Steering Wheel Replacement / Swap

[CorranFox]

Well now, I have ascertained(by calling Scion and talking with 2 dealerships) that the "leather trimmed" steering wheel may have no leather on it at all! on my new 2016 and I would like to obtain a new wheel, but I don't want to void my warranty. Any suggestions? I thought about just getting a wheel from a 2016 BRZ limited (just the wheel part, not the accent piece, cruise control or airbag. Or ordering the JDM part and installing it but... someone at Toyota would most definitely notice this... right?


Please give me any suggestions you might have, I am not happy driving around with a Urethane steering wheel on a brand new car... I love every aspect of the car but this is really bugging me. In japan it comes with a leather wheel on all but the G model (which also doesn't even have aluminum pedals...) I just feel like for the price I should have gotten leather.


I don't want to void the warranty in any way as the car is still on it's first 1000 miles. I don't plan to do anything major till I hit at least 25,000 so keep that in mind with your responses.


Thanks in advance!

[NyC Zn6]

can you post a pic of the wheel you have ?

[soulreapersteve]

Originally Posted by NyC Zn6

can you post a pic of the wheel you have ?

I would presume its the same as all the other base FRS's out there.

[mid_life_crisis]

How the hell would swapping a steering wheel void a warranty?

[NyC Zn6]

Originally Posted by mid_life_crisis

How the hell would swapping a steering wheel void a warranty?

OP-"damn my engine just threw a rod."
Scion- "we did an investigation and the result was your aftermarket steering wheel caused the fault"


On a serious note OP there are aftermarket steering wheels that let you keep the airbag. check those out if your not happy with the factory wheel.

[mid_life_crisis]

Originally Posted by NyC Zn6

OP-"damn my engine just threw a rod."
Scion- "we did an investigation and the result was your aftermarket steering wheel caused the fault"

"The increased leverage you gained from the aftermarket wheel allowed you to make directional changes of such an abrupt nature that all of the oil in the pan went to one side, causing the pump to come up dry, which lead to oil starvation in the rod bearings while under acceleration coming out of the turn."


Okay, now that was a masterful bit of B.S., if I do say so myself.

[CorranFox]

Originally Posted by NyC Zn6

can you post a pic of the wheel you have ?

There it is. I assure you even though it looks "leathery" it is urethane...

[CorranFox]

Originally Posted by mid_life_crisis

"The increased leverage you gained from the aftermarket wheel allowed you to make directional changes of such an abrupt nature that all of the oil in the pan went to one side, causing the pump to come up dry, which lead to oil starvation in the rod bearings while under acceleration coming out of the turn."


Okay, now that was a masterful bit of B.S., if I do say so myself.

Haha, seriously though, that is what all of Toyota/Scion(dealerships and the official customer service number) warns me about. I even asked if I could install a Japanese part from the same model year and they said "that is considered a modification" .... Don't modify your steering wheel or you will lose your warranty. I even have the part number for just the wheel part, keeping my airbag cover/ airbag, and existing things intact. I just want the wheel portion to be leather, this urethane stuff actually leaves my hands red after my hour long commute in the morning.

[ZOMFGAARON]

It's leather. It's low quality leather. But it is intact leather. You can always go to an aftermarket wheel which has real leather. Unless the manufacturer can confirm that your wheel caused the issue they deny warranty for they can't deny just because.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ZOMFGAARON]

I have an aftermarket wheel with no air bag and have got warranty service done.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CorranFox]

Originally Posted by ZOMFGAARON

It's leather. It's low quality leather. But it is intact leather. You can always go to an aftermarket wheel which has real leather. Unless the manufacturer can confirm that your wheel caused the issue they deny warranty for they can't deny just because.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do you mean the trim is leather? left and right of the wheel? I might believe that but the top and bottom are the same material that the E-Brake is covered in which is urethane in the 2016.

[CorranFox]

Originally Posted by NyC Zn6

OP-"damn my engine just threw a rod."
Scion- "we did an investigation and the result was your aftermarket steering wheel caused the fault"


On a serious note OP there are aftermarket steering wheels that let you keep the airbag. check those out if your not happy with the factory wheel.

I was hoping to just swap in the BRZ's wheel or the JDM wheel. I have also been looking at the TRD momo racing wheel as all of those options would keep exsisting airbag, covers and cruise control.

[CorranFox]

Originally Posted by ZOMFGAARON

I have an aftermarket wheel with no air bag and have got warranty service done.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Did you install it yourself? I am very curious if there is a way to "certify" a wheel so that it isn't an issue.

[mid_life_crisis]

Originally Posted by CorranFox

Haha, seriously though, that is what all of Toyota/Scion(dealerships and the official customer service number) warns me about. I even asked if I could install a Japanese part from the same model year and they said "that is considered a modification" .... Don't modify your steering wheel or you will lose your warranty. I even have the part number for just the wheel part, keeping my airbag cover/ airbag, and existing things intact. I just want the wheel portion to be leather, this urethane stuff actually leaves my hands red after my hour long commute in the morning.

If you've spent any amount of time haunting forums, you know that is B.S. of the deepest kind. Under federal law, they have to prove that the modification caused the failure.