B5 steering wheel into B6 w/ MFSW help please

[speedshopmike]

ok, i hate the 4 spoke wheel.
i'd like a 3 spoke and prefer the look of the B5 to the B6.
car's an '04 S4 w/ MFSW.
will a B5 wheel bolt on in plug-n-play fashion?
was there a B5 wheel w/ radio controls or are the ones i've seen just Tip shifter buttons?
TIA for any info.

[Street Nasty]

Only shifter buttons. Uses a different airbag connector, clockspring, etc. but you should be able to splice here and there to make it work with the clockspring and plugs. I would just get a 3 spoke b6 steering wheel, the b5 wheel looks so old.

[b6Hate4]

What he said^ also wrong forum.

[xhackerekx]

update u steering wheel from b7 like my:) same clock spring and use only orange connector for airbag or I can sell oem 3 spoke from my b6

[Greedo]

update u steering wheel from b7 like my:) same clock spring and use only orange connector for airbag or I can sell oem 3 spoke from my b6

I thought the B7 used a different clockspring?

[xhackerekx]

only when u need enable steering wheel function like volume up down ,radio station search , phone .... otherwise straight bolt up

[speedshopmike]

Only shifter buttons. Uses a different airbag connector, clockspring, etc. but you should be able to splice here and there to make it work with the clockspring and plugs. I would just get a 3 spoke b6 steering wheel, the b5 wheel looks so old.

thank you, that's exactly the info i was after....bummer for me but solid answers that let me proceed.
i prefer the look of the B5 vs the B6 3 spoker (i'm old too!) but if i can''t have radio volume on the wheel i'll bolt on a B6 unit for the no-brainer ease of it.
i appreciate the information and help!

[Street Nasty]

You can try to rig the 3 spoke tiptronic steering wheel buttons to work as volume control since you already have the correct clockspring. It's all just wiring and pins. You can compare the wires/pins with your 4 spoke (if you have a mfsw 4 spoke).

[MNAudi101]

only when u need enable steering wheel function like volume up down ,radio station search , phone .... otherwise straight bolt up

have fun when you hit something and the air bag doesnt deploy

[CyberPMG]

^^This. There's a company that has worked out retrofitting a B8 steering with with a Stage 1 airbag that will work with our B6 cars. A bit pricey, but a better choice. They've posted in here if you search for it.

[MNAudi101]

^^This. There's a company that has worked out retrofitting a B8 steering with with a Stage 1 airbag that will work with our B6 cars. A bit pricey, but a better choice. They've posted in here if you search for it.

seen it before, not worth the money in my mind sucks if you have platinum interior as well

[b6Hate4]

have fun when you hit something and the air bag doesnt deploy

I lol'd.


But its not a laughing matter, this is why I have not done this mod.

[Charles.waite]

I don't see how the b5 3-spoke is really that much different, if its even different at all. The only visual difference I see is the golfball pattern center thing on the b5 (ugly imo).

So why bother, when b6 3-spokes aren't hard to find? The B5s only had tip shifter buttons, no MF buttons.

If anything, go with the b7 3-spoke MFSW, but be advised, as far as I know, nobody has tested/confirmed a working airbag for those. It'd make me nervous as hell, not because airbags save lives (even though they often do) but because insurance might not cover you if they discover you disabled the airbags doing the mod.

Not worth the risk for me, even though I would LOVE to have my B7's steering wheel in my b6...

[xhackerekx]

have fun when you hit something and the air bag doesnt deploy

I already deploy one air bag for testing don't worry work grate (this test cost me 180 for one air bag and 100 for 2nd )
two connector on b7 air bag green stage 1 and orange for stage 2 need connecting only orange on green deploy is very weak

[speedshopmike]

update u steering wheel from b7 like my:) same clock spring and use only orange connector for airbag or I can sell oem 3 spoke from my b6

i might want to buy your original wheel....what's the best you'll do on price?
please post or pm me a picture or two.
if it's ratty or torn up i'm not interested.
thank you

[Charles.waite]

I already deploy one air bag for testing don't worry work grate (this test cost me 180 for one air bag and 100 for 2nd )
two connector on b7 air bag green stage 1 and orange for stage 2 need connecting only orange on green deploy is very weak

Interesting. This is the first I've heard of someone actually testing this. Could you do a writeup on it? I've wanted a MFSW for a while now, not having radio controls is a real pain in the ass, especially with the Symphony 2+.

[xhackerekx]

Interesting. This is the first I've heard of someone actually testing this. Could you do a writeup on it? I've wanted a MFSW for a while now, not having radio controls is a real pain in the ass, especially with the Symphony 2+.

I have RNS-D and no need steering wheel controls :)

[Charles.waite]

I have RNS-D and no need steering wheel controls :)

Well I don't NEED steering wheel controls, haha, I WANT them. It gets tedious reaching across the car to hit next track all the time. Or reaching down to change the volume. Little annoyances like that. The radio controls have all been done though, I'm more interested in the airbag wiring aspect.

[evo_ski]

Well I don't NEED steering wheel controls, haha, I WANT them. It gets tedious reaching across the car to hit next track all the time. Or reaching down to change the volume. Little annoyances like that. The radio controls have all been done though, I'm more interested in the airbag wiring aspect.

Maybe your hand is just tired from all the shifting you have to do. Maybe if you did a tiptronic swap you wouldn't have such a wussy/tired hand and can change tracks easier.

[Charles.waite]

Maybe your hand is just tired from all the shifting you have to do. Maybe if you did a tiptronic swap you wouldn't have such a wussy/tired hand and can change tracks easier.

I'll slap you with that wussy hand my friend if you keep spreading this nonsense about tiptronic swaps. Everyone knows Tiptronics are the worst thing ever! Its science.

[xhackerekx]

i might want to buy your original wheel....what's the best you'll do on price?
please post or pm me a picture or two.
if it's ratty or torn up i'm not interested.
thank you

send on my pm u cell # I send u pic

[speedshopmike]

send on my pm u cell # I send u pic

sorry, i dont have a cell; they irritate me

[speedshopmike]

have fun when you hit something and the air bag doesnt deploy

exactly...then insurance does their investigation (assuming i'm alive), finds the wrong wheel, voids the policy, and i have to feed myself gruel via straw the rest of my life under a bridge; i'll pass.

[speedshopmike]

You can try to rig the 3 spoke tiptronic steering wheel buttons to work as volume control since you already have the correct clockspring. It's all just wiring and pins. You can compare the wires/pins with your 4 spoke (if you have a mfsw 4 spoke).

THAT is what i was hoping for.
i was concerned bc i don't know how audi configures their wheels electronically speaking..
i do have mfsw now, so it seems this could be doable after all.
i've added/reconfigured wheel buttons on several domestics in the past hassle free, but the germans seem to really enjoy making things a pain in the ass.
so, next question is does anyone have wiring diagrams or pinouts for these wheels?
do the buttons run off a low voltage reference input or either 12V or closed-to-ground?
i REALLY don't wanna dick up the car probing from scratch if possible.
thanks for chiming in; it'd be real nice to have track control of the radio and a 3-spoker....but i've done some digging and apparently nobody has made this happen, including a post specifically about this topic.

[agentsmith988]

I'm more interested in the airbag wiring aspect.

xhackerekx ^^this^^

The B7 dual stage airbag not deploying doomsday fiasco was what finally steered me away from retro'ing one in. Share your secrets and tests in a thread. I guarantee that many would be eternally grateful.

[speedshopmike]

I already deploy one air bag for testing don't worry work grate (this test cost me 180 for one air bag and 100 for 2nd )
two connector on b7 air bag green stage 1 and orange for stage 2 need connecting only orange on green deploy is very weak

how do you know *both* aren't supposed to deploy simultaneously in a more serious crash?
seems that'd be the logical way to engineer a dual staged system....i'd suspect the stage 1 bag not deploying could interfere with the stage 2 bag deploying as designed.
it shouldn't be too hard to obtain this information from a euro salvage yard operator.
"after that major wreck, did both stages deploy?"

[speedshopmike]

gentlemen, old thread, but i'll use it to doc my wheel swap once i begin.
i picked up a B7 3 spoke mfsw and will be swapping it w/ my existing, oem 4 spoke mfsw.
(which will be for sale if anyone wants it).
any further advice/tips/anecdotal evidence would be greatly appreciated.
thank you

[xhackerekx]

pic.

[diagnosticator]

There is also a B6 S4 three spoke sport SW with paddle shifters and no buttons. This is the SW I have in my Avant.

[diagnosticator]

have fun when you hit something and the air bag doesnt deploy

The problem has never been a non deploy situation. The problem with using a two stage B7 air bag in a B6, is how to connect just the secondary stage air bag to deploy like the single stage air bag in the B6, or to connect both the 1st stage and the 2nd stage air bags together to deploy together at the same time. Properly connected, there is no evidence the secondary air bag or the two stages ignited together, won't deploy correctly when ignited by the air bag control module. The other issue is whether the second stage air bag deploys with excessive force compared to the single stage B6 airbag. B6 SW air bags don't always deploy during collisions anyway, it depends on the collision forces detected by the control unit. The pyrotechnic seat belt tensioners are initiated before the air bags are deployed. and is the primary response during collisions.

[diagnosticator]

exactly...then insurance does their investigation (assuming i'm alive), finds the wrong wheel, voids the policy, and i have to feed myself gruel via straw the rest of my life under a bridge; i'll pass.

Your insurance policy specifically limits coverage to only original air bags? My policy does not mention this as a limitation. This would be the same as limiting coverage to only known fully functioning air bags, that deployed during the collision, and non deployment meant no coverage. That is illogical in the minimum and could not sustain a legal challenge as a practical matter. If the collision data obtained from the airbag controller, recorded that the airbags where activated, but the airbags did not deploy, then the insurance would still be liable, with the insurance co able to bring a lawsuit against the manufacturer for losses as a defective product case. Regardless, collision injury coverage is not determined by the presence or functionality of specific occupant safety equipment, only by the occurrence of injury within the limitations of coverage.

[speedshopmike]

Your insurance policy specifically limits coverage to only original air bags? My policy does not mention this as a limitation. This would be the same as limiting coverage to only known fully functioning air bags, that deployed during the collision, and non deployment meant no coverage. That is illogical in the minimum and could not sustain a legal challenge as a practical matter. If the collision data obtained from the airbag controller, recorded that the airbags where activated, but the airbags did not deploy, then the insurance would still be liable, with the insurance co able to bring a lawsuit against the manufacturer for losses as a defective product case. Regardless, collision injury coverage is not determined by the presence or functionality of specific occupant safety equipment, only by the occurrence of injury within the limitations of coverage.

it is illegal to disable or alter federally mandated emissions or safety devices.
original airbags being mandated by policy makes no sense, due to known and published "need" to replace them periodically or for repair of defective components.
however, replacing one type of a'bag with another completely different type, resulting in a trigger but non-deployment in an accident, could very well be the freshly broken camel back's straw in court.
i'm not interested in being that test case....or a welfare vegetable.
i am interested only in doing this correctly and safely.

[speedshopmike]

i pulled the a'bag off the 4 spoke mfsw and the b7 wheel.
everything is totally different in every regard.
i have photos and i'd like to post them.
but the board says i can't post attachments.....why not??
help please!

[speedshopmike]

the person who decided all the wires involved should be black must be killed.
slowly, via unga bunga, if you're old enough to remember that joke.

[speedshopmike]

this is humiliating but i'm about to use dynamite so i must ask:
there are two torx screws holding the upper steer column plastic to the lower.
the"idiot's guide to mfsw" states they're T27, but they certainly are not on my car; mine are MUCH smaller.
since i don't have the correct sized torx driver, and driver bits will not fit into the tiny holes in the lower plastic the evil germans provided for the screws, does anyone know what size torx that fastener is??
PLEASE!!!

[krew53]

this is humiliating but i'm about to use dynamite so i must ask:
there are two torx screws holding the upper steer column plastic to the lower.
the"idiot's guide to mfsw" states they're T27, but they certainly are not on my car; mine are MUCH smaller.
since i don't have the correct sized torx driver, and driver bits will not fit into the tiny holes in the lower plastic the evil germans provided for the screws, does anyone know what size torx that fastener is??
PLEASE!!!

I think it is a T8.

[speedshopmike]

May you win the lottery and own 1000 lovely wives, kind sir.
thank you very much.

[Charles.waite]

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-t8-x-...p-00941653000P

This guy is exactly what you need.

[AudiTLC]

There is a writeup in the b6 tech section on steering wheel swap with the b7.

[speedshopmike]

T8 confirmed...they are tiny!!
car's all apart....i'm lacking part number 4E0972133, the airbag harness/plug that goes 'tween the clockspring and the column.
the connector is different.
anybody have one laying around?
extensive forum searching, naturally, shows conflicting information about hooking up the airbags (dual stage bag, single stage module).
i've decided, based on reports of correctly deploying airbags, to hook up both stages in parallel.
anecdotal evidence states this works, whereas i've found a couple reports of non deployment when hooked up to only one stage.
also it seems the best place to make the parallel connections is before the clockspring, in the harness mentioned above that i need, not inside the wheel as i'd intended to; i saw reports of warning lights when done that way.

anybody have informed thoughts on any of this?