Shared Knowledge
"BMW X5 - How to Remove the Steering Wheel"
26 February 2014
Summary: must remove airbag first and on model year 2000 X5, airbag held to steering wheel via (2) T30 Torx screws. After airbag removed, a few connectors to unhook and then 16mm nut.
Background:
BMW X5, model year 2000, 187,000 miles.
Cabin blower motor had to be replaced.
Dash had to be removed.
Dash would not come out of car without removing steering wheel.
Removing steering wheel:
First thing to do is fully extend the steering wheel out and down.
Now find the 2 holes on the back of the steering wheel and rotate the steering wheel so these holes are aligned on the vertical or meaning the top hole is at 12 o'clock and the bottom hole is at 6 o'clock. This makes using a Torx wrench easier.
Disconnect battery. Never work around an airbag with battery connected.
Key on model year 2000 is that airbag held to steering wheel via (2) T30 Torx screws.
Note here that many videos and BMW blogs show you must use a screw driver to move a clip to unclip airbag with the airbag "popping" off but on the model year 2000, this is not true.
Note: if your steering wheel does not have holes on the back but rather a slit, you must use the flat blade screwdriver method to unhook the airbag. There are several videos on the Internet that show how to do this.
If you have holes on the back of the steering wheel, into these small holes you insert the a T25 or T30 Torx driver straight into the back of the wheel.
You will have to feel around until you find the Torx screw head.
Once the Torx driver is into the Torx screw head, you turn the driver clockwise to loosen.
The Torx screw might be tight to begin with but once broken loose, will come out easily.
As you unscrew, pull out on the airbag to ensure you are loosening it.
Once one side loose, repeat on the other side.
When both Torx bolts are loose, slowly pull the airbag away from the steering wheel and note the connectors.
Unhook connectors to steering wheel.
With airbag removed and safely stored so it can not be jarred or played with by the kids, you use a 16mm socket to remove the bolt through the middle of the steering wheel. Note before removing that it probably will have a yellow mark on it that aligns with some yellow on the steering wheel metal.
The bolt holding the steering wheel to the column is not on all that tight and easily should come off. Counterclockwise to remove.
If you are replacing a steering column switch, you will have to remove the steering column covers (top and bottom) which are held in place by Phillips screws and which are "snapped" together.
To replace a steering column switch, you will have to remove the Torx bolts holding the black ring around the steer column.
Reinstalling steering wheel and airbag:
To put the steering wheel back on the steering column, you must align the steering wheel mark with the mark on the steering column. This mark is shown below in red.
Actually hard to not get proper alignment as the 2 black prongs that are part of the black ring around the steering column have to fit in their steering wheel holes.
If you replaced and steering column switches, replace the black ring on the steering column and insert and tight Torx bolts.
Note there that Torx bolts do not bottom out against the black ring. By this I mean, when they are tight into the metal of the steering column, there is play or a space between the ring and the steering column.
Once you are sure the steering wheel is aligned correct, replace the bolt and torque to 60 pounds or so. Actually I backed away from 60 pounds as it seemed like too much but I am sure steering wheel bolt is tight.
Now reinstall airbag. First all connectors and then the 2 Torx bolts through the back of the steering wheel. To tighten, Torx wrench goes counter clockwise.