[Neurodeliri]

Hi, I recall seeing a steering wheel cover with a crystal center pentastar on the cover as opposed to the standard pentastar found on the Dynasty/Salon models.

I know the earlier fifth avenues had them with the different style steering wheel, but I'm wondering if they continued in any of the early late 80s/early 90s style of steering wheels.

 

[valiant67]

The ornamentation like that went away with the advent of airbags begiing late in the 1988 model year. Instead it was just a Pentastar molded into the airbag cover.

 

[B10alia]

This seems to be the corporate standard airbag wheel with cruise control. Every EEK with an airbag I've ever seen uses this style wheel When the airbag deploys, the cover splits along the horizontal line and around the top of the pentastar. The non-cruise airbag wheel looked very similar. If the wheel didn't look like this, it was probably not an airbag wheel. You should never glue anything to an airbag cover, and keep in mind that anything you attach to a non-airbag wheel has the potential to contact your body in the event of an accident. I personally would not put a piece of hard, angular plastic or glass on my steering wheel. If you want to accent the pentastar you have a bit, I would suggest highlighting the recessed areas cast into the wheel with a very fine paint pen, maybe silver.

 

[Neurodeliri]

I like that highlighting the center bit with the paint pen idea, that sounds cool.

But just out of curiosity, is the center piece like the one you posted easily and safely removed?


It might sound like a stupid/risky move, but if the piece could be removed easily I would actually be willing to cut out the center to replace it with a crystal star, it's just a detail I've adored so much on these cars.

 

[Oklahoma Wolf]

I wouldn't. Even if it can be done, I'm not sure I'd want any ornamentation suddenly becoming a projectile should the airbag go off.

The two spoke steering wheel design is the luxury wheel... there's a sport version too with four spokes. I actually like that one better. The Imperial's got the luxury one, which is a bit tiring for me the way I usually hold the wheel. Dad's old 1993 Caravan had the other one.

 

[valiant67]

The emblem is molded into the airbag cover, there is no way to cut it out without exposing the airbag. About the only thing you can do it detail it with some chrome like paint. Or swap out to a non-airbag wheel if style is more important than safety.

 

[B10alia]

Removing an airbag on a car which was originally so equipped will cause your vehicle to fail inspection in Massachusetts (depending on how lax the inspection station is). Even if you manage to remove the airbag without the station noticing, it will trigger an airbag system failure light on the dash, not to mention the inherent risk involved with working on an airbag system. I would just leave things as they are on that front.

 

[raymondo112]

As far as I remember the only ones that had the crystal pentastar or dark one on the center of the steering wheel were the 88-89 model Dynasty and Newyorkers and they didn't have airbags inside, entirely different column altogether, the 90-up ones are all like the one pictured above, there was also some available in the late 80's luxery M-bodies like the Fifth Ave. but that had a different look with a sililar design, not sure if the Crystal Pentastar was in that one or not but I don't think it was.

I don't see anybody putting one of those on a 90-Up wheel though, If you decide to customize it, you should disable the airbag module and leave it as such to prevent injury to yourself as if that thing goes off it will hurl what ever you put on the airbag cover in your face with the airbag, not a good thing if you know what I mean. The modules are easy enough to disconnect you just get the airbag light that stays on in the dash but who cares unless you have to pass inspection or something.

 

[Neurodeliri]

How is the center piece removed? Is there a way to remove it without messing with the airbag, because it feels like it would be easy to remove.

 

[Bob Lincoln]

As stated above, it's not removable, it's all one molded cover. Don't cut the airbag cover apart. And don't disable the airbag - it's a vital piece of safety equipment, and yes, disabling or removing it will cause you to fail a safety inspection. Not to mention if you sell it, you don't want to spend $600 to get another one for the next owner. In MA, if you sell a car and it fails safety inspection, within 30 days the previous owner must pay to have it fixed.

 

[Neurodeliri]

The emblem is molded into the airbag cover, there is no way to cut it out without exposing the airbag. About the only thing you can do it detail it with some chrome like paint. Or swap out to a non-airbag wheel if style is more important than safety.

I'm at the point where I'd be comfortable doing this considering the past two vehicles I've driven didn't have airbags standard.

Just wondering what the process would be in turns of mounting the actual wheel. In terms of the airbag, unless its awfully or moderately simple and safe to disconnect I'd probably rather have a deal or shop disconnect it.

 

[B10alia]

Your vehicle may or may not fail safety inspection, as mentioned before. Disabling any federally-mandated equipment may also lead to serious trouble with your insurance provider in the event of an accident. Depending on your state, there may be few consequences, failure of inspection, all the way up to fines.
http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Shoppers/Air+Bags/Deactivation+FAQ