Changing Steering Wheel

[ilovemerc]

Hi guys,

 

I plan to change my stock 4 spoke steering wheel to 3 spoke AMG sport steering wheel.

But, as i read from other forum, if our car is before june 2012 production, the horn, light, button don't work.

We have to change steering wheel contact plate in order to make them work normally. 

My car is 2012 but before june production.

 

Have anyone do or have experience on it before?

Please if anybody does share to me

 

Thank you

 

I attached some picture about the parts

 

Contact plate

 

Steering wheel i want to change

[kepiting1sg]

If the 3 spoke steering wheel is for W212 it will work!

The difference will be the PCB in the steering.

Mine is 2011 & I m using the 3 spoke steering

[MarkCWQ]

Yes. The circuit board needs to be replaced. I had the same issue when changing to the C63 Black Series steering wheel which as far as I know uses a newer circuit board which is not compatible with cars 2012 and earlier.

Car workshop did the circuit board swap for me from my old C63 steering wheel to the new one and the buttons worked.

[MarkCWQ]

If the 3 spoke steering wheel is for W212 it will work!

The difference will be the PCB in the steering.

Mine is 2011 & I m using the 3 spoke steering

Bro, you need to call our old friend for an update on this. He did it for me.

[kepiting1sg]

Bro, you need to call our old friend for an update on this. He did it for me.

He did mine too when I switched the steering from the C to the E

[ilovemerc]

If the 3 spoke steering wheel is for W212 it will work!

The difference will be the PCB in the steering.

Mine is 2011 & I m using the 3 spoke steering

 

what is PCB? this steering wheel is for W212.

my friend's car which is also same year with me uses this steering wheel for stock

[MarkCWQ]

He did mine too when I switched the steering from the C to the E

It's not about the different cars. It's because MB "updated" the circuit boards for the newer cars which won't be compatible with older cars. Don't matter which car model you drive.

[ilovemerc]

Yes. The circuit board needs to be replaced. I had the same issue when changing to the C63 Black Series steering wheel which as far as I know uses a newer circuit board which is not compatible with cars 2012 and earlier.

Car workshop did the circuit board swap for me from my old C63 steering wheel to the new one and the buttons worked.

 

what car do you use?

since i'm from Indonesia, if the workshop sells only the circuit board?

[ilovemerc]

Actually, i have compared which steering wheel parts are different between my car & my friend's car which already use this steering wheel as stock part from MB EPC based on our vin's number. Our car have a same year production but different month only. From my research, i found only 3 items difference: steering wheel, airbag, & RS wiring harness (i don't know what it is).

My doubt came out when i searched for steering wheel & airbag from ebay, one of seller told me that i have to change steering wheel contact plate also in order to make steering wheel buttons, horn, & light work. They said because now produced steering wheel has new contact plate which compatible only with facelift steering column (part that consist of gearshift, cruise control lever) so i have to change contact plate to the old one to install on old steering column. Another problem is we can order contact plate separately since it built in steering wheel. I have asked MB dealer for it and they can't find contact plate part number in their EPC.

 

(i think the contact plate location is behind the silver plate, that's why MB EPC can't find because its can not be separated from the steering wheel)

 

Tell me what do you think guys...thank you

[MarkCWQ]

The new contact plate or "circuit board" can be replaced with the one once from the older steering wheel of similar design. In short, what you want to do can be done.

PM me if you're interested to get the contact of the workshop.

[MarkCWQ]

what car do you use?

since i'm from Indonesia, if the workshop sells only the circuit board?

Unfortunately MB does not sell just the circuit board. You need to purchase the whole steering wheel, or source parts from older steering wheels.

I'm on the first batch of the face lifted W204. YOM 2012.

[kepiting1sg]

Unfortunately MB does not sell just the circuit board. You need to purchase the whole steering wheel, or source parts from older steering wheels.

I'm on the first batch of the face lifted W204. YOM 2012.

I m using my old 4 spoke PCB.

He reroute the wires on the steering connector to make it work.

[MarkCWQ]

He didn't reroute the wires for me, not so simple this time. As TS mentioned, it's a total swap of the whole circuit board. If not, none of the steering wheel buttons will work.

[ilovemerc]

The new contact plate or "circuit board" can be replaced with the one once from the older steering wheel of similar design. I short, what you want to do can be done.

PM me if you're interested to get the contact of the workshop.

 

so if my old one is 4 spoke, it can't be replaced right?

maybe after i buy this steering wheel and the buttons doesn't work i will pm u bro

[ilovemerc]

I m using my old 4 spoke PCB.

He reroute the wires on the steering connector to make it work.

 

how come you can use old 4 spoke circuit? it's different shape right

[MarkCWQ]

so if my old one is 4 spoke, it can be replaced right?

maybe after i buy this steering wheel and the buttons doesn't work i will pm u bro

It depends on the circuit board which your new steering wheel came with. Best to check and double check compatibility first. MB has different item codes for the two different circuit boards.

[MarkCWQ]

how come you can use old 4 spoke circuit? it's different shape right

Shape of the steering wheel doesn't matter, as long as the electronics are compatible. MB does fit different type of steering wheel to the same car depending on the options and trims selected.

[ilovemerc]

Shape of the steering wheel doesn't matter, as long as the electronics are compatible. MB does fit different type of steering wheel to the same car depending on the options and trims selected.

 

so i can swap my old 4 spoke steering wheel circuit to new 3 spoke steering wheel? anyway what is PCB?

my car is YOM 12/1/2, do you understand what it is?

[ilovemerc]

It depends on the circuit board which your new steering wheel came with. Best to check and double check compatibility first. MB has different item codes for the two different circuit boards.

I'm sure its compatible but how will i check circuit board which came with? i have not even bought it...or maybe you know the codes or how i should ask the seller?

[MarkCWQ]

My first hand experience is as follows, happened a week ago:

 

My original steering wheel is the normal C63 wheel which looks like this:

(By the way, this steering wheel is for sale! Tip top condition, interested parties can PM me for details)

 

My new steering wheel looks similar to the normal C63 steering wheel, except that it's the Black Series edition with alcantara, nappa leather and red thread stitching:

 

When my workshop was installing my new C63 Black Series steering wheel, they realised that the electronics won't function. All the buttons and horn don't work. What they did was remove the circuit board from the new C63 Black Series steering wheel, and replaced it with the old circuit board from my original C63 steering wheel. Thereafter, all the functions on the new steering wheel worked as they should. I'm guessing that the workshop is able to do this because both steering wheels are technically the same. The fittings for all the internal components including the circuit board are the same. Both steering wheel basically share the same code, except that MB has updated the circuit board for the newer steering wheel to function with their newer cars. I don't know if the circuit board is interchangeable to different design steering wheel and I actually doubt so, example four spoke steering wheel to three spoke.

 

At this moment, I'd highly suggest speaking to a knowledgeable workshop before going ahead to purchase your own steering wheel because you might be caught having a very expensive dust collector at home. As I mentioned, the circuit board is not purchasable. MB only sells the steering wheel as a whole! My luck maxed out that I am able to replace the circuit boards between my old and new steering wheels.

[MarkCWQ]

I'm sure its compatible but how will i check circuit board which came with? i have not even bought it...or maybe you know the codes or how i should ask the seller?

You need to ask the seller, or as I mentioned, go to a workshop that knows what they are doing and purchase the steering wheel direct from them. It will be a more expensive option but it will cut your risk of purchasing a non-competible item. As I mentioned a few times, once you purchased the steering wheel which comes with a non-competible circuit board, there is no way of purchasing a new circuit board from MB. You'll be stuck with a non-competible steering wheel.

[Ody_2004]

Just sharing my experience.. When i was changing to the AMG steering wheel.. Button doesn't work too.. Jeff (benzline) swap my original steering wheel circuit board and then it works.

Mine is W204 year 2013..

[ilovemerc]

Just sharing my experience.. When i was changing to the AMG steering wheel.. Button doesn't work too.. Jeff (benzline) swap my original steering wheel circuit board and then it works.

Mine is W204 year 2013..

 

what kind of steering wheel is your stock? 4 spoke or same 3 spoke? When did you change the steering wheel?

[MarkCWQ]

what kind of steering wheel is your stock? 4 spoke or same 3 spoke? When did you change the steering wheel?

W204 facelift model should be the normal 3 spoke steering wheel.

[Roger Yeo]

Had my done by Ah Boon on my W212 stock. He change the electronic board from from old to new steering wheel.

Did some program update...done. Work perfectly