Cruise and audio control cover

xterraintx · 12-10-2006, 09:44 AM

I searched but did not locate an answer. I have an SE with cruise and audio on the steeering. My challenge is my wife

Either her rings or even nails have scratched all the paint / surface color off the cover plate on the top of the controls (hard to explain)

I want to remove them and just paint them. I suppose I could buy repalcements but it would not be a solution. I don't want to break any tabs or such in removal so I'm asking

has anyone removed them? Is it just a po-off situation?

Thanks in advance!

AgTitan06 · 12-10-2006, 09:47 AM

DON'T even try...I saw a write-up on this a while back on how to add radio control buttons, and you have to remove the steering wheel, then remove the air bag, and then you can get to the bezel...It looked very complicated, and if you are not extremely careful, the airbag could explode.

AgTitan06 · 12-10-2006, 09:54 AM

By ELBO
"You will need the following:

1. Audio/Cruise Combo Controls
2. Socket with 6" or longer extension
3. 19mm Socket and 10mm Socket
4. Torx T10 and T25 or possibly a (T20 2006 Titan) Driver or Bit
If You need a Torx set that will work, Sears has one for $4.99
5. Optional - Steering Wheel Puller ($12 - $14 at Autozone)
You can always buy one, and if the wheel comes off with ease, then
return it.

- Get your Titan on a nice flat surface, and park it with the steering wheel
and wheels straight ahead. This is VERY important!

- Set your parking Brake!

- Use the 10mm socket to remove the cable from the negative terminal on the battery. Use a rag or something to wrap around the loose cable so it doesn't go sparking into something.

- Now set your timer, clock what ever for 8 Minutes! Important Step! We are dealing with explosives here..

Step 3 Remove Side Bolts from Steering Wheel

- If you look behind the wheel you will find a little cover on each side, you can pop these off with your finger nail.

- Behind these you will have a 10mm bolt. According to the manual it is supposed to be a Security Bolt. Mine wasn't it was just a plain 10mm. So
you may have to find a security socket if you run into problems here.

- Remove the bolt from either side. If it falls off into the steering wheel, it is no big deal you can recover it at a later step.

Step 4 - Remove Air Bag

- Okay you did let 8 minutes pass right, since you unhooked the Battery?
We don't want you blowing yourself up!

- Once the bolts are removed from the previous step. Carefully slide the
airbag out. The mechanic manual recommended working from the side, in the event that the bag ignites. Your probably really safe, but just pay attention
to what you are doing.

- The Airbag will be attached to:
- Green Wire (Ground) Unhook this
- Two Air Bag Connectors (One Orange and One Yellow)

- To remove the Air Bag connectors. Pry on the little black part upwards
away from the airbag, with your fingernails, the little black part will lift up
like a little handle. Once it is lifted, the connectors will easily come off. NO YANKING necessary.

- To get the Green Wire off, there is a little PUSH this on one side

- Also unhook the BUS connector as shown in the illustrations.

- At this point, the airbag should freely come out. Place it face up
outside of the vehicle and away from people or pets. The reason for it to be face up, is if it blows it will just pop the airbag (Less harmful) than if it where to blow facing the otherway, where it would become a projectile. In addition you don't want to scratch up the face of it anyway!

Step 5 Remove Steering Wheel

Now that the airbag is out of the way. We can get to the steering wheel.
Slow down and make sure you read all of these instructions before you proceed.

I went along hellblazing thru this, and when I yanked my steering wheel off, it snagged a wire and ripped the Wire Spool out too! You don't want to know how expensive and what a pain that was to have fixed. Learn from my mistake and go careful, okay!

- Okay again make sure you have the steering wheel straight ahead with tires straight ahead.

- Remove the center Bolt. It is 19mm. You will need a socket extension to remove it properly. You may have to rotate the steering wheel to get it to LOCK into place so that you can get leverage on the bolt.

- Once you get it started, Unlock the steering wheel Using the Key, and turning the wheel Out further, and let it return to the neutral position before continuing. Then remove the bolt.

- Once you have the bolt out. Look closely at the Mark on the Shaft and the base around the shaft for the alignment marks. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT YOU DO THIS. They may not be pefectly aligned. If it is a couple notches one way or the other, you will need to remember this, and put it back this way. Otherwise when you get it all back together. You are going to be driving straight down the road with your wheel aiming for the sidewalk.

- Now to remove the wheel, I recommend going slow. The first time I yanked it off by hand and it ripped the ribbon cable assembly open (THINK BAD) The second time I did it, I was prepared with a Steering Column Remover Tool. This allows you to slowly control the removal and make sure no wires get snagged.

- As you back the wheel off, be sure to feed the Yellow and Orange wires though there holes.

- Also put your hand thru and hold the spiral assembly in place so it doesn't fall out. Try to not let it spin much either.

- Once you have the wheel totally free. Tape up the spiral assembly

Step 6 Removing Old Controls

- Take the steering wheel to a desktop and grab your Torx with T9 and T25 bits.

- Use T25 To remove the three screws on the Back.

- Lift the Back cover off

- Now use T9 to remove the two screws holding the Cruise Control and blank
faceplate on.

Step 7 Adding New Controls

- Well we are over half way there now! Good Job!

- Adding the new controls is pretty obvious. It will be reverse
of what we just did when we removed the old ones.

- Don't screw down the screws too tight! This is plastic after all,
you don't want to crack anything!

Step 8 Reinstalling Steering Wheel

- This is a little bit tricky, but simple process.

- Feed the orange and red wire clips back through. On opposite sides as shown.

- As you start to get the steering wheel in place. Remove your tape, again utmost care to not let that thing spin too much or fall off.

- As the wheel goes on. If you look at the steering wheel from the top you will see that the White Rubber Foot on the Spool, will fit into a recepticle on the back of the wheel. this is shown in one of the pictures below.

- Make sure you get the steering wheel aligned back on the shaft as you remembered it. And make sure it seats all the way down. You can tell that it is seated all the way down by comparing my pictures to your situation. When it is all the way in. You will see metal flush with both the shaft base and the grooves grabbing it from the steering wheel. I don't know how to phrase that better. But it should be flush. I had to realign it a couple of times to get it to seat fully.

- Once it is seated fully, check again your alignment.

- Now you can put the center bolt 19mm bolt back on. You may have to lock the wheel up to get it tight. Don't go mad crazy on the torque.

Step 9 Reattach Airbag

(Your Battery should still be unhooked!!)

- All most done!

- Reattach the airbag. Orange and Yellow Clips, no problem

- Slide the Green Wire back on.

- Plug in the Bus Connector.

- You can route the wires into the little notches provided.
You want to use them the best you can to keep wires clear
from when you are blowing the horn. You don't want the wires
getting friction burns and rubbing down becoming exposed.

- Push the airbag back on it should easily go in. You shouldn't have to force it. Put the two 10mm bolts back in on each side of the back of the steering wheel. Don't go nuts with the Torque.

Step 10 : Finishing Up

- Put the plastic covers on the back of the steering wheel.

- Reattach the negative battery terminal with 10mm socket.
(I removed the radiator overflow cap here (Be sure truck is cool)
To get better access to the battery socket.

- Start the truck. Check your audio controls on the steering wheel.
You will have to reprogram your stations. But wait to do this after you
take a test drive.

- Test drive, you shouldn't have a airbag light. And your steering wheel
should be straight while driving straight. If it isn't. You will need to adjust.
(Be sure to unhook the battery, and let 8 minutes pass before taking the wheel off again)"

thebassn8tr · 12-10-2006, 04:24 PM

Here is the link so you can see pics:

Adding Steering Wheel Audio Controls

I got the cruise/radio controls from Ms. Clause. I will be installing them with this link on the 26th! Can't wait. BTW, it's her rings. My truck has the same thing.

rvandam · 12-10-2006, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xterraintx

I searched but did not locate an answer. I have an SE with cruise and audio on the steeering. My challenge is my wife

Either her rings or even nails have scratched all the paint / surface color off the cover plate on the top of the controls (hard to explain)

I want to remove them and just paint them. I suppose I could buy repalcements but it would not be a solution. I don't want to break any tabs or such in removal so I'm asking

has anyone removed them? Is it just a po-off situation?

Thanks in advance!

This was a known problem with the '04 Titans (and Armadas). I had mine replaced under warranty; the new ones were much better - never even scratched, let alone chip.

Ask your dealer, they may help you out and replace on Nissan's dime.