed at all?

[Nettalp]

I believe the wiring for the horn and electrical may be different on the 04 vs 05 clocksprings. The 04 clockspring may work however I opted to get the 05 clockspring so everything was a direct fit.

[axsys]

In case anyone else just got their 2004 WRX like I did and is trying to swap the steering wheel, if you use a 2005 wheel then you do not need to swap all the clockspring pieces. The 2005 airbag is a single stage connector like on the 2004, and will plug right in. If you cut the connector off your 2004 cruise control and solder it to your 2005+ cruise control following this thread, everything will work perfectly without the need to swap anything else!

[Grimaman]

Going to try this in a 99 model...wish me luck.

[youngxlos]

Sorry to bring back a old thread, I just recently tried this on my 02 Wrx, everything was plug and play but now I get air bag light on the dash and the horn doesn’t work, anyone with a 02 Wrx get this to work properly?

[youngxlos]

For anyone in the future that has a 2002 Subaru Wrx and wants to do the swap and have everything work correctly here is what I did.
Swap the igniter from both airbags the one with 4 small screws.
Keep the clock spring from your 02, don't swap anything out, this will make sure the air bag light doesn’t come on, to get the horn to work make sure you connect the harness to the cruise control switch and connect the ground to the airbag.

[TheShine0607]

After searching through multiple posts, I found this one that is closest to what I need.
I recently planned to replace the steering wheel of my 04 wrx.
I was thinking whether the 04 sti steering wheel can be directly installed on the 04 wrx.
After reading this post, I felt that this is not feasible and I need some additional parts.
So my question is, is the installation of the 04 sti steering wheel on the 04 wrx the same as described in this post?

[Gixhost]

Save your money, 04 STI steering wheel is fugly.

[gdavies]

Did anyone run into any weird wiring issues during the swap? Like airbag lights staying on or cruise not working right? I’m fine with the mechanical side, but when it gets too deep into the wiring, I start thinking maybe I should call someone who knows their way around wires—like how I’d bring in a local electricians for house stuff.

[04sti_sacto]

Wish I saw this for my friends car. Great write up.