MW_ATL

So who has pulled the steering wheel and what is the experience here? Just no key anywhere close to the ignition? Or disconnect the negative terminal for the batter?

I've got the dreaded dead steering wheel button and thought I'd try re-soldering before I spent the cash to order parts to replace. Never had the airbag, etc out and wanted to see what experience everyone had??

I don't mind disconnecting, but I read the rear SAM on an '02 can be fussy even if you do everything right.

samaritrey

i never knew that the w203 had steering wheel button failure. i do know that i saw the buttons do not actually cost that much so it is not the end of the world if you can't fix them. btw what do you have to re solder. oh and i know i saw a diy for removing the steering wheel or something on here not to long ago. i bet it would say if that person disconnected the battery or not. i think they said not to but don't quote me on that.

MW_ATL

The DIY for the button fix is here: https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...-controls.html It seems pretty straight forward.

He apparently did not disconnect the battery, but I was hoping for a few others with experience. The whole airbag thing just makes me a bit nervous, but then so does some of the rear SAM issues.

samaritrey

when you disconnect the airbag don't you get an srs error that can only be cleared with the star. i think i read that somewhere. and thanks for the link i will have to read that now.

skittles

i would call the service dept dude i wouldnt take the risk without assurance that your doing the right thing. if airbags deploy thats allot of money to replace interior and reprogram. ill be watching this. im planning on replacing my old wheel.

skittles

ive disconnected the center dash before and started the car and it did give me an SRS error. i was so scared it would deploy next time they were connected. but it never did.

samaritrey

do you mean the buttons in the center like hazards and stuff. it has the baby seat thing in it so that is why you got the srs error. but i think that is different from the error with the airbag that i don't think will clear itself after power cycling.

MW_ATL

The center section on the dash can throw the same error when it is unplugged and the ignition is switched on. Learned that one the hard way last week.