DIY Golf R Steering Wheel Installation

[jspirate]

Note: The airbags for the CC and the Golf R steering wheels are not interchangeable.

Tools:
1. Flat Head screw driver
2. 12 mm triple square driver
3. Painters tape
4. Small mirror

Steering wheel components:
1. Clips – this refers to the structural support that holds the airbag to the steering wheel
2. Electrical harnesses (2 pieces) – this refers to the electronic component of the air bag and MF steering wheel controls
3. 12 mm triple square bolt that holds the steering wheel on


CAUTION: Do not disconnect the airbag electrical harnesses/plugs when the battery terminals are connected.


Step 1 – Releasing the Airbag Clips on the CC OEM Wheel:
The battery needs to remain connected for this 1st step. This is necessary so that you can rotate the steering wheel to get to both air bag clips. The clips are 180° to each other.

Protect the top of the steering wheel column with painters tape.


Turn the steering wheel 90° to one side and stick a flathead screw driver into the slot.


It helps to use a mirror to look for the plastic clip that the 2011 steering wheel has. Reference the pictures below and insert the flat head screw driver into the slot marked with the red arrow. Do not try to manipulate the plastic piece. Instead, move past that to the metal bar/piece. Twist the flat-head so it pushes the metal piece in the direction of the yellow arrow (see pic with arrows). If you gently pull on the external part of the airbag (ie. the part you press to honk the horn) as you twist the screw driver, it will release fairly easily. Having a buddy hold the mirror makes it a stress-free step.

Once you get one clip, turn the wheel 180° and do the other clip.

STOP: Do not disconnect the electrical harnesses yet!

This is view of the CC's airbag clips when they are connected:


This is view of the CC's airbag clips when they are released:




Step 2: Disconnecting the Battery
Remove the key from the ignition and disconnect the battery.
Wait 10 minutes for discharge before moving to the next step.


Step 3: Releasing the CC’s Two Electrical Harnesses
After the 10 minute wait… release the 2 electrical harnesses: the Yellow air bag and the Black MF harness.

Airbag harness:


MF harness:


Disconnect both of them and remove the air bag.


Wahoo - getting to this point was the hardest part!


Step 4: Physically Removing the CC's Steering Wheel
Use a triple-square driver (12mm) to remove the steering wheel bolt. Use a sharpie to mark the bolt since it can only be used 3 times. A steering wheel puller is not needed.



Take note of the OEM’s mark on the wheel and the steering column. The Golf R wheel will have a similar mark on it and it should be an identical line up relative to the CC wheel.




Step 5: Preparing the Golf R Wheel for Installation
* tip – this can be done while waiting for battery to discharge in step 2

Assuming that you have a steering wheel with an air-bag attached, the clips on the Golf R wheel are different relative to the 2011 CC OEM airbag and wheel. When you look at the back of the Golf R wheel, you will see 2 metal clips. Reference the picture below and insert a flat-head screwdriver where the red arrow is. Twist the screw driver such that the metal piece will slide in the direction of the yellow arrow (see pic below). You will have to push the metal piece down after twisting to get the clip to move down and past the edge to release. It can be done solo, but it helps to have an extra set of hands. Basically, it helps to have someone pulling on the air bag from the front of the wheel. Two small forces from opposite sides = winning. It wants to stay happy and be right where it is.









Step 6: Installing the Golf R Wheel
Basically, all you have to do is reverse the order of the steps used to remove the CC steering wheel. Make sure to line up the steering wheel and steering column lines as identified in step 4.

The torque specification for the 12 mm triple square bolt is 30 Nm plus a 90° turn.


Step 7: Reconnecting the battery
Do not reconnect the battery until the Golf R wheel is completely installed - emphasis on the electrical harnesses.

My installation did not result in any dash lights or error codes. It was a straight plug-n-play swap.


Before:


After:





Disclaimer: I am nothing more than a do-it-yourselfer (DIY). The purpose of this outline is to help other DIYers, but I must disclose that I am self-taught and do not have any professional VAG expertise. I share this information in an effort to help my fellow CC friends. That said, this DIY is not meant to replace your due diligence requirements. You must thoroughly research your specific change before you do it.

[SlavaKM]

Great and clear instructions. Thanks for doing this.
Top 5 must have mods in my opinion.

[cbell1]

Man I miss my GTI wheel....where did you pick this up from and how much if you don't mind me asking...

[OnlineAlias]

If you have a DSG, don't forget to get one from the Euro CC R-Line (Golf-R doesn't come with DSG) and enable the flappy paddles via VAG-COM.

This steering wheel in addition to the paddles is absolutely the best mod I have made.

[jspirate]

Man I miss my GTI wheel....where did you pick this up from and how much if you don't mind me asking...

AgeStyling is where I got it

[EC8CH]

So awesome... wish my r-line had an r-line wheel.

[cbell1]

Beautiful wheel! It looks so at home in our cars.

[xx4u2nvxx]

Looks awesome! Love that steering wheel!

[DasCC]

Will be using this as a ref. I'm expecting mine to come in the mail tomorrow!


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[romney]

NOTE: Many of the airbag caveats that jspirate documented must be followed exactly!



When I first saw this mod, It was a must. Huge improvement! Ironically, I rarely use the paddles shifters

Great DIY! It's been added to my build thread
Vielen Dank!
Thank You!

[DasCC]

NOTE: Many of the airbag caveats that jspirate documented must be followed exactly!



When I first saw this mod, It was a must. Huge improvement! Ironically, I rarely use the paddles shifters

Great DIY! It's been added to my build thread
Vielen Dank!
Thank You!

Where did you get the blue needles for your instrument panel?


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[jspirate]

Will be using this as a ref. I'm expecting mine to come in the mail tomorrow!


Sent from my iDevice

Pics or it didn't happen!

[Boricua_aoc]

If you don't have the 12pt. bit and don't have access to one either; a 9mm Hex key will work.

[OnlineAlias]

When I first saw this mod, It was a must. Huge improvement! Ironically, I rarely use the paddles shifters

Thank You!

Strange, I almost never drive in automatic anymore. I always use the paddles.

You have to learn to drive it, that is for sure. It is very similar to (re) learning how to drive a manual transmission in the first place. Once you do, you don't ever go back....it is the greatest compromise between a full blown manual transmission (I'm an old man and have been a club race car driver) and an automatic that I have found.

In stop and go traffic this morning I learned something new about it. I actually lift slightly between gears at slow speed. Coordinated with the shift, it makes stop and go slow speed shifts nearly imperceptible.

[RudydG]

Thank you very much!!
in 2 weeks i will have my new 2012 CC, and the steering wheel is already on my desk (Scirocco wheel, with metal grey inserts, payes 360€ new with P&P, from Portugal to Belgium), and now i have a beatifull how to....like the size of the tools, and the differnt type of clipsing of the airbags.
The only thing i don't understand, is why you only disconnect the battery after you done the mechanics? I would do it first?

[jspirate]

Thank you very much!!
in 2 weeks i will have my new 2012 CC, and the steering wheel is already on my desk (Scirocco wheel, with metal grey inserts, payes 360€ new with P&P, from Portugal to Belgium), and now i have a beatifull how to....like the size of the tools, and the differnt type of clipsing of the airbags.
The only thing i don't understand, is why you only disconnect the battery after you done the mechanics? I would do it first?

Look at where the two airbag clips are. You have to get one, then turn the steering wheel 180° to access the other.

[Seki]

[DasCC]

Used this DIY today. Worked great! I will say the only issue that I had was after removing the first airbag clip and putting the key in to unlock the steering column to turn the wheel around to access the other clip, the horn went off. I had to turn the wheel fast and pull the key out fast to stop the horn. I'm sure my neighbors loved me. Also using this small screwdriver worked better than a regular flat head to access the clips.



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[jspirate]

Used this DIY today. Worked great! I will say the only issue that I had was after removing the first airbag clip and putting the key in to unlock the steering column to turn the wheel around to access the other clip, the horn went off. I had to turn the wheel fast and pull the key out fast to stop the horn. I'm sure my neighbors loved me. Also using this small screwdriver worked better than a regular flat head to access the clips.

Sent from my iDevice

Haha, I bet they did love you. I didn't have any horn issues. Interesting...

[OnlineAlias]

Used this DIY today. Worked great! I will say the only issue that I had was after removing the first airbag clip and putting the key in to unlock the steering column to turn the wheel around to access the other clip, the horn went off. I had to turn the wheel fast and pull the key out fast to stop the horn. I'm sure my neighbors loved me. Also using this small screwdriver worked better than a regular flat head to access the clips.

Sent from my iDevice

Disconnect the battery before starting any work near the airbags.

[DasCC]

I did before unplugging the harness. If I had disconnected the battery would I have been able to turn the wheel ?


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[jspirate]

I did before unplugging the harness. If I had disconnected the battery would I have been able to turn the wheel ?


Sent from my iDevice

Indeed. The steering wheel lock is not your friend! Even if it doesn't lock, it doesn't want to turn without power.

[BETOGLI]

Great and clear instructions. Thanks for doing this.
Top 5 must have mods in my opinion.

+1, Pretty awesome thread and thanks for sharing it with us!

A 30th Anniversary Edition's shift knob might look nice in your car! IMO

[wavestowing]

Where did you get the blue needles for your instrument panel?


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Would like to know also looks great

[Pookie64]

Where did you get the blue needles for your instrument panel?

I'm not the OP, but I found just one on Ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/VW-Passat-B6...34b3d3&vxp=mtr

US$399 so quite a bit more than the going rate for a "normal" instrument cluster.

[asarkisian]

NOTE: Many of the airbag caveats that jspirate documented must be followed exactly!



When I first saw this mod, It was a must. Huge improvement! Ironically, I rarely use the paddles shifters

Great DIY! It's been added to my build thread
Vielen Dank!
Thank You!

Hi Romney

Where did you source the R Line steering wheel withi black stitching? I have a 2013 R Line and I'm thinking of swapping to a flat bottom R Line wheel with shifters.