jahummer

Well, I ordered a factory wood/leather shift **** & wood/leather steering wheel for '97. Well the shift **** went on without a hitch.

However the airbag guts appear to be different on the new wheel and the way the horn works. Anyone here have any experience with this?

Thanks for your help.

jahummer

here's the new wheel

jahummer

close of the new wheel airbag mount. the circles I have drawn are where the old wheel has holes drilled for the mounting clips which this wheel lacks.

jahummer

the dealer says that there is no difference between the 2 wheels but obviously there is. But they won't help me because they say that they are not permitted to add items to a car that did not come factory.

If there is not supposed to be a difference, maybe they sold me the wrong wheel?

jahummer

I will post a pic of the old wheel as soon as I take it apart again.

additude

You obviously have the wrong wheel. Who ever you bought it from mistakenly sent you the wrong one. Maybe it was mismarked from the manufacturer? Maybe it's for a different year car.

If your dealer said they wont help you add the item then explain to them your not asking for their help in adding the item, just help in identifying the correct part!

Did you buy the wheel from the dealer?

jahummer

I have a '97 and the wheel is for a '98. Dealer service manager says no difference between the 2 years. I know that I can modify the new wheel to work but it will require drilling where I have indicated in the picture and cutting of some metal. A friend told me that if i do that I run the risk of weakening the wheel to the point of it blowing up on me if the airbag ever goes off.

retrodrive

Just go to service deparment adn tell them that it does not fit. Plane and simple. The will exchange if for the correct year and that's it.

jahummer

Well, I have figured out how to get the airbag installed in the new wheel, but the the wire harness is different for the airbag connection apparently because the horn trigger is different(old wheel 1 wire mounted to steering basket, new wheel, wire is part of airbag connector). Also my cruise control does not work but i have an extra set of wires with nothing to connect to them.

Anyhow, does anyone know what the wiring difference is between '97-'98?

jahummer

The one I marked different is for the wheel mounted radio controls, but everything else is the same so I can't figure out why the cruise doesn't work

Static911

honestly jahummer, take it to another dealership (and/or toyota dealership)

I don't believe anyone has the manuals for the 1997 or 1998 LS400.

I'll ask Lex technicians tomarrow at the meet at california speedway....

edit: I'll get back to you in 24 hours.

Static911

jahummer

After a bit of net research i.e. looking at pics of '98s I see that there are also volume controls, so that must be what the extra wires are for.

So now I have 2 questions: is the volume control part of the airbag or separate? And what is the wire diagram, which wires do what?

I will check with another dealership next week(I'm a bit disappointed that the dealer I bought the car from and have brought to for service is so reluctant to assisst here )

Thanks for your help.

jahummer

Here is the old wheel, I have circled the spring mounts that the plastic pegs from the airbag fit into. This is also for the horn.

jahummer

Here are the pegs that fit into the holes

jahummer

What interior looks like so far: