tracerit

I love a lot of things with the TL except that it's FWD and the steering wheel is a 4spoke. Since I can't change it to RWD :P I figured maybe It's possible to use the TSX's 3spoke steering wheel.

cM3go

tracerit

What's wrong? The 3-spoke wheel looks better, gives it a much sportier look inside IMO.

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

Theoretically.....it should probably fit....BUT...all the button functions would have to be at the same basic spot/function....not having been tried before that I have seen...I dont think anybody will be able to answer that one! The only thing I see possibly needing tweaking would be the hookups....but who knows, they may use the same connectors. NOW....would the airbag work......thats another question entirely...might not even be safe>airbags are made for specific applications...and the TSX interior is not the same dimensions...so this may not be a safe idea in retrospect? I might suggest some of the other TL option steering wheels if you dont care for that one....all same shape though and four spoke...but they are different nonetheless?

tracerit

good point, i never thought about the airbags. how about the 3-spoke Accord steering wheel? I know the TL and Accord are very similar in dimensions (same body even?). And where can I find the optional steering wheels you're referring to?

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

I think the TL shares no other honda body...some similarities...but not the same. I think the TSX is more exact to the accord.

here are the option wheels....

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...teering+wheels

I personally have the one on top...the A-spec wheel.

1gokart

The TSX is not more exact to the Accord, the US Accord would be more to our TL. The TSX is smaller with a shorter WB. The US Accord has almost identical dimension to the TL. With that in mind if the Accord have a 3-spoke steering wheel I would assume it will fit in the TL. You would need to check with the shop manual on both cars as for connection and what volts it puts out for the airbag. Also ecen if they do connect the computer might not recognize it and render it useless.

1gokart

You got me curious so I did a little research and check on ebay for pics. From what I can see they are all the same. The airbag module are exactly identical with different covers on them. To be on the safe side check out the service manuals from the dealership to find out about the voltage to discharge the airbag. If my car wasn't a brand new car I would totally do that mod. Maybe in a couple of years when my steering wheel is worn a bit. Right now it's cosmetic change and not worth the money. Good luck Go for it!

rbf351

maybe you don't know this but the Accord and TSX are the same cars.

pvansh

That's the Euro Accord, which is the TSX. The US Accord is different from the Euro Accord and is very similar to the TL.

leedogg

Gah that 3 spoke wheel is one of my greatest annoyances with the TSX. That center pillar is exactly where I like to grip the wheel...

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

My point being here is not to argue over if the TSX is the Accord ....its to point out that if you want to go taking safety for granted....dont be crying over here when you get your melon split due to changing a steering wheel to some other wheel and airbag that is not designed to go there....thats was the point! Is just not a good idea....simply put.

1gokart

Safety is number one but working in the automotive industry I know for a fact that a lot of times cars will share the same part and they only reskin the outter surface to differentiate each other, example the US Accord and Acura TL. If you take the airbags out and examine it you'll see they are an identical part (probably same part number) but different outer skin(3 spoke vs 4 spoke). A lot of car companies practice this because engineering cost would not make it unfeasible for the company to make money. So in theory the US Accord steering wheel will work with the Acura TL. Designers probably decided to give the TL a 4-spoke rather than the 3 spoke to distinct it away from the Accord. So in this case I don't see a problem but I'm a designer not an engineer. When I get home tonight I'll post the pics of the airbag's backing to prove my point.

1gokart

That's the Euro and JDM Accord, not the US Accord. Please, I'm a car designer I think I know what I'm talking about.

kennyc

I missed my 3-spokers from my A4...

in the audi 4 spoke came standard and 3 spoke is included in the sport package and also available seperately.

It look something like this... it was thick and beautiful!

leedogg

Thats a rather big premise. The TL's steering wheel costs several hundred dollars and contains quite a few unique controls like bluetooth, voice activation, etc. So although the airbag may be the same, the housing, wiring, and electronics may be quite a bit different.

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

I would tend to agree with you completely...but not sure I would trust my head to a "probably"? You are right though....they might be the same part inside...but I say unless an engineer said it is good to go...I would watch recommending that publicly on the board....wouldnt you feel bad if somebody lost their life due to improper application? Thats what worries me and why I would stop WAY short of saying this is a good thing to do....unless again...an engineer stated it was good to go! Being in auto design though...you outqualify me though!!! Just my two cents!

1gokart

Those electronics are not house in the steering wheel. The contol button (like a remote) are the only thing in the steering wheel. The TSX have similiar buttons and you could technically use those buttons if you know the wiring. The major issue as mentioned by MichaelBenz is the airbag. With today's high tech gizmos modifying cars are a bit more tricky.

MichaelBenz, your 2 cents are very valid. I'm not an engineer, only a car designer. What my statements given here are like everyone else, are just their 2 cents. So to whom ever is reading this don't sue me . My remarks are just my opinion and not of professional advice. But I will prove that the parts underneath are common between the two. Whether they are interchangeable, I have no idea.

1gokart

Alright here are pics to disclose some rumors or issues
***THIS DOES NOT MEAN I CONSENT OR APPROVE OF MOD***

Pics of the Acura TL airbag


pics of the Honda Accord 3-spoke airbag


Pics of the Acura TSX airbag


After close examination. The Acura TL and the US Honda Accord(3 spoke steering wheel) share the same driver's airbag and housing with different covers. The Acura TSX on the other hand does not have a common airbag but do have a common housing. The TSX looks similiar but they are different due to the size of vehicle. The airbag itself when it deploys may be smaller than the Acura TL and Accord.

I'm not an expert and the pictures provided are representation and since no one I know of have actually done a conversion or attempt a switch. There is no proof they will work properly eventhough they may fit and plug in. Hope this help and good luck

DeadLock

I did a SRS JDM steering wheel on my integra in the past, on those systems the SRS was a 2 wire system, seems like all of these are 4 wire systems, I think that the TSX wheel will work, you can always repin the wires to match the orientation on the TL setup, so you can reverse the yellow and red wires, and where on the connector they go into (not hard to do) just have to be careful, a current can set the airbag off

the TSX wheel would be more suitable, especially from the navi model, because it will have the voice commands, and the bluetooth phone buttons as well as other controls over the stereo and so on, I am not sure if the accord wheel has that, now another important thing to look at is the notch on the back of the airbag, the orientation of that notch will let us know if it will fit or not.

anyone have a pic of the back of the TSX/Accord/TL steering wheel hub area.....not just the airbag.

I always loved the 3 spoke ober the 4, I dont know why they opted for the 4 spoke on the TL, especially if the accord gets a 3 spoke.

DeadLock

here, this is a TSX wheel from ebay, look like its a virtical notch on the back

VelfarreClubber

I don't think a 3 spoke steering wheel or any other wheel is worth your life.

Can't some people just be happy with what they have?

1gokart

Seatbelt saves lives not front airbags. IMO the only airbags that are worthy are side and cutain airbags where seatbelts are weak at. But that's my opinion.
There's people out there who are obviously not happy with their steering wheel or this topic won't be up. A valid questioned was asked and we here are trying to figure it out to answer it. This isn't a life or death scenerio here, you're not going to die because you do not have a driver's airbag. Wear your seat belt and stay a good 12" away from the steering wheel from your chest. Drive safety, wear your seatbelt and be aware of your surroundings are more logically will save your life than a steering wheel airbag.

If someone here do wish to swap out the steeringwheel with the Accord or TSX 3-spoke consult the technical manual to make sure that the output voltage are the same to deploy the airbag. As long as the airbag deploy properly there isn't a issue and if you don't car just keep them disconnected and enjoy the look of the 3-spoke wheel and make sure you wear your seatbelt. Your choose, drive what you want to drive and watch out for idiots who don't know how to drive and think their big friggin SUV is indestructable. Just a side note, all the airbags in any modern car in the world won't save your life if don't wear your seatbelt.

VelfarreClubber

my point is that it can be a huge risk factor to retrofit it in there, since the wires are different than the TL/Accord. for instance say you are stopped at a light and something fell between your legs and you bent down to pick it up, then boom the air bag deploys! your neck will snap and you are gone.

you are right about airbags not saving your life if you don't wear a seatbelt, it'll just be worse!

for me i wouldn't toy around with safety devices that were engineered for the vehicle.

1gokart

But that's my point. The Accord and TL are engineered the same. They share the same platform and a lot of internal components. Visually they look different but that's just to differentiate one from the other. Acura Tl owners don't want to think their Acura's are Honda's. If you look at the oics I posted you'll see thay are the same exact part. BTW that's a really funny scenerio. Airbags are designed to go off from a discharge of voltage send by the airbag brain module. The worst case scenerio is that the airbag does not go off. Airbag do not deploy byitself, it just won't deploy. It's like a safety measure for the airbag. If the airbag module does not recognize the swapped airbag it just won't deploy the airbag. The module are design to only deploy that specific airbag. Since the TL and US accord share the same internals, there's a very high chance it will work. So even if you do the swap and the the module does not recognize the new airbag, it just won't deploy under an impact. The airbag becomes useless. It won't all of a sudden deploy on you. The computer will receive an error message and will not send the current to discharge the airbag.

DeadLock

The airbag will not just deploy, I have done extensive research on it before I did the swap on my integra. I also had a 1995, and the SRS JDM steernig wheel is 98+ so the plug was an OBD2 plug on the JDM wheel, so I had to retro the OBD1 plug on the airbag, all you have to do is depin it and repin the new plug with a paper clip.

All those airbags are the same, 4 wire system, they also don't deploy unless the SRS unit senses a person who is of a certain weight in the seat. By switching the orientation of the plug it should work just like the OEM airbag.

Ofcourse we won't know unless we try, or someone tries, but it should from other honda steering wheels. People do this type of conversion all the time, the S2K steering wheel is very popular on the preludes, and the civics, and it works with the airbag.

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

Truely....I think this is somewhat of an overstatement?

Do a simple search on the net with the terms "airs bags suddenly deploy" and you will find this happens from time to time? I am not arguing with you on if it could be done....I JUST DONT RECOMMEND IT WHATSOVER!!! I would be real interested if you went to a dealer and told them to install an Accord steering wheel on your TL...I bet they would refuse due to liability and safety factors.

As for do airbags occasionally suddenly deploy....yes the do. Not designed to work that way...but it does happen.

Case in point....

Honda has one of the safest airbag systems with top mounted, vertically deploying passenger bags but has had four airbag recalls including 164,139 1995 Accords for inadvertent airbag deployment.

Taken from http://www.autosafety.org/autodefects/HONDA.htm

I appreciate all the research you have done into this and pictures you have shared....I just still would steer FAR away from recommending it whatsoever! Is it the same part# exactly...does it have the same load inside...does it inflate at the EXACT same rate....will it work at all?....is the bag inside the EXACT same shape....there are too many engineered variables here that seem to be "broad sketched" over to some degree in this idea....it seems as if you would be playing with your own safety and well-being and when you give unqualified swap-out advise on a highly engineered safety system like this...you are taking others safety into YOUR hands too...

If you or I were an engineer...this might be different....and I dont think we have ANY of those around here?

1gokart

I'm not tellling to run out there and do the swap. A question was asked and I posted some pics for reference. I know liablity is an issue but if someone takes comments posted here on the forum as professional advice then he/she is stupid. This is just a general discussion among owners and I'm just providing some info as you are provide your info as well. Also a airbag will not deploy by itself if the computer does not recognize the airbag. If you plug an airbag that the computer does not recognize, the computer will send out a warning signal and disable that unit. It will not sent a charge to that airbag to deploy. A faulty computer can cause the airbag to go off but that risk is the same risk we face with our OEM airbag. I'm not giving recommendation to do anything I'm just providing my and that's all

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

^^I think we both are coming from the same place here....but ya...believe it or not....if you are not careful people WILL take advise here on the board as professional many times and try things.....some people ARE stupid....thats the point I guess! (not trying to single anybody out here....but we all know what I mean...kids do stuff sometimes!) Again...I think we are coming from the same place. And no...I wasnt trying to slight you for providing the info....it was great and well appreciated! I was just providing my two cents as well and reiterating that I thought it was an unsafe thing to do.

This has really turned out to be a well rounded discussion 1gokart and I do appreciate the lack of flamage and mutual respect. I gain a lot of respect for people that are able to enter into a little discourse without this type of thing! Really helps the board and shows all sides of an issue well and makes this a fun place to be and more informative and valuable to us all! Really...thanks!!

Black_6spd

I, too, have done the steering wheel swap w/ airbag on my Integra. After doing my own research including using some dealer service manuals, they DO reference the risk of an airbag deploying should the circuit be energized. In fact, there is a warning label on the airbag that you shouldn't store a steering wheel / airbag face-down. I wish I had photos of the warning label.

Following the dealer's procedures, they ask you to disconnect the battery terminal for a minimum of X(?) minutes before disconnecting the airbag connector plug. Please do some research if you decide to try a swap. I was able to get an extensive amount of info from the honda-tech.com boards.

In the end, I don't think it will be worth it anyway. Since the orientation of the steering wheel will have to be mated with the steering column, you most likely need an alignment. Add another $60-$70 to your steering wheel mod and it won't be worth it. Everytime I've swapped steering wheels in my old cars I've never had the steering match up where the 12 o'clock position has the car going straight.

DeadLock

I think the orientation shouldnt be too much of a problem.........

I will try to do some more reasearch on this.......it would be cool if the "i" button on the TSX wheel would work with the MID screen like it does on the TSX.

legend74

I had a TSX for a loaner and couldn't stand it because the rim of the wheel is much thinner than the one on the TL. It was very uncomfortable to me.

gauravp123

there are no shortage of morons out there!