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Car Help - a nickel caught in my steering wheel!

LimeiBook86

LimeiBook86

macrumors G3
Original poster
Well, I couldn't think of a better section to post this in so, I hope this is correct. 😛

Somehow, there is a nickel (a 5 cent coin)... stuck inside my 1996 Toyota Rav4's steering wheel. I don't know how it got there, I'm guessing my brother might of dropped it in or, maybe it's been there for a while and it's just come loose now. I looked in the bottom of the wheel and saw a small metal circular object. I wish I knew how to get it out.

The bad thing is every once and a while when I turn the horn will start blasting, as if I was laying on the horn. I guess the nickel is completing a circuit or something. My friend was about to rip off the top of the steering wheel and fish it out but, of course we don't want to break anything.

Before I have my parents look at it, and possibly go to a place to get it fixed I wanted to know if anyone else had any similar problems, or if anyone knew a simple way to fix this. This certainly sounds like a stupid question but, I don't like the random honking that can potentiallypotentionally push an angry driver too far. 🙄

Any advise?...Looking up "nickel in steering wheel" in the car's manual didn't seem to help 😛...

Thanks! 😀
 
LimeiBook86 said:
Well, I couldn't think of a better section to post this in so, I hope this is correct. 😛

Somehow, there is a nickel (a 5 cent coin)... stuck inside my 1996 Toyota Rav4's steering wheel. I don't know how it got there, I'm guessing my brother might of dropped it in or, maybe it's been there for a while and it's just come loose now. I looked in the bottom of the wheel and saw a small metal circular object. I wish I knew how to get it out.

The bad thing is every once and a while when I turn the horn will start blasting, as if I was laying on the horn. I guess the nickel is completing a circuit or something. My friend was about to rip off the top of the steering wheel and fish it out but, of course we don't want to break anything.

Before I have my parents look at it, and possibly go to a place to get it fixed I wanted to know if anyone else had any similar problems, or if anyone knew a simple way to fix this. This certainly sounds like a stupid question but, I don't like the random honking that can potentiallypotentionally push an angry driver too far. 🙄

Any advise?...Looking up "nickel in steering wheel" in the car's manual didn't seem to help 😛...

Thanks! 😀
Click to expand...


There should be some screws on the underside of the steering wheel cover jacket (two or three) that when unscrewed, will allow you to take it off in two halfs. Next to both the ignition and the blinker, you should see where the two pieces of plastic come together. This is where they will seperate.
 
Alright, I'm not a car expert, but can't taking off the steering wheel cover jeopardize the installation/deployment quality of the airbag? Does your car have an airbag? If it does, I'd think this might be an area of concern.
 
leftbanke7 said:
There should be some screws on the underside of the steering wheel cover jacket (two or three) that when unscrewed, will allow you to take it off in two halfs. Next to both the ignition and the blinker, you should see where the two pieces of plastic come together. This is where they will seperate.
Click to expand...
Oh cool, thanks! 😀

I'll have to check that out during my break today 😛

emw said:
Alright, I'm not a car expert, but can't taking off the steering wheel cover jeopardize the installation/deployment quality of the airbag? Does your car have an airbag? If it does, I'd think this might be an area of concern.
Click to expand...

He's right, I'm pretty sure my car does have an airbag...now I don't wanna touch it! 😱 I'll probably have to take this somewhere...or let my Dad mess around with it 😛
 
mrdeep said:
Disconnect the battery before you do anything, I think that will keep the airbag from going off.
Click to expand...
Wow...this is getting increasingly complicated...more than I would of originally thought 🙄
 
Do you use your horn regularly? If not, perhaps you could pull the horn fuse while you determine the best way to remove the nickel from the steering wheel.
 
First off, be careful around that airbag!

To take the wheel off properly, you'll need a Chilton's auto manual. They are available at just about every autoparts store or Wal-Mart/K-Mart whatever. This manual will show you the correct procedure for disabling the airbag and removing the wheel. It will also tell you what tools you need.
 
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Thanks for all the advice, I definetly will not attempt to fix this myself. Luckily my Dad and older brother know quite a bit about cars, hopefully they can help fix it. 🙂
 
LimeiBook86 said:
Thanks for all the advice, I definetly will not attempt to fix this myself. Luckily my Dad and older brother know quite a bit about cars, hopefully they can help fix it. 🙂
Click to expand...

Ahh, where is your sense of adventure? Playing "dodge the airbag" could be fun! 😉
 
leftbanke7 said:
Ahh, where is your sense of adventure? Playing "dodge the airbag" could be fun! 😉
Click to expand...
Yeah that sounds like a lot of fun... 😛 haha

"Hey, I think I got it....*airbag inflates*...ow my neck! *falls to ground* Ow! *violent twitching*" 🙄
 
Success!!

The solution was so simple! My brother shoved a screw drive in pushing the plastic aside for a second (while blasting the horn for all of the neighborhood to hear) I shoved a broken wire hanger in there (sorry Mom 😉) and eventually got the sucker out! Now I can make turns without fear, for the blasted nickel is gone!

*celebrates* 🙄 😀
 

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