Will an R8 Steering wheel fit the RS4

[daviesd]

Hi guys

Just read some reviews of the R8 with lots of glossy pictures. The flat bottomed steering wheel that car gets looks like it has the best of both worlds. Looks cool, but still have multi function on it.

Anyone know if it will fit the RS4?????

cheers

David

[tartan_rob]

Mine has flat bottom and multi function.

[PetrolDave]

Mine has flat bottom and multi function.

No it doesn't - you have flat bottom wheel with replacement for trip computer controls (plus Sport button).

Multi-function means radio & phone controls on the steering wheel.

[tartan_rob]

Ah okay.

[TDiAvant]

If you have the MFSW fitted to your RS4 then you should be able to fit the R8 wheel. as it's just talking to the RNS-E on the R8. Now if you have the flat bottom RS4 wheel, then I would say no as the SCSM module will be different. and you would need to relocate the S button above the nav.

[PetrolDave]

Some US RS4 owners have retrofitted the flat bottom RS4 wheel to their cars (in the US they don't get the RS4 wheel or the bucket seats due to homologation costs). They just needed to recode the SCSM.

I guess we need to know if the SCSM for the flat bottom wheel will accept the MFSW coding. If it will then the R8 wheel might be on - remembering of course that the wiper stalk will need changing (to replace the trip computer controls) AND the US dash mounted Sport button would need to be fitted.

I guess we need someone with deep pockets to try to do it!!!

[rsw]

just a point to remember when exchanging steering wheels from different models is the airbag.The airbag is specifically designed to explode in a certain manner depending on the model its fitted to (vehicle deformation levels,driver position in relation to the steering wheel angle,seat belt characteristics)saw a b5 rs4 on this site for sale with a b7 rs4 steering wheel on,the b7 airbag is 2 stage and the b5 is single stage so not sure what would happen in an accident if anything at all.

[TDiAvant]

All current models use the dual stage air bag. I'm no electronics engineer, but I'm sure the airbag controllers say when to set the airbag off, so fitting MK2 TT flat bottom wheel should be OK in a B7 A4 as the are both dual stage airbags.

Agreed that fitting a dual stage airbag into a car with single stage controllers is somewhat dangerous.

[rsw]

you said it "SHOULD BE OK"but unless the part numbers are the same then noway would i be risking it.

[PetrolDave]

unless the part numbers are the same

Assuming you're talking part numbers of the airbag control module ...

Even if the hardware was the same, so the base part number (the 8E0 nnn nnn bit) is identical, then there is NO WAY the suffix letters will be the same on a different model. Why? Because the crash profile (the forces the module measures during an impact) is different, so the module will be loaded with either different software and/or different maps.

Any swapping of airbags is a calculated risk.

BTW my comments above are based on having carried out over 200 crash tests on behalf of a major (Big 3) manufacturer whilst determining the correct calibration for their airbag system.

[TDiAvant]

I was just taking about the airbag, and not the control module. changing the control module would be madness.