A4 steering wheel in A8
 

Hi,

I'm new here, have recently bought a 1998 A8 4.2 Quattro, loving the car in general but recently picked up a steering wheel (sansairbag) on eBay. It's a beautiful polished wood finish, with the 3-spoke Sport middle.

Having checked the part number, an Audi dealer tells me that the wheel is from a 2001 A4 Sport. They were pessimistic about it fitting the A8.

If I were to purchase the appropriate Airbag unit for the wheel (not from Audi, obviously... £600:tuttut:) then is the steering wheel wiring likely to be completely incompatible? I genuinely can't see that it would change much between models but stand to be corrected :)

I badly want the wheel to fit because it's the right wood for the car and looks amazing... But I would rather like a functioning driver airbag too :D

I would love to see a picture of the wheel!

I'm 99% sure it will fit, as all the VAG wheels from that era should be the same. You should find wheels from Lamborghini fit too +++

The standard wood wheels come without tiptronic controls, so there might be some slight wiring differences, but fundamentaly as long as the spline is the same size, you should be on a winner. Its easy enough to whip off your current airbag and steering wheel to check...

Thanks for that. Essentially I wanted to canvass opinion before sourcing the airbag component, since that'll be the expensive bit. If there's a fair-to-middling chance of it fitting then I will go ahead and buy it.

Audi were simply taking the default option that it wouldn't fit, because there is no A8 specification on the wheel/airbag but I can't see that the wiring would be wildly different. I don't have tiptronic steering wheel controls ATM anyway.

Here's the wheel...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=270393792868

The pictures don't really do it justice though. The rim is highly polished walnut, no blemishes whatsoever. It really suits the car. Worked out at £21 including postage too :D

I've had a couple of good eBay purchases recently- Also picked up a set of new front discs and pads for £35 posted. :)

What's the consensus then- Spend £100 on an airbag unit and see if it'll fit?

For the sake of three screws, you can check the steering wheel fits before buying the airbag ??

Disconnect the battery first (saves airbag warning light coming on)

There are two screw holes on the underside of the airbag, they are Torx T30's. Undo these and airbag will come loose. Disconnect the wires and remove.

Then you are onto the main screw holding the steering wheel on, which is a large multi-point bolt, which can actually be removed using a Torx of the correct size, about a T50 / T55 off the top of my head.

Remove the steering wheel, and try the other one in its place.....

If it fits, put your old one back on for now, and source an airbag +++

R8 wheel?
 

I wonder if this will fit and wire up OK?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=220448357613

It's got flappy paddles! FLAPPY PADDLES!!!!!!!!!

Hmmmmmm the airbag shape looks reminiscent of an S8 3 spoke sports wheel airbag...............

Flappy paddles
 

Yea, I know... :tuttut:

Thanks for all the replies. I am 99.9% sure the wheel will physically fit on the column, and Audi seem to suggest same, it's purely the airbag wiring issue I am concerned about.

Which I won't be able to check unless I get hold of one!

At worst, I'm sure I could sell it for £100-odd as a complete unit with airbag to some A4 nut...

Any airbags for a 8eo 41909 1bc 73g lying around Ian?