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Factory leather steering wheel in base model

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by WestCounty Will, Oct 1, 2024 at 5:10 AM.

  1. WestCounty Will

    WestCounty Will New Member

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    Guerneville, California
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
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    Base
    Can I swap a factory leather steering wheel from a higher trim level into my 2008 base model prius? Is it a direct swap? I realize the leather steering wheel also has more buttons but I'm hoping that just means the ones that are not already on my base model steering wheel just wouldn't work.
     
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    No the generally the high end steering wheel may not have more buttons I have one that doesn't have more buttons You mean for the GPS not necessarily there are several different steering wheel trims The one you want I think is a006 or AO6 something like that when you take the steering pad off to remove the nut you'll see those numbers down at 6:00 on the inside of the plastic there is one that's very real looking leather like there's another one that's real shiny vinyl material that looks like it has stitching on the inside of the wheel but it's completely fake I like that steering wheel the best That's the one I use and then I also like the regular steering wheel that I guess comes in all of them it's rubbery and has a grain pattern on the spokes I don't really care for the almost really leather like wheel because they can get crappy pretty quick. If you look at pictures of the steering wheels on Google you'll see the subtle differences but yes they all bolt up You don't have to touch the clock spring or do anything usually you move your button pods to your steering wheel unless the steering wheel you're getting has really nicer button pods and the paint is undamaged I usually mask the buttons with tape real quick and I paint mine if you look in my signature I think you'll see the steering wheel pods painted in a brown metal color on the black steering wheel looks really good actually and I'd like to take the silver logo off the center of the wheel and have that painted clear blue like electric blue but I just haven't done that yet The wings are the pods with the buttons I've painted a couple a few different colors I like the brown looking metal the best.
     
  3. WestCounty Will

    WestCounty Will New Member

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    2008 Prius
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    So you're saying that there are non rubber steering wheels for the Gen 2 prius base model? I have only seen leather ones that have the extra buttons for the navigation system. Can I just install one of those and use the button pods from my current steering wheel that does not have the navigation buttons? Thanks for your reply!
     
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Yes you can do just that You can use mini steering wheels for many Toyotas can fit on the Prius they make some carbon fiber doodads and all kinds of nonsense you can buy I think a 2023 steering wheel will bolt up whether the button pods will fit on the newer wheel is another story I think you might even be able to make a generation 3 steering wheel work and it's buttons if you were so inclined I am personally not the generation 3-wheel is kind of styled like a Emerson fittipaldi E3 steering wheel kind of you'll get none of that for a generation too but most of them will bolt up the splines and the nut are the same going back to like 1975 seriously I've been driving these cars that long not these but Toyotas and I can fit a '74 Toyota Corolla steering wheel I do believe right on the 2013 Prius button pods and accessories of course will not dock to the 74 Corolla wheel and you wouldn't want to go backwards like that most people want to go forwards more modern wheel carbon fiber etc but yes they pretty much drop on the splines and the nut goes on and the steering wheel goes round and round like the last one