2007 F150 Multifunction lever replacement - Remove Steering Wheel?
 

Wipers won't shut off, I have have to select the slowest setting so it wipes the least. I plan on changing the multifunction lever, and I bought a new off-brand one. Research online and how-to videos give me different answers.

Question: do I need to remove the steering wheel to change it out?

Factory service manual says you have to.

Yes.

Yup, it's not that hard (I did it on my old 2005 King Ranch), but remember to disconnect the battery first and turn the headlights on to discharge any electrical storage that might be present in the air bag system BEFORE you start working on the steering wheel! You don't want that thing exploding in your face.

- Jack

I follow the golden rule working around airbags.... wait 20 minutes and toy with all the electrical things in the vehicle, just to make sure there isn't something providing a charge.

I've taken airbags apart before and those little pyro modules pack a punch with very little voltage. (Tested it on my bench power supply!)

Hint: They are great for setting off fireworks! :)

The factory service manual is explicit that a ONE MINUTE delay is all that is required to drain the internal capacitor of any residual charge. Since there's a blocking diode between that capacitor and the vehicle's power system, dinking with other electrical devices in the vehicle won't do anything useful except keep you occupied while nothing useful is happening.