How to remove airbag, steering wheel and steering column stalk on Citroën and DS DS3

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OVERALL DIFFICULTY INDEX: 4/10
IF YOU HAVE NO TOOLS YOU SPEND $10 TO GET THEM FOR THIS JOB
IF YOU HAVE NO EXPERIENCE YOU SPEND 1 HOUR TO CARRY OUT THIS JOB
RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH FROM A PYROTECHNIC DEVICE, SEE BELOW!

BEFORE YOU START

WARNING: NEVER TEST THE AIRBAG ITSELF OR TRY TO MEASURE ITS RESISTANCE WITH AN OHMMETER. RISK OF TRIGGERING THE PYROTECHNIC DEVICE AND DEPLOYING THE AIRBAG !

DISCLAIMER:
Our pictorials are of informative nature and do illustrate works carried out by ourselves at our own premises for our own use and satisfaction.
Readers who envisage to carry out similar works inspired by the below method shall do this at their own risks and liability.

citroen ds3 airbag and steering wheel removal

Preparatory works for the removal of a driver's airbag

WARNING: you need first to completely disconnect the battery, both negative and positive terminals, then wait for 15 minutes prior to proceeding with the below. Do not attempt to remove an airbag without disconnecting the battery terminals!

As an additional precautionary measure, push the driver's seat back to the maximum in a manner that you always sit as far as possible from the steering wheel during this intervention.

Removing the steering wheel panels on the Citroën DS3

Pull the steering wheel out to the maximum and leave the steering wheel adjustment handle untight.
Use a Torx screwdriver to unscrew the two screws that hold the steering wheel panels together.
Make sure you unscrew them completely as these are long screws.
Split the upper and lower panels with your hand and take them off.

Removing the driver's airbag on the Citroën and DS DS3

The Citroën DS3 airbag assembly, which is in fact the central part of the steering wheel, is held by the means of three "legs" that hold to steel wire springs. It has two legs on the upper part and one leg on the lower part.
Proceed as follows to dislodge the bottom leg:

Start by inserting a flat screwdriver in the hole underneath the steering wheel as shown
Push it in while inclining its head towards you, until you feel it hit a spring
Push that spring while pulling out the central part of the steering wheel, this will already free the first leg.

Now using a larger flat screwdriver, pull out the back panel of the steering wheel so you can see the upper fixing legs of the Citroën DS3 airbag.
With your screwdriver, push the legs UP using it as a lever.
Do so on each side so you free each of the upper legs.
Hold well the airbag in your hand and proceed to the next steps.

Carefully take off the airbag connector to complete the job.

Removing / refitting the steering wheel on the Citroën DS3

It is now possible to disassemble the steering wheel simply by unscrewing the middle bolt, then removing the steering wheel, taking care to pass the airbag and horn wires through the openings in the central body of the steering wheel.
To replace or refit your steering wheel, simply reverse the steps above:

Pass the wires
Refit the central bolt of the steering wheel
Refit and connect the airbag
Refit the plastic covers (panels) of the steering column

Removing the steering column stalk (switch) on the Citroën DS3

Loosen the clamp that holds the stalk to the steering column, then pull the switch off the column.
Disconnect all connectors.