Does anyone know if a car with round bottom steering can have it replaced with a flat bottom steering from another car?

What could be potential issues in doing so (both from actually doing it standpoint and living with it standpoint)?

I'd think this should be possible since both steering wheels differ by only the amount of thick bolstering and the bottom portion being flat. Or is there more to the internals like airbag installation, fine tuning turn settings?

PS: My dealer says no - this cant be done.

 

I imagine it would be just a straight across swap, but I bet Jaguars price for a flat bottom steering wheel would be ridiculous. Call Galpin Auto Sports, if anyone would know these guys would.

 

I would think that swapping would not be an issue unless you want to keep the heated steering if you have it. Heat is only available on the round wheels.
I suspect the dealer just doesn't want to mess with something that isn't broken.

 

My guess is it's possible but it might involve some safety issues since the airbag is involved...so the dealer doesn't want to do it.

 

I have flat bottom wheel with heat.

 

I am not able to order a flat bottom wheel with heat on the MY16 configurator for a V6. It could be they will now only offer that as standard on the R.

 

I have the heated flat bottom, so it's available on the flat too.

 

Airbags involve the difficult procedure of disconnecting the battery for a while, then unplugging them.

It is not unknown for there to be a risk of trim damage in removing the steering wheel airbag (make and model dependent), but as you're replacing the wheel this shouldn't be a problem.

Query this with Jaguar's CRC. They may know even less than your dealer service advisor does, but at least it will be officially authoritative...

 

I have a flat bottom wheel in the F-Type S with heat. Swapping wheels is no issue, just need to disconnect the battery to not cause a spark for the airbag. Done it a dozen times in P-cars.Switch the one in the XKR-S to alcantara. Price from dealer was $1,400, about $1040 from jaguarpartscheap. So shop around.

 

They must have dropped that for MY16. I'm not able to order that.

 

Lance, a heated steering wheel is in the Prem+Vision pack for MY2016 in the US and Canada.

 

Bummer as, I must say - even if you can live without it - it is quite a nice option to have...particularly in these winter months. And, yes, I too have a flat bottom steering wheel, which I LOVE, with heat.

 

$1,400? It might be worth looking at gloves.

Electrically heated ones cost as much as $200...

 

So I gather that this is do-able but may be too complicated for a dealer to be willing to do to be able to sell a car.

Honestly, I'd like to have the heated steering (which I think is standard as part of R Coupes). But its one of those things that I dont mind giving up.

 

Yes, but it is a round bottom wheel. The flat bottom wheel auto deletes when you select either the prem pack (with cold pack) or the cold pack alone.

 

I've never had either, so I wouldn't miss either. Need the heated seats for my spousal unit though, so I guess I'm getting a heated round wheel.
It looks like the square-bottom heated wheel is now only available (as standard) on the '16 R.

 

I can't figure out why so many think that the flat bottom wheel is such a big deal, unless one's girth requires it. They're made of the same materials. I couldn't care less which is in the car.

 

Thanks, didn't know that. The MY2016 configurator for Canada isn't working yet (sigh).

I just ordered off of the price list. Doesn't really matter to me.

 

I'm with you on this one. I guess I crank the seat down low enough that my legs have never interfered with the steering wheel on any car. Maybe they put in the flat bottom so you know where to find the paddles.

 

I don't think anyone is saying that a flat-bottomed steering wheel is a big deal, just a really nice touch and something different [and distinctive] from, oh, 99% of the steering wheels out there.

Just a nice styling cue...