Akira_LN

Hello.
I need your help. I want to exchange my OEM steering wheel for a new more modern model.
My car is SL R230 2006 year (before restyling). My OEM steering wheel is the next one:



I was looking for a new one in different online shops and finally this model is what i want to install with the difference that i need paddles shift also:


I asked seller that i need a picture of the airbag part number and connectors in order to check if it comes from a SL R230. In the next pictures is the comparing between my OEM airbag and this new airbag:




part number of the new airbag:


According this information, the installation of the new steering wheel and the proper working of the different functions (airbag, multifunction buttons and paddles shift) will be plug & play or is needed something more such as some adapter or bring the car to the Mercedes dealer for setting?
Thanks in advance for your help

Akira_LN

Go up!!

Akira_LN

Somebody can help me?
thanks
regards

latemodel21

Is your car an AMG, or a sl500/600 with the AMG appearance pack (this will determine whether or not your call will be plug compatible with the paddles ... or if it will still need the analog-to-digital "paddle converter module" when you are done).

additionally, it's not quite clear .... the wheel you have pictured looks like it might be a standard 3-spoke (not a factory flat-bottom 3 spoke) which has been modified to have a flatter bottom (this will determine which airbag you need as there are different part numbers for the flat bottom wheel air bags)

also, it would be good to know if you have a v8 or v12 (as some of the airbags have "v12" embossed on them and this might look silly if you have a v8)

answer these questions, and I will give you an answer that includes part numbers

Cheers,
Chris

Akira_LN

Hello Chris
many thanks for your help. I answer your question below:
- my car is SL350 R230 and has not AMG complete pack (only wheels).
- regarding the steering wheel i am interesting, is not
a Mercedes item. I understand that it comes from an external company of steering wheels and was made with flatter bottom and use an oem airbag. In my previous post i put a picture of the part number of the airbag that comes with the steering wheel although the seller can sell the steering wheel without the airbag.
- my car is v6 (not v8 or v12).
regards

latemodel21

Help me to understand how your car is currently equipped. You show a wheel (and indicate it is yours) that has shift buttons installed ... does your car currently have functional steering wheel shift buttons? (as far as I was aware, this only came on AMGs or SL500/SL600 with the amg321 sport-pac ...) if your buttons are functional, do both buttons allow you to shift up and down? (ie both buttons are dual function).

Knowing this is important as the r230 used 2 different shift button configurations. 2002-2006 AMGs used an analog config (that processed the button signal using the floor shifter) .... WHILE the SL500/SL600 with AMG sport-pac AND 2007-2008 SL55 and SL65 all used a digital config (that processed the button signals in the N80-jacket tube module)... so I need to understand what you have before I can give you a complete answer.

worth pointing out, the airbag that you pictured (with part number 230 860 2402) will NOT work in an R230 ... It is for an R171 (SLK). it is mechanically interchangeable (airbags will likely work), BUT it is electronically INCOMPATIBLE (none of your buttons, nor horn, nor shift buttons will work with your car) as the SLK used a different set-up (You may find CLS bags that ALSO have an R230 part number, they are not compatible as well). It is possible to convert a SLK or CLS bag to work on an R230 by re-creating the R230 in-bag electronics (I have done it for few customers) or you can take the electronics out of an R230 bag and put them into a SLK or CLS bag. The steering wheel itself (minus airbag) is the same for SLK, CLS and R230 application (interchangeable) ... this is where some of the confusion comes from.

Chris

Akira_LN

Hello again Chris.
Of course, the steering wheel of my first post belongs to my car (Mercedes SL350, R230, 2006 year). All the buttons of the steering wheel are functional, shift buttons included. There are 2 buttons for the gears one at every side of the wheel, both of them functional and both allows up and down gear:


More pictures of my car, with comand aps ntg1:


So for your email i understand that i can buy the steering wheel that i am interesting in, and i only have to take care with the airbag. Am i right? In that event, what part number of airbag do i need to fit in that steering wheel? important, i like with the bottom aluminum plate (without v12 logo, my car is not a v12 )


Thanks again
regards

latemodel21

I'd not seen option 428 before (as a factory install) on an SL350 (though I have assisted a customer in adding it to an SL350) - you DO have the same shift button configuration that was used on the non-AMG R230 "AMG appearance pack" . This is good news as your car is already set up for digital paddles (as opposed to the 2003-2006 R230s that came with an analog config and needs to be updated to be electronically compatible with the paddles).

Your current wheel has an N135 module (that the shift buttons plug into beneath the air bag ...and paddles would/could plug directly into and be fully functional) . The newer (2009-2011) R230 bags have the N135 module incorporated into them (so you will plug your paddles directly into the airbag and they will function on your car since it already is set up for the digital steering wheel shift set up).

as I mentioned earlier, it is not 100% clear to me if the flat bottom wheel you have pictured requires the flat-bottom wheel airbag or the standard airbag (if it is a standard wheel that was modified , it stands to reason that it would use the standard bag) ... you will want to get more info from the wheel supplier before you made a airbag purchase decision.

below I will list all of the part numbers for 2009-2011 R230 air bags (I have NOT listed R230 air bags were used exclusively on V12 cars as they would have "V12" embossing)
note that only the 2 digits after "860" change from bag to bag)

All but the last 2 are for standard wheels (not factory flat bottom wheel). the second to last part number seems like it should be for a standard wheel (but you would want to confirm before purchasing. The last part number IS for a factory flat bottom wheel.

A230 860 09 02
A230 860 10 02
A230 860 17 02
A230 860 18 02
A230 860 20 02
A230 860 22 02
A230 860 23 02

A230 86028 02 (USED on SL63 and SL65 only ... not sure if this is for a flat bottom or standard shape wheel)
A230 860 16 02 (USED on SL63 and SL65 only .... on flat bottom wheels only)

NOW ... worth pointing out, R230 bags are VERY VERY hard to find (which is why I have had to re-create the electronics for customers) ... but there is a 3rd option, if you find a blown (2009-2011) R230 airbag, you can then pick up an SLK, CLS (CLC?) , etc bag and swap the pc board and you will have a working R230 air bag

Hope that helps.

Chris

P.s. please PM me your VIN as I would like to see what options your SL has on it's datacard along with the 428 option

Akira_LN

Hello Chris.

Thanks again, In a while i will send you a MP with my VIN.
For the other hand i have not clear the topic of the airbag.
I have just asked the steering seller if that item is a R230 modified steering while.
In the meantime i want to find out something more regarding airbags.
The airbag in the flat bottom steering wheel is part number A2308602402. According your information is not compatible with my car but i have a question, is not compatible physically o electronically?
In next pictures i compare airbag 2308602402 with airbag 2308601002 (which you remark above that is compatible):

A2308602402:



A2308601002:



Both parts are very similar, is sure that this bottom steering wheel and this airbag is not compatible?

Thanks again

latemodel21

you asked ... "The airbag in the flat bottom steering wheel is part number A2308602402. According your information is not compatible with my car but i have a question, is not compatible physically o electronically?"
I think I covered the specifics of the incompatibility fairly well in post number 6 ..... but to reiterate, the A2308602402 IS mechanically/physically compatible BUT it is NOT electronically compatible with an R230.

relative to wheel compatibility, they ARE interchangeable between models (SL , SLK, cls, clc, ...), but you could ask the vendor to read you the part number (marked inside of the wheel) so that you could confirm its applicability.

Chris

Akira_LN

Hello again.
Thanks for your help.
I have talked with this seller and he told me that the part number of the OEM modified steering wheel is: A230 4602218
and he told me that the mentioned list of airbags (provided by Latelmodel21):

A230 860 09 02
A230 860 10 02
A230 860 17 02
A230 860 18 02
A230 860 20 02
A230 860 22 02
A230 860 23 02
Will fit properly in his steering wheel.
Specifically other seller can provide me Airbag A230 860 1002.
So if i am not wrong i can but this steering wheel A230 4602218 with Airbag A2308601002 and it would be plu &play and everything must work fine.
Am i right?
Many thanks

Regards

Adi-Benz

I will eventually do this when I get my r230.

I will go for a w205 style carbon steering wheel. There is a guy on Instagram I think who codes the wheels if you purchase and includes hardware.

Frederick NL

Just asking. Nothing wrong with my original steering wheel, although I sometimes hit the horn when I just want to push a button. But how certain can one be about the flawless functionality of an airbag, after exchanging, recombining, recoding various parts? Not exactly a part you would want to mess around with.

richiemiami

that steering wheel you posted is a sl63 performance package steering wheel with the flat bottom. Where did you get for I would like to replace my (non flat bottom) steering
wheel?

Akira_LN

Hello everyone.
I have installed a new airbag, paddles shifts works fine and there are not error messages in speedometer. But horn is sounding everytime and multifuctions buttons do not work.
Somebody knows where can i get the electrical diagram of an airbag? i need to know which one is every cable...maybe i must change some pins although all connectors fit fine in the new airbag..
Thanks in advance.
Regards

FreedP

Anyone looking to replace their R230 wheel should work with latemodel21.
Chris was involved with the conversion of my SL55. Outstanding help and work.

Akira_LN

Hello Freed.
Chris already helped me with this topic. Hopelly he can help me one time more...
Thanks.
Regards

Ivan750

Hi, this topic is very interesting. My question is, can you open both airbags (the original and is more modern) and install the original airbag electronics in the most modern airbag

joe2612

In case anyone is looking for this mod in 2023, I have all the electronics available for fitting a W205 steering wheel to a pre-2006 R230 SL ( buttons and shift paddles). I had these made in Russia but have since sold the car. PM if you're interested.

Sl55AMG-Boss

Hi Joe,

I am Bas from the Netherlands. I have also a SL55AMG from 2003.
I am very interested in your steering wheel conversion.
Can you help me with more information about this?
Many thanks in advance
bashuijsen@gmail.com

yovenim

i had replace the steering wheel in my sl r230 2007 to facelift sl steering wheel ( model 2008 and up ) and the control button dont work and also the horn sombody had told me i need to replace the steering wheel core are its true ? anybody knows the part number ? thanks for the help

latemodel21

The steering wheel airbag that you installed is either from a CLS or SLK and neither of them will work in an r230. I have a few of the facelift three spoke airbags in stock that are correct for the r230 feel free to send me an email at LateModel21@ yahoo.com.