interior switches gummed up

[hatepotholez]

So drove the wife's 128i and all the buttons on the steering wheel and the icontroller are sticking. When I press the button it seems to get stuck. Has anyone taken the switches apart and cleaned them with electronics cleaner?

Thanks!

[Downeaster1]

It's fairly easy, but you need some specialty tools other than just a small philips screwdriver.

[hatepotholez]

I was going to spray some electronics cleaner in there as it evaporates is quickly.

[6MT_Addict]

Originally Posted by hatepotholez

So drove the wife's 128i and all the buttons on the steering wheel and the icontroller are sticking. When I press the button it seems to get stuck. Has anyone taken the switches apart and cleaned them with electronics cleaner?

Thanks!

You'll need to remove the airbag and probably steering wheel. If I remember right, there are two Torx screws that need to be accessed via the rear of the steering wheel. It's an easy enough job to remove them, the hardest part is pulling the airbag as you have to hit the release tabs by feel and it's tricky the first time until you know what to feel for. EDIT: You don't need to remove the steering wheel, or airbag (it will be easier with the airbag out of the way though). Just rotate the steering wheel 90 degrees right, and lay in the footwell to access the Torx screw at the rear. Then rotate 180 degrees left and repeat. See the second image below, three screws, you can see two of them in the picture.

Once the trim is out, there are four screws holding the buttons to the trim. Unscrew these and the buttons will come free. After that just use a pick tool or small flathead screwdriver to gently push in the release tabs and separate the top from the bottom, see below. After that clean as needed and put it all back together. You'll need a torque wrench to properly torque down the steering wheel but all in all it's an easy enough job if you're mechanically inclined.

If they won't come clean you can buy used replacement buttons for a pretty reasonable price on eBay