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Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel

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bravo5

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I have an '03 Grand now, and I am looking to purchase a Patriot in the next couple months. I love these Pats!!! :smiley_thumbs_up:

I just built an '08 on the jeep website, and it looks like the premium sound group comes with a leather wrapped steering wheel. I like the other options, and it appears that the only way to get the fold-down liftgate speakers is with this package. I am a vegan and will NOT have leather in my vehicle.

So am I stuck with not having the fold-down liftgate speakers? Is there a way to have them NOT install the leather wrapping, or have the dealer remove it? I asked the local dealer and they have no idea. :(

The local dealers around here all have the leather wrapped wheel- I have yet to find one locally on a lot without it, so that's part of why I'm now building my own.

Thanks!!!
 
#4 ·
josephcbecker said:
Is the "leather" really even leather?
Click to expand...

I've wondered that about mine since I've gotten it.

My feeling is that it is more of a PLeather or a VLeather, if it is Leather at all.
 
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#5 ·
I'm pretty sure it's not even genuine leather... I think it should be ok, but if you're that strongly against it, I would request not to have it, maybe they can do it at the factory :S But that regular steering wheel doesn't feel as nice!! and looks cheaper.
 
#6 ·
Find someone in your local with out leather area and trade em. I am sure alot of people would jump at the chance to get a free leather upgrade... just another option.
 
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Discussion starter · #7 ·
How would I find out if it IS even real leather? If it's just fake leather (like all my shoes and belts and stuff! LOL), then I'd be okay. Just don't want an animal product. :(

I haven't ever had a wrapped wheel, so I'm used to the "plain" ones. :D And I've never custom ordered before- just got lucky and found ones without it. :)

I am trying to figure out if I can just remove the wrap - or if it's glued or something.

I put in another call to my dealer today, and he's going to try to find out if I can specifically request to NOT have it. But he thinks it's something to do with the radio controls on the wheel with the premium sound package.
 
#8 ·
bravo5 said:
But he thinks it's something to do with the radio controls on the wheel with the premium sound package.
Click to expand...
Maybe a swap would work better for you then, The plastic trim piece on the back of the wheel with the controls can be disconnected from the steering wheel with just a couple of screws to remove (did this on my ram to get steering wheel controls) swap the wheels, reconnect the plastic piece and presto no more leather. Sooner or later the dealer will probably get one in with out the leather wheel. The whole process would only take about 15 min or less. hope this helps
 
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#9 ·
Hey if you are in Canada, I just might trade you for a regular Grey 08 steering wheel...I wanted the leather wrapped steering wheel but not the sound system upgrade...
 
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#10 ·
bravo5 said:
I am trying to figure out if I can just remove the wrap - or if it's glued or something.

I put in another call to my dealer today, and he's going to try to find out if I can specifically request to NOT have it. But he thinks it's something to do with the radio controls on the wheel with the premium sound package.
Click to expand...
The leather wheel isn't really wrapped, it's covered. To remove the leather, would pretty much destroy the steering wheel. You'd be left with an ugly butchered up foam covered steel rod. The remote radio controls are built in to the back of the wheel. I do not believe you can get the leather wheel without them, and vice versa. The ordering combinations are what you can do on the Jeep website, now that it's been updated. Open order options pretty much went away back in the 80's, primarily to reduce build complexity and costs.
 
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#11 · (Edited)
NoneRequired said:
The leather wheel isn't really wrapped, it's covered. To remove the leather, would pretty much destroy the steering wheel. You'd be left with an ugly butchered up foam covered steel rod. The remote radio controls are built in to the back of the wheel. I do not believe you can get the leather wheel without them, and vice versa. The ordering combinations are what you can do on the Jeep website, now that it's been updated. Open order options pretty much went away back in the 80's, primarily to reduce build complexity and costs.
Click to expand...
Nonerequired,
the steering wheel controls are in a trim piece that is only attatched by screws. Here is a pic from a dodge ram (same concept for the Patriot).
btw, I figured it was common knowledge about what to do when removing an air bag but maybe its not so "common." Make sure the battery is disconected and the vehicle sits for at least 10 min to let the capacitor discharge. also if the air is dry and static electricity is bad, wait for a humid day or keep yourself grounded to the car.

in the pic the four screws are what holds the back trim piece to the steering wheel.
 

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#12 ·
bravo5 said:
How would I find out if it IS even real leather? If it's just fake leather (like all my shoes and belts and stuff! LOL), then I'd be okay. Just don't want an animal product. :(

I haven't ever had a wrapped wheel, so I'm used to the "plain" ones. :D And I've never custom ordered before- just got lucky and found ones without it. :)

I am trying to figure out if I can just remove the wrap - or if it's glued or something.

I put in another call to my dealer today, and he's going to try to find out if I can specifically request to NOT have it. But he thinks it's something to do with the radio controls on the wheel with the premium sound package.
Click to expand...
I have an idea, don't buy the car!!:confused::confused:
 
#13 ·
I think it is real leather, keep in mind though, even without the leather, the car is still not Vegan/animal safe. I don't think there is really any cars that are vegan, or trucks, or crossovers for that matter.

Also, don't feel as if you, by accepting the leather, are causing the death of a cow... leather is a byproduct of the beef industry, essentially you'd be helping using a product that would have been uselessly thrown away, though I understand your opposition, I was a vegan myself for 3 years...

You could also try and find an 07' that has BA system in it, it does not include a leather wrapped steering wheel, or, unfortunately wheel mounted audio controls.
 
#15 ·
roberttroll said:
Forget the cows, just think of how many Pleathers are killed each and every year just so us greedy consumers can have something fashionable to wrap our hands around.
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Yea, and the pleather meat is reeeeallly tough too. :p
 
#17 ·
Buy a cloth or vinyl steering wheel cover. Sure the cow is still dead, but at least you don't have to touch its dried skin. It might also keep the steering wheel cooler.

But hey, I'm a leather-loving carnivore, so what do I know?
 
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