Are Aftermarket Steering Wheels Legal? What to Know About Airbags

Short answer: in the United States, replacing your steering wheel is generally allowed. The part that matters is the airbag. Below is how federal law treats steering wheel and airbag changes, and why a wheel that keeps your factory airbag avoids the problem. This is general information, not legal advice. Rules vary by state, so check your state's inspection requirements if you are unsure.

What federal law says

Your driver's airbag is federally required safety equipment. Federal law (49 U.S.C. 30122) says that manufacturers, distributors, dealers and motor vehicle repair businesses may not knowingly make that kind of equipment inoperative.

In an interpretation letter about aftermarket steering wheels, NHTSA explained that this rule covers businesses. It does not cover changes owners make to their own cars. NHTSA also says it strongly discourages owners from removing or modifying their vehicle's safety systems.

In practice, that is why many shops will not install a steering wheel that deletes the airbag. They are not allowed to.

State rules and inspections

NHTSA's letter also notes that states can require certain equipment to be installed and working for a car to be registered or sold. Some states check the airbag warning light during inspection. If you are buying or selling a car, or your state has safety inspections, an airbag-delete wheel can cause problems that a wheel with your original airbag will not.

Why a wheel that keeps your airbag is different

Most of the legal and safety concerns around aftermarket wheels come from wheels that remove the airbag. A Monaco wheel does not do that. We build each wheel around your car's original mounting points, so your OEM airbag module and factory buttons move to the new wheel. They keep working the way they did from the factory.

That is also why we confirm your exact wheel with a photo of your current one, front and back, before we build. Matching the airbag mounts and button plugs is how the new wheel works with your car's original safety system.

Installing it the right way

• Have a qualified installer do it if you are not comfortable working around an airbag.
• Disconnect the battery and wait the time your service manual specifies before unplugging the airbag.
• Reconnect every plug, torque the wheel nut to spec, and make sure the airbag light comes on at start-up and then goes out.

The bottom line

Changing your steering wheel is common and generally allowed. Removing the airbag is where problems start. A custom wheel that keeps your factory airbag and controls gives you the look without giving up the safety system. Browse ready-to-order wheels, see 1,800+ customer builds, or send us a photo of your wheel and we will tell you what fits.