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I've searched and found some useful threads including the DIY on how to remove the steering wheel/airbag. I created this thread to just get a definate answer.

I have recently purchased a RSX steering wheel with airbag. Just wondering if the airbag, horn, and cruise control connectors are the same. If so, I can just completely swap out steering wheels right?

I'm pretty sure they all hook up, but if anyone knows for sure, this would re-enforce my presumption that everything hooks up. Hopefully I dont have to splice wires or use the civic's cruise control buttons. I just want to make sure the RSX steering wheel is fully functional when I swap it in.

Thanks in advance.

 
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you have to splice the cruse control wires because they use a different connector.

 
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Search the DIY's someone did this

 
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Splice the cruise controls on both the connector coming from the steering column and the wheel itself?? Is it becuase the connectors are different?? If so, can I just cut the one off my stock steering wheel (the connector) and wire the rsx cruise buttons to that connector??

 
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you can use your stock CC connector from your stock steering wheel
very easy to do and works perfect

 
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Even if the swapped wheel is fully functional, isn't it also illegal?

 
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Why would it be illegal to change your steering wheel.
They sell aftermarket steering wheels at pepboys.
So I'm going to venture to say it isn't illegal in any states.

Also, Correct me if i'm wrong, cuase I haven't does this, but I coulda swore I read on some forum that the civic had a 2 wire connection and the RSX had a 3 wire connnection, so that some basic re-wiring had to be done.

 
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I've talked to Tully, and he says you have to worry about rewireing the cruise control. Just splice the wires from the RSX cruise wheels becuase I believe the connectors are different.

As for airbag, I haven't gotten a straight answer yet, but hopefully this is a direct plug and play. Note: RSX wheel going on 2k1 Civic EX. I read somewhere that the Canadian version of the Civic EX has a different airbag setup (shrug). Anyways, the wheel is in the mail as of yesterday morning. Expected arrival on Nov. 23 =\. I wish the wheel would arrive sooner, but USPS almost never delievers before the expected arrival date.

SO...if someone with a US spec Civic has swapped in a RSX steering wheel equiped with air bag, please respond.

 
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I dunno about driving around with an aftermarket steering wheel, but I know for a fact that (at least here in Ontario, Canada) it's illegal to drive with no functional horn button AND if you own a car that came from the dealer with an airbag, you can't sell that car without that airbag functional (ie put the OEM wheel back on).

As for the 1-vs-2 airbag setup - my 1.7EL came with 1 airbag, and so did my RSX wheel (both Canadian). I swapped my old stock steering wheel into an older 1.6EL that had 2 airbag units in the wheel, so the plug was slightly different. I simply spliced the harness from the old 1.6's steering wheel airbags into the 1.7's single airbag wiring (cutting off the 1.7's plug in the process). No SRS light, all was good. Happy days.

Just a tip - make sure your car's wheels are straight and the steering wheel at 0 position before you start this....otherwise the wheel could go on crooked like mine did the first time - had to redo it.

Oh and BTW it's "TeLLy", not "Tully", ha ha.

 
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I don't know if we have that air bag law here, maybe someone has ran into that before, but a lot of the aftermarket steering wheels, do not have airbags, Like the Ghetto Chain link steering wheels,
I personly haven't saved up the $29 for my APC Chain Link Steering wheel
So i don't know if there is some kind of disclaimer that states that you need an airbag, if it is OEM equipment.

I do know that a functional horn button is also required in the US it's part of a normal inspection. But the question asked was "isn't it illegal to swap a fully functional steering wheel" and even the cheap APC chain links come with that.

 
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From what I've heard from my mechanic and read online, we have the same law that Telly explained in an earlier post. You can change your steering wheel to any aftermarket wheel, but if you're selling your car and your car came standard with an airbag, then the wheel you have on must have an airbag before you sell it.

In my case, I'm swapping out for the RSX wheel with functional airbag so I'm pretty sure it's even legal to sell the car with that wheel still on. But of course, I'm not selling Jennifer (my civic's name) anytime soon .

 
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i have a Si/SIR steering wheel. I m from Canada, it uses one stage air bag system. My SW is also from canada so it fits perfectly, direct bolt on except for curise. Canadian cars have one stage airbag system (i think thatz what its call) just like the JDM SW.

US use 2 stage.

 
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Well I'm getting a RSX wheel from a US produced RSX, so I'm hoping in the US the RSX uses a 2 stage like the US Civic.

 
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Just installed the US RSX steering wheel in an US 01 Civic EX.

For future references, I'll set everyone straight.

The horn and airbag is a direct plug and play, but the cruise control is not.

For my cruise control, there were 3 wires coming out of the steering column AND THEY WERE ALL GREEN!!

The cruise control connector from the RSX steering wheel is NOT plug and play. You have to splice the wires on both the wires coming from the column and the wires coming from the cruise control from the RSX steering wheel. Just remember how the connector goes into the stock cruise control buttons and line those wires up with the wires coming from the RSX cruise control.

NOTE: RSX cruise control has 3 wires. On mine, they were all black and had different color stripes on each one.

Hope this helps out anyone trying to do this swap into their civics. (Canadian civics and RSX wires/connectors are different). Thanks to Telly for the guidence; but once I got in there and saw the wires, I noticed that the CA version is completly different from the US version.

 
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Good job man. Grace us with some pics of the hotness please!

 
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post some picture?

 
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did your steering wheel come with an airbag? i'm not sure if our civic's airbag could fit into the rsx's steering wheel without any problems. if it does fit then i might buy the steering wheel minus the airbags to save myself some money.

 
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Yea, I got my steering wheel with the RSX airbag. From what I've heard, the civic's airbag doesnt fit. The civic's steering wheel is kind of squarish looking while the RSX steering wheel is triangular; therefore, there is less space on the back of the RSX wheel.

I got my wheel for $225 shipped with stock airbag. I thought this was a good deal, so I picked it up.

For those of you that want pics, I'll post them after thanksgiving break. Right now I'm going out of town for a couple days, but stay tuned!

 
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i'd like to see pics....sounds like fun....

 
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Stilll no pictures 3 months later.... *sniff*

 
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still no pics after a year and 8months.. sniff sniff.

 
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OMG THIS SCARED THE CRAP OUTA ME...

I got this email from "civicforums" that I had a private message...

"I ain't ever heard of no Civic Forums dot Com" I says to myself.
Becuase I talk to myself of a regular basis.

So I have to go through the whole deal to reset my pass word and get this PM asking about my Steering Wheel swap.

And I says to myself.
"OMGWTFBBQSauce," I really said that to myself, like "Oh em gee double yew tee ef bee bee que SAUCE" So anyway, I say
"I have no clue what going on, I don't know this forums, and I sure as heck didn't ever swap out my steering wheel!!!"

Only to find out that someone thought I was serious when I said

Like over 2 years ago.


Wow.....

And the moral of this story is....

Nice overhaul 7thgencivic.com !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
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Thank you 4jacks, I needed a good laugh while sitting at my desk eating chili. I was just thinking to myself "I sure hope something good is happening on the forums today."

So now you gotta swap to the chain link wheel, I wanna see pics!

 
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FUDGE !!!

I knew this Forum would be the downfall of me....

Fine, I'll run out to Pep Boys, for my High Performance Sports Chain Link Steering wheel tonight.

That's like 20 extra horse power right there....

Pics to come.