XSeries-forum

I originally got this idea from sapphire black of the old forum.

Here is how to replace the worn, scratched or re-sprayed steering wheel trim on your e53

Firstly I think you should either disconnect the battery or remove the airbag fuse. You can do it without doing so because I did but be careful.

Then you need to remove the airbag, you’ll find two elongated slots either side of the steering wheel, you need a flat headed screwdriver which you insert into each hole (one at a time) pushing until the airbag pops up (look on x5outpost for great info on swapping the steering wheel)


When each side of airbag has popped up leave it in place loose while you unscrew the trim. The trim is held in place by five size 10 torx screws two either side at the top and one at the bottom accessed from the back, which will release the trim complete with switches.


Feel or look behind the wheel for the holes and unscrew the torx screws turning wheel for better access don’t worry about loosing them as they will be held in place by the rubber on the wheel.

At this point place the airbag in the hole at the top of the wheel it just fits and holds in place so’s you can remove the trim.


Pull the wires from the clips holding them and disconnect the wires from the wheel the trim is now free and you can disconnect the multi function buttons with the four size 10 torx screws on the back put the screws back in the trim so’s not to loose them.


If you need to use the car while re spraying the trim you can replace the buttons and airbag temporarily and reconnect battery or fuse they will work fine.


To replace simply reverse the above . This will work the same for a preface lift model apart from the buttons are not on the trim so less messing around.
When I did mine I re-sprayed the trim to match the cars interior the pics are below.


Firstly rub/sand back the surface with wet and dry (iirc I used 1200)if you want take it back to it’s original state (white) like I did.


Then a few coats of acrylic primer


Then colour of choice (I actually used a rover colour as I have the graphite trim)


And then some lacquer to finish it off and protect it….job done.

Here are the final results, the pics aren’t the best but you can see the colour match to the interior trim isn’t bad.


Off course you could spray it any colour you wanted

Hi

You said you used a rover colour as you have the graphite trim. The auto gear knob on mine has worn and I can't see the insert as a seperate part....therefore with some mad masking not to get it every where I was going to paint it this darkish grey, is this clos enough and what coulr from the rover range?

Thanks in advance....Mike

Just to add.

This should take 30 - 45 minutes and that's being careful. The trickiest bit is getting the airbag unclipped (having removed fuse 14). I would not remove the battery as unless you have the stubby torx screwdriver (T10) you will need to move the wheel aroung to about 1.30 and 10.30 positions. It's worth putting a cloth over the top of the wheel/bottom of instrument cluster to protect these when unscrewing/screwing up again. When accessing the clips, you need to angle the driver slightly downwards (about 2.30 position and 9.30) and gently feel for the clip springing rather than poking around randomly and also I think the driver is twisted such that the flat of the head is parallel to the floor if that makes sense. The only other thing is that when the trim screws are undone and you've removed and are ready to put the new (or sprayed) trim back in place, make sure the screws have been pushed back otherwise they will stop you clipping the trim in place ready to be screwed up again and also when tightening the screws you need to put pressure on the trim as they're self tapping.

The new trim piece is £34.93 (including VAT) and seems like it might be made in a different finish. It doesn't feel so rubbery so they might have improved it but I can't be sure if it's just that the replacement is new.

[quote=""storminmike""]Hi

You said you used a rover colour as you have the graphite trim. The auto gear knob on mine has worn and I can't see the insert as a seperate part....therefore with some mad masking not to get it every where I was going to paint it this darkish grey, is this clos enough and what coulr from the rover range?

Thanks in advance....Mike[/quote]
Hi Mike sorry about the late reply ...just noticed this I can't recall the exact colour i just remember it was a rover one. I did post all this info on the old forum but it was lost when it went down
I will have a look in the workshop to see if i still have the old rattle can i used but i wouldn't hold my breath mind!

[quote=""Dan1502""]Just to add.

This should take 30 - 45 minutes and that's being careful. The trickiest bit is getting the airbag unclipped (having removed fuse 14). I would not remove the battery as unless you have the stubby torx screwdriver (T10) you will need to move the wheel aroung to about 1.30 and 10.30 positions. It's worth putting a cloth over the top of the wheel/bottom of instrument cluster to protect these when unscrewing/screwing up again. When accessing the clips, you need to angle the driver slightly downwards (about 2.30 position and 9.30) and gently feel for the clip springing rather than poking around randomly and also I think the driver is twisted such that the flat of the head is parallel to the floor if that makes sense. The only other thing is that when the trim screws are undone and you've removed and are ready to put the new (or sprayed) trim back in place, make sure the screws have been pushed back otherwise they will stop you clipping the trim in place ready to be screwed up again and also when tightening the screws you need to put pressure on the trim as they're self tapping.

The new trim piece is £34.93 (including VAT) and seems like it might be made in a different finish. It doesn't feel so rubbery so they might have improved it but I can't be sure if it's just that the replacement is new.[/quote]

I found poking around randomly worked fine and it only took about 10 - 15 mins to do that way

[quote=""x555""]I found poking around randomly worked fine and it only took about 10 - 15 mins to do that way [/quote]

So did I for one side to be honest but with hindsight realised there was a better approach and I was poking rather than stabbing so as not to damage anything. Job time included getting everything together, putting stuff away and being VERY careful.

[quote=""x555""][quote=""storminmike""]Hi

You said you used a rover colour as you have the graphite trim. The auto gear knob on mine has worn and I can't see the insert as a seperate part....therefore with some mad masking not to get it every where I was going to paint it this darkish grey, is this clos enough and what coulr from the rover range?

Thanks in advance....Mike[/quote]
Hi Mike sorry about the late reply ...just noticed this I can't recall the exact colour i just remember it was a rover one. I did post all this info on the old forum but it was lost when it went down
I will have a look in the workshop to see if i still have the old rattle can i used but i wouldn't hold my breath mind![/quote]

No probs....there are so many threads and we all have other lives

It looks closer to say a metallic grey than bright silver so I might just look at the rover tins in halfords.....that's if they sell paint like that these days as opposed to mixing up

[quote=""Dan1502""][quote=""x555""]I found poking around randomly worked fine and it only took about 10 - 15 mins to do that way [/quote]

So did I for one side to be honest but with hindsight realised there was a better approach and I was poking rather than stabbing so as not to damage anything. Job time included getting everything together, putting stuff away and being VERY careful.[/quote]

You can never be too carefull mate

[quote=""storminmike""]Hi

You said you used a rover colour as you have the graphite trim. The auto gear knob on mine has worn and I can't see the insert as a seperate part....therefore with some mad masking not to get it every where I was going to paint it this darkish grey, is this clos enough and what coulr from the rover range?

Thanks in advance....Mike[/quote]

Hi Mike,

My Gearknob is worn too from when I was using the car as a van when doing a trip back from Wickes... the lengths of wood I had rested on it must have worn it through - paint is obviously not very thick!

Went to see about a replacement trim and I was told you can't. Its a full gearknob so you have to specify the Trim colour and the Leather colour.

I think you would be better using a colour match 3M film wrap rather than trying to do a spray job in the car!


Turks.

[quote=""Turks""][quote=""storminmike""]Hi

You said you used a rover colour as you have the graphite trim. The auto gear knob on mine has worn and I can't see the insert as a seperate part....therefore with some mad masking not to get it every where I was going to paint it this darkish grey, is this clos enough and what coulr from the rover range?

Thanks in advance....Mike[/quote]

Hi Mike,

My Gearknob is worn too from when I was using the car as a van when doing a trip back from Wickes... the lengths of wood I had rested on it must have worn it through - paint is obviously not very thick!

Went to see about a replacement trim and I was told you can't. Its a full gearknob so you have to specify the Trim colour and the Leather colour.

I think you would be better using a colour match 3M film wrap rather than trying to do a spray job in the car!


Turks.[/quote]

Cheers Turks

I think it does come apart (how on earth they can't sell that bit seperate I'll never know) as I saw a gearknob breakdown on either here or outpost (?). You pulled it out complete, hooked out the button/trigger from the bottom as it is sort of hinged. The hinge bit of the button/trigger appeared to be what was holding the trim in place

Seemed a lot of fuss and prone to a mistake so I guessed maybe throw a bed sheet over it with a hole in
mask tighter the stick/ leather then throw some paint at it....madness....maybe...but I just know that if I pulled the shifter apart it wouldn't go back

3M film wrap does sound attractive....either that or a paint brush and a tin of modelling paint or the wife's nail varnish

Be carefull if you do take out the gearknob .......it will come out as you say but i never quite got the knack when i did mine and me being me i horsed it out and had to get my mate at the local stealers to sort it for me when it went in for a service.
Untill then it worked fine but would come out in your hand when driving along........used to drive the missus nuts but the kids always found it funny

[quote=""x555""]Be carefull if you do take out the gearknob .......it will come out as you say but i never quite got the knack when i did mine and me being me i horsed it out and had to get my mate at the local stealers to sort it for me when it went in for a service.
Untill then it worked fine but would come out in your hand when driving along........used to drive the missus nuts but the kids always found it funny [/quote]


Think I'll try the old bedsheet then when the weather is nicer ...can't afford to be off the road for vanity ...no wind requiredfor overspray either as I'd no doubt pass out if the doors were shut

Just replaced mine. Airbag springs were a pain but the worst was doing the torx screws back up.

To save confusion a post above mentions fuse 14 - it actually means 44. Had to check and re-check that.

Just trying to do this now. Could somebody confirm which hole I'm aiming for  and how deep the clip is?



I think it's the one on the far left of this pic that's just visible? 30 minutes of prodding has got me nowhere.

Thanks

Yes Kris its the large holes, the clips are quite far in & they require a decent amount of force to allow airbag out, i used a T-20 torq screwdriver as it has a large flat surface to push with as opposed to a sharp point on a plain screwdriver.

I went for the carbon fibre film wrap on mines


as per this guide
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL0nOpvk ... re=related[/youtube]

Not easy to get corners absolutely perfect due to bunching up  but looks pretty good for 6 quid & an hour & halfs work.

Not sure just how long it will last or if it will loose it's stick, but time will tell.