How to Remove and Install the Zotye T600 Steering Wheel?
3 Answers
The steps for removing and installing the Zotye T600 steering wheel are as follows: 1. Insert the head of a screwdriver between the retaining clip and the airbag hook, then lift upwards to separate the clip from the hook; 2. Turn the steering wheel 180 degrees and continue to pry open the retaining clip; 3. Remove the yellow safety buckle after prying open the airbag, then unplug the airbag connector to remove the airbag; 4. Unplug the airbag socket located above inside the steering wheel; 5. Use a screwdriver to turn the center fixing bolt of the steering wheel counterclockwise, then remove the steering wheel. The Zotye T600 is a mid-size SUV under the Zotye brand, with exterior dimensions of 4631mm in length, 1893mm in width, and 1694mm in height, and a wheelbase of 2807mm. It is equipped with a 1.5L turbocharged engine and a 5-speed manual transmission.
When I removed the steering wheel of a Zotye T600 before, I mainly followed these steps: First, disconnect the negative terminal of the battery and wait for about ten minutes to ensure the airbag circuit is completely powered off. Remember to adjust the steering wheel to its lowest position for easier operation. There are two small holes on both sides of the steering wheel back cover—use a thin screwdriver to insert into them and release the airbag retaining springs, allowing the airbag module to pop up. Then, unplug the yellow airbag connector and the multifunction button wiring harness connector. At this point, the airbag can be removed. Use a 19mm socket to loosen the central nut that secures the steering wheel, but don’t remove it completely—leave a few threads. Be sure to mark the alignment between the steering wheel and the steering column to ensure proper reinstallation. Then, pull the steering wheel upward firmly to loosen and detach it. Reinstallation follows the reverse order. Tighten the nut to the manufacturer’s specified torque value. Finally, after reconnecting the power, check whether the airbag warning light turns off normally. If you’re doing this yourself, pay special attention to ensuring the power-off time is long enough—accidental airbag deployment is no small matter!
When removing the T600 steering wheel, there are some key points to pay attention to: Disconnecting the power is absolutely the first step, otherwise the airbag may accidentally deploy, which is extremely dangerous. The airbag clips on the back of the steering wheel need to be pried open by inserting a small flat-head screwdriver into the positioning holes. The location is a bit tricky and requires some skill. After removing the nut, the steering wheel might sometimes be stuck tightly. In such cases, use the ancestral technique of pulling upward forcefully while gently wiggling it left and right. Before reinstalling, make sure the spline grooves in the center of the steering wheel and the splines on the steering shaft are perfectly aligned with the marked lines. Otherwise, the steering wheel will be misaligned when driving, and even a wheel alignment won't fix it. Finally, don’t skip using a torque wrench to tighten the nut. Once, I under-tightened it by just 5 Nm, and the steering wheel had a slight play while driving.
