How to Remove a Steering Wheel in a Nissan Pickup
by Russell Wood
Pickups have come a long way, and the Nissan line of trucks fits into that category. After all, they used to be small mini-trucks, and now they have the midsize Frontier and full-size Titan. The Frontier comes with lots of options from the factory, but not every vehicle comes with steering wheel controls. If you want to remove your steering wheel to install a new one, it can be done at home with basic tools, as long as you take proper safety precautions.
Step 1
Pop the hood and use an open-end wrench to disconnect the negative terminal from the battery. Allow the vehicle to sit for ten minutes before proceeding.
Step 2
Look under the bottom of the steering wheel and locate a small hole in the panel. Place the flathead screwdriver in the hole and push up toward the headliner. This will pop the airbag out of the wheel. Pull the airbag back and unclip the wiring harness from the airbag. Take the airbag out of the vehicle and set it to the side, with the horn button pointing up.
Step 3
Unbolt the center of the steering wheel from the steering column, using the 1/2-inch ratchet, extension and socket. Place the steering wheel puller on the column so that the center of the puller is where the nut on the steering wheel was, and then thread the bolts that come with the puller through the puller itself and into the holes to the sides of the center nut on the wheel, using a 3/8-inch ratchet and socket.
Step 4
Tighten down the center of the steering wheel puller, using the 1/2-inch ratchet and socket, until the wheel pops off of the column. Carefully pull it away from the column and unclip the wiring leading to the wheel, using your hands. Unbolt the steering wheel puller from the wheel.
References
Things You'll Need
- Open-end wrench set
- Flathead screwdriver
- 1/2-inch ratchet, extension and socket
- Steering wheel puller
- 3/8-inch ratchet and socket set
Warnings
- Never work on a vehicle's airbag without disconnecting the battery.
Writer Bio
Russell Wood is a writer and photographer who attended Arizona State University. He has been building custom cars and trucks since 1994, including several cover vehicles. In 2000 Wood started a career as a writer, and since then he has dedicated his business to writing and photographing cars and trucks, as well as helping people learn more about how vehicles work.
