S2000 Steering Wheel Install into a 5th Gen Prelude (SRS Airbag Wheel Swap)
Introduction
This guide covers fitting a JDM S2000 airbag steering wheel to a 1997 5th generation Prelude with ATTS, including rewiring the cruise control buttons and adding the sensor notch the ATTS system requires. The same approach works for other compatible Honda SRS wheels and chassis - confirmed combinations are a CTR or S2000 wheel onto an EM Civic, EJ Civic or 5th gen Prelude - but it does not apply to cars where the wheel's airbag inflator carries the SRS ECU on its back (4th gen Prelude, EG Civic and EK Civic); those wheels are not interchangeable. Honda SRS systems demand strict handling discipline throughout, and because no crash testing is possible for a mixed-model airbag installation, you fit a different model's SRS wheel entirely at your own risk. Adapted from a community writeup by ECU-MAN on OzHonda (https://ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?42522-DIY-S2000-Stearing-wheel-install-into-97-ATTS-Prelude), including corrections from the follow-up discussion.
Reference
Tools Required
- 14 mm socket and ratchet (steering wheel bolt)
- Phillips head screwdriver
- T30 torx bit and driver (T27 works but risks damaging the bolts)
- Small flat head screwdriver
- Multimeter (continuity testing of cruise control switches)
- 1N4004 diode or similar (connector de-pinning tool)
- Die grinder, file or angle grinder (ATTS sensor notch)
- Black marker
- Steering wheel puller kit (only if the wheel will not come off the splines)
Parts Required
-
JDM S2000 SRS steering wheel with cruise control switches (Australian-delivered S2000 wheels have no cruise buttons)
Safety Warnings
- ⚠ No crash testing was performed for this combination. The donor wheel's airbag was designed for a different cabin and may inflate differently - fit a different model's SRS wheel at your own risk.
- ⚠ Never cut or re-solder any SRS wiring, never tamper with wires in yellow conduit, and never probe the airbag inflator with a multimeter.
- ⚠ Always disconnect both battery terminals (negative first) and wait 3 minutes before unplugging any SRS component.
- ⚠ Never leave an airbag inflator face down; store it face up in a cool, dry place.
- ⚠ This swap does not apply to cars whose wheel inflator carries the SRS ECU on its back (4th gen Prelude, EG Civic, EK Civic) - those wheels are not interchangeable.
- ⚠ When breaking the wheel free, keep the center bolt threaded on several turns - a suddenly released wheel can hit you in the face with real force.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1 Disconnect the battery and wait
Disconnect both battery terminals, negative first, then positive. Wait three minutes before unplugging any SRS component so the system's reserve energy dissipates.
2 Unbolt the airbag inflator
Remove the two access covers on the wheel to reach the inflator connector and mounting bolts, then undo the two torx bolts with a T30 bit (a T27 also fits but risks damaging the bolt heads).
3 Disconnect the inflator, horn and cruise connectors
Pull the inflator back toward you to expose the yellow inflator connector. Slide the connector's outer sleeve back and pull the halves apart - when released, the sleeve slides back and shorts the inflator wiring to protect against static discharge. Then unplug the horn connector and the cruise control connector.
4 Store the inflator face up
Place the inflator in a cool, dry area with the pad facing up. Never store an airbag inflator face down: if it deploys against the ground it becomes a projectile.
5 Loosen the wheel bolt and pull the wheel
Loosen the steering wheel's center bolt (14 mm head on 5th gen Preludes, counterclockwise) but do not remove it - leave it engaged by about four turns so the wheel cannot fly off into your face when it releases. Brace one or both feet on the floor of the car and pull the wheel hard toward you until it slips off its splines; if it refuses, use a puller kit in the wheel's two threaded holes. Once it budges, remove the bolt, center the wheel and lift it off, guiding the wiring out carefully. At no point should you pull on the cable reel or on its wires.
6 Grind the ATTS sensor notch into the S2000 wheel (ATTS Preludes only)
Place both wheels on a bench and compare the notches on their hubs: the ATTS Prelude wheel has one extra notch for an ATTS sensor. Line the wheels up so the notch lands on the correct side, mark its position on the S2000 wheel with a marker, and grind a notch of the same depth and location using a die grinder, file or angle grinder. Work carefully - a clean notch does not stop the wheel being used later on a Civic or non-ATTS Prelude.
7 De-pin the cruise control connectors (cruise-equipped cars only)
The S2000 cruise switches use a 5-pin connector and the Prelude a 4-pin one, so the pins must be transferred. Remove the cruise switch panel from both wheels (two Phillips screws each) and confirm the button functions with a continuity test. Measured results: S2000 5-pin connector (rear view) - pin 1 SET/DECEL, pin 3 common, pin 5 RESUME/ACCEL, pins 2 and 4 unused. Prelude 4-pin connector (pin side) - pin 2 SET/DECEL, pin 3 RESUME/ACCEL, pin 4 common. On the Prelude column's cable reel: positions 1 and 2 go to the airbag inflator, position 3 is SET/DECEL, 4 is ACCEL/RESUME, 5 is common, and 6 is the horn. To free each pin, poke a 1N4004 diode (or similar) into the connector hole to spread the two locking tabs, pull gently on the wire and slide the pin out without losing the green retainers. Do this on both the S2000 connector and the car side.
8 Fit the S2000 wheel centered
Fit the S2000 wheel onto the splines with the wheel centered, so the car drives straight when the wheel is straight. Connect the horn connector and guide the three grey cruise control wires through to the switch area.
9 Re-pin the cruise wiring into the S2000 connector
Transfer the Prelude cable reel wires into the S2000 5-pin connector as follows: cable reel 3 (SET/DECEL) to pin 5; cable reel 4 (ACCEL/RESUME) to pin 1; cable reel 5 (common) to pin 3. Slide the green locking tab back into place to lock the pins, plug in the cruise switch assembly and remount it on the wheel.
10 Route the wiring and torque the center bolt
Locate the cable guides inside the wheel and seat the SRS wires and the horn wire in them so nothing is pinched. Fit the center bolt, start it by hand and tighten it firmly clockwise - consult the workshop manual for the torque specification if unsure.
11 Refit the inflator
Fit the inflator and reconnect its yellow connector, making sure it snaps fully home. Install the two torx bolts loosely first, position the inflator where you want it in the wheel, then tighten them firmly but not excessively (workshop manual has the specification). Refit the wheel covers.
12 Reconnect the battery and road test
Reconnect the battery - negative terminal first, then positive - and start the engine. The SRS light must go out after 8 seconds. Road test and confirm the following: the horn works, cruise control functions, VTEC engages, ATTS operates, the wheel sits centered when driving straight, and the indicators self-cancel in both directions.
Pro Tips
- 💡 Use a JDM S2000 wheel if you want the cruise control buttons - Australian-delivered S2000 wheels do not have them.
- 💡 If the SRS light stays on afterwards (e.g. the car was started with the airbag disconnected), reset the SRS ECU via the yellow 2-wire SRS service connector under the dash near the fusebox: with ignition off, jumper the two wires (halved paperclip works),.
- 💡 SRS reset continued: turn ignition on, the SRS light goes out after about 6 seconds; within 4 seconds remove the jumper (light comes on), and within 4 seconds jumper again - the light goes out and blinks twice to confirm the reset. Pulling the fuse or disconnecting the battery will NOT clear it.
- 💡 If the indicators stop self-cancelling after the swap, the white cancel hub on the column is not engaging - pull it forward slightly to reach the wheel and lubricate it lightly with CRC.
- 💡 Confirmed compatibility from this thread: a CTR or S2000 wheel fits an EM Civic, EJ Civic and 5th gen Prelude; an EJ wheel also fits a 5th gen Prelude. The S2000 wheel horn is the whole airbag pad, while the CTR wheel has horn buttons on either side.
- 💡 If the wheel will not seat fully on the splines, check it is aligned straight on the splines before resorting to force.
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