Davebrossi

Owing to the way in which all things fade, I decided earlier in the summer that finding a refreshed steering wheel for my 958 would fix all things in my life. Changing out a steering wheel on the 958 is relatively easy, but if you're stupid rather forward in your intentions, you take your well being in your hands if you do not disconnect the battery first.

Remove of a 958.1 steering wheel amounts to; get center punch->locate access hole in the bottom of the steering wheel-> using only hand power (bet you thought a mallet or mini sledge would pop up, nope!) find and press up against the spring catch holding the existing airbag module in place, and depending on the positioning of the plastic shroud around the airbag module, it will either pop free or, with some -gentle- persuasion (again, no mallets here, wiggle the wheel, maybe press up on the surrounding shroud, just help the module clear the surrounds) and out comes the airbag module with both stage one and two connectors and a grounding strap.

One 12mm triple spline bolt removed and disconnect of the heating element connector (bottom left on the clock spring) and the main connector at the top of the wheel (which is the suspect element in this instance) and you can remove the wheel to go with the airbag module.

Now comes the fun part! reassembly is much the same, but in reconnecting the airbag 'main' connector to the clock spring I seem to have issues. I get an airbag warning light, plugging in the various code readers indicate a voltage level above the norm for stage 2 (the important stage as there are two for the driver's airbag) being above the norm. Ok; 10 year old airbag module, old steering wheel, maybe it's time to carry out the 'upgrade' option for the steering wheel.

Obtain one 971 steering wheel, matching airbag module from a 2018 Macan, GPS adapter install, and the -first- time out of the gate I was able to clear the error. Only the wheel wasn't aligned correctly against the spline shaft, pop goes the airbag module, remove 12mm triple square bolt, adjust, reassemble, now the Stage 2 error is back. I don't imagine disconnecting the battery is going to solve my troubles, I wonder about 1.) damage to the brand new wiring harness retrofit into the 971 steering wheel as part of the modifications to get it to work with the 958.1 and 2.) is there an active 'short' somewhere in the chassis of the wheel I'm too dense to catch on to. I can send the clear command all I want, but to no avail, light keeps coming up. I haven't tried disconnecting the airbag at the connectors to the airbag itself, but I have re-seated the main wiring harness connector to the clock spring. I've gone back and looked for damaged wires in the new wiring harness and not encountered any, and 'learning to live with disabled safety features' isn't my style.

I have a salvage clockspring (yes I'll answer my own question soon) but I've thrown the 'new' parts (GPS adapter company provides a brand new wiring harness for the steering wheel for the 971 wheel specifically, so the idea of 'buggering' the wires or age playing a factor seem unlikely, -great- kit by the way) and given the light went off when I first mounted the new wheel I'm not sure component failure occurred (other than in my brain.)

I think using GPS's pin out I should probably be checking for continuity, but I believe the fault is a short somewhere causing the high value. I wont lie it is frustrating, but I know (yes I bloody well searched the forum) that the airbag warning light is a fickle beast and common enough. Just trying to organize my trouble shooting. On the plus side, really digging the new wheel.

Gus B.

Common sense would indicate it's related to the work you did, but previous research taught me that airbag lights usually are related to connectors under the seats. Perhaps your fiddling "triggered something" in that yellow connector under the driver's seat? Can't hurt to look and make sure it's properly seated...

Davebrossi

Absolutely agree about 'last touched; first point of reference' and in part that's why the clock spring is suspect specifically the main connector as it doesn't really snap into place the way it should. Also wondering about steering column which I'll look over when I have the covers off.

Regarding the seat connections, I didn't fiddle with anything there, but having heard it brought up time and time again, I agree it's well worth checking (as well as cycling the battery by which I mean disconnect, reconnect) and I believe there is a fuse there? Have power tool for easy of bolt removal of the bolts holding the seat in, so why not? Appreciate the suggestion, staring at an item long enough sadly does not create eureka moments for me.

Davebrossi

So; attempted swap of clockspring; other than annoying the steering angle sensor configuration, no change. A review of Durametric showed 5 volts for stage 2, 3 volts for stage one, and a resistance value of around 250 ohms for both 'stages.' Disconnected battery, re-seated connectors under the seat (going off the adage 'if it's a yellow connector, it's tied into the airbags' I checked and couldn't locate any instance of stripped back or damaged wiring. Pulled the steering wheel and reviewed the wiring within, all -appears- OK. Probably need to back and review given unpleasantness with one of three mounting bolts for the hardware the airbag clips into. Code still present although now it's changed to short circuit in stage 1 which is nice. Normally it was upper value exceeded. Clearly I pissed something off. Reinstalled original clockspring given no need to somehow 'calibrate' the steering angle senor since VCDS, Durametric, and the aftermarket tool everyone and their dog recommended for base codes offers this as an option. Reassessing the steering wheel next since it's a 'modernization' gig.

YogaYoghurt

I had the same error when swapping wheels. The steering wheel wiring harness at the airbag was melted. Swapping connectors didn't fix it. New Macan steering wheel harness was the solution

Davebrossi

So in ordering a retrofit kit from GPS Adapter I had already selected the wheel from a Panemera (figured more buttons more functionality, no such luck.) They correctly identified which kit was required and in the process I ended up replacing the OEM wiring harness now the -fail- here is losing one of the three bolts. Stripped head courtesy of **** Torx tools, drill bits end up filling the cavity, literally couldn't save the thread series or hole.

Nothing melted but I wouldn't be surprised if wiring somehow got caught and ruined because it would...its a possibility I will check against by reinstalling the OE wheel and airbag.

Davebrossi

brief update; in thinking 'last touched, first examined' I went back a step to 'original steering wheel replacement, last touched' which got me thinking about the one aspect of the wiring harness within the wheel that connects to the clock spring itself. I can only speak to a handful of vehicles I've done anything to the steering wheel on, but by far the most 'fragile' seemed to be the 958. Sure enough, when I installed the new wheel, the first time out of the gate I failed to properly align the spline shaft (I had stamped alignment into the metal ahead of time, I like that other companies did this 20 years ago but not VW!) and at that time the main harness came loose when resetting the wheel. So I looked into the connector...which is apparently made of plastic with the consistency of cheese. multiple pin connectors were deformed and on the top row of pins, the plastic surround for the connectors had snapped. I promise I didn't go at this thing with a mallet, but if your connectors aren't seated against the pins in the clock spring securely, well, that's bad news.

Thinking then 'OK, maybe I received an 'aftermarket' harness with my retrofit kit' I went back to the first wheel I had substituted in (sensing a theme? yes, the original wheel's leather had gone 'distressed') and I had the same deal. So no 'clipping the leads and soldering in the original harness connector.' Thankfully, the harness that adapts the 971 to the 958 can be ordered, and isn't made of unobtanium. I hope to install it and report back as I work -extremely gently- with the notion of third times' a charm.

As a final point of reiteration, when I first installed the retrofitted 971 wheel there were no airbag warnings. That only happened when I realized 'hey this isn't aligned right'

....now if only I could figure out which of the three torx screws on the back of the wheel is scraping against the plastic....