Upgrade steering wheel 2011 G550 to newer style 2014 HELP

Apr 18, 2017 | 07:05 PM

Tim Partner

Thread Starter

Newbie

Joined: Apr 2017

Posts: 5

Likes: 0

2011 G550

Upgrade steering wheel 2011 G550 to newer style 2014 HELP

OK so I have a 2011 g550 with 11K miles on it its like new and I don't like the steering wheel. I just bought a new 2014 style wheel and need some help figuring out how and if I can make it work? Pics of old and new. Any help I really appreciate, has anyone done this before? I can't find anything like it online?

Upgrade steering wheel 2011 G550 to newer style 2014 HELP-s-l1600-2.jpg

Apr 18, 2017 | 07:11 PM

RA050524

Banned

Joined: Oct 2016

Posts: 127

Likes: 3

From: southern california

g500

it is impossible to do. you will need the newer steering column and that won't even fit. also the air bag plugs aren't the same. sorry about that

Apr 18, 2017 | 07:14 PM

Tim Partner

Thread Starter

Newbie

Joined: Apr 2017

Posts: 5

Likes: 0

2011 G550

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdbenz500

it is impossible to do. you will need the newer steering column and that won't even fit. also the air bag plugs aren't the same. sorry about that

So the newer wheel wont even go on the shaft? Cant the wire harness end be changed if so? Sorry but If there is a way I am willing... Short of changing the steering column

Apr 19, 2017 | 01:57 PM

gmaschine

Super Member

Joined: Aug 2015

Posts: 652

Likes: 83

From: Chicago

W463

It should slip over the steering shaft.

But the functions on the new steering wheel won't work and will not light up. You will have to swap the switches from the old wheel to the new one. Not a simple task but it can be done.

Apr 19, 2017 | 02:48 PM

Tim Partner

Thread Starter

Newbie

Joined: Apr 2017

Posts: 5

Likes: 0

2011 G550

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernst V Bauer

Awesome! Thanks for that. Any advice on how to hook up the air bag and how to swap over the switches? I am prepared (Mentally) hahah for the task!!

Ill post photos of progress as well.

Apr 19, 2017 | 02:58 PM

gmaschine

Super Member

Joined: Aug 2015

Posts: 652

Likes: 83

From: Chicago

W463

I know that the facelift steering wheel upgrades are very common overseas (i.e. Russia, etc). I would search for some guys on here who specialize in steering wheel upgrades, repair. They basically swap the internal guts over so you reuse your existing steering wheel harness without upgrading the steering column.

Please advise on the caution of dealing with air bags in general, they are dangerous and are not 100% guaranteed to work with proper deployment with the new updated wheel.

May 8, 2017 | 04:40 PM

Tim Partner

Thread Starter

Newbie

Joined: Apr 2017

Posts: 5

Likes: 0

2011 G550

New OEM Face Lift steering wheel installed.
As of now nothing us plugged in but honestly I don't even care. Can anyone plug into the computer and bypass the airbag and Esp to disable it so the codes don't show up? It was a easy swap and i like the look and feel of the new wheel so much better. If I can find some one to make all the electronics work with the new wheel I would be happy to do it as well!

6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)

Verdad Gallardo

Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun

Verdad Gallardo

Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren

Verdad Gallardo

8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine

Verdad Gallardo

Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction

Verdad Gallardo

Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know

Verdad Gallardo

Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know

Verdad Gallardo

5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve

Verdad Gallardo

Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping

Verdad Gallardo

10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used

Verdad Gallardo

May 8, 2017 | 09:25 PM

Kobzarhomes

MBWorld Fanatic!

Joined: Dec 2012

Posts: 1,084

Likes: 248

From: Seattle

2011 Mercedes E550 Sport

Looks good

May 30, 2017 | 08:13 PM

#10

RA050524

Banned

Joined: Oct 2016

Posts: 127

Likes: 3

From: southern california

g500

any news on the buttons and electronics?

Jun 2, 2017 | 01:44 PM

#11

hutch300

Super Member

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 872

Likes: 105

From: Pacific Northwest

2022 GLE450

Air bags save lives... you may want to reconsider this...

Jun 3, 2017 | 10:19 PM

#12

ybaba888

Junior Member

Joined: Feb 2015

Posts: 60

Likes: 6

2014 C63, 2016 GLE Coupe, 2015 G550, 1968 Datsun 2000

There may be liability issue too. Insurance company may refuse to pay if air bag isn't functional.

Jul 28, 2017 | 12:15 AM

#13

RA050524

Banned

Joined: Oct 2016

Posts: 127

Likes: 3

From: southern california

g500

any updates on airbag and electronics?

Aug 2, 2017 | 02:23 AM

#14

gurukid

Junior Member

Joined: Oct 2014

Posts: 43

Likes: 11

W463 G500, W463 G55, W222 S550, F10 M5, RR VOGUE, R107 560SL, VANTAGE, F430, 911

KB knows a guy, check out his thread, it's DolCar and he's on whatsapp. For a fee, he'll rewire the buttons and bag for you and it'll work.

Aug 19, 2017 | 12:37 PM

#15

Tim Partner

Thread Starter

Newbie

Joined: Apr 2017

Posts: 5

Likes: 0

2011 G550

Quote:

Originally Posted by gurukid

KB knows a guy, check out his thread, it's DolCar and he's on whatsapp. For a fee, he'll rewire the buttons and bag for you and it'll work.

So My truck is driven only a couple times a month. I still have not sent off the wheel. Is the guy above in the USA? Id like to find a guy in the States that can swap the internals out. Love the look and feel of the new wheel vs the old one. A link or phone number would be great. Thanks to all.

Aug 19, 2017 | 12:39 PM

#16

Kobzarhomes

MBWorld Fanatic!

Joined: Dec 2012

Posts: 1,084

Likes: 248

From: Seattle

2011 Mercedes E550 Sport

The guy I used to rewire my steering wheel is not in the states, he is in Russia .

Sep 24, 2019 | 04:06 PM

#17

Boston_MB_tuner

Newbie

Joined: Dec 2014

Posts: 10

Likes: 0

2015 ML350 4-Matic - 2014 C300 4-Matic - 2011 GL450 4-Matic & 2006 E350 4-Matic

Upgrade 2011 GL wheel to 2015 wheel

Fellas I believe I am pretty close to resolving this issue.
I have wiring diagams for both 2011 GL and 2015 ML
and I am matching pins signal by signal -
I am making a pig tail connector between the old steering
column connector and new steering column I borrowed
from wife's 2015 ML. pretty sure all gizmos and blings
will work and no worries about the Airbag ...
.. stoked ....

Sep 24, 2019 | 04:36 PM

#18

gurukid

Junior Member

Joined: Oct 2014

Posts: 43

Likes: 11

W463 G500, W463 G55, W222 S550, F10 M5, RR VOGUE, R107 560SL, VANTAGE, F430, 911

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boston_MB_tuner

I hope this works out, just be forewarned, it's may not be as simple as matching up the wiring. I received some switches from KB that came from Russia. I was able to reverse engineer them, but it's not straight forward in terms of a simple matching of wires. Canbus is resistance based. For example, the up/down function on a switch is a combination of touched pads on the board and resistors that sends a signal for the window to function. I, like you're planning on doing, before I got the russian switch, just matched up the wiring. The outcome was the window would only go down, no matter what direction I moved the switch. Once I received the russian switch from KB, I saw that they had changed the resistors on the board, so I went ahead an made a ton of copies for myself.

I hope this isn't the case, but we'll see. Hopefully the buttons are just that, buttons. It's a shame the russian guy wouldn't sell me the information so I could just do it myself. But of course he wouldn't do that and lose the business on his end.