Guide How-To: Install paddle shifters - 2016 Mazda6 Touring

mazpro

Member
:
2008 MS3 GT, 2016 6 Touring
Hello all,

I know there is scattered information everywhere about installing paddle shifters on Sport and Touring Mazda 6s. After reading as much information as I was able to find online, and going to a dealership to get part numbers from a 2016 Grand Touring (got a vin number from autotrader lol), I bit the bullet and ordered the parts.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible if anything breaks on your car. This is a pretty simple upgrade, so don't worry, nothing should break (Except those little black tabs (pissed) ) if you follow the steps.

PARTS:
Wiring: (BNK8-66-4M2) https://www.mazdaswag.com/oem-parts/mazda-wire-bnk8664m2/?c=aT01NDE5MzM1NSZyPTEw
Rear cover: (GJS2-32-049) https://www.mazdaswag.com/oem-parts/mazda-rear-cover-gjs232049/?c=aT01NDQyNDA1NSZyPTM=
Paddle Shifters: (BHT1-66-3P0) https://www.mazdaswag.com/oem-parts/mazda-paddle-switch-bht1663p0/?c=aT01NDE5MzM1NSZyPTY=
Bolts: Two options, local harware store, or Mazda ones. You need 4 bolts total.
-A: (GJS2-32-750) https://www.mazdaswag.com/oem-parts/mazda-paddle-switch-screw-gjs232750/?c=aT01NDQyNDA1NSZyPTg=
-B: #10-32 x 1/2 in. Round-Head Combo from your local hardware store. Mine: (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt...-Steel-Machine-Screw-3-Piece-814391/204274805)

I decided to order everything at the same place to keep things simple. You may or may not find those part cheaper in other websites. My total cost was $180.44 before shipping.
The bolts I ended up buying at the local hardware store. Paid $1.18 for the pack of 4
NOTE I can only confirm this parts work perfectly for the 2016 Mazda 6 Touring, and most likely work on the 2016 Sport. Do your research if you do not have a 2016!


TOOLS:
21mm socket - To remove the steering wheel nut
10mm socket - To remove battery negative terminal
Flathead screwdriver
Phillips head screwdriver
Cutting Pliers
Blue Threadlocker

S7oB3ky.jpg



1. Loosen the airbag. At this point my car is on, so I can easily turn the steering wheel.
--- A: Use the Phillips screwdriver to push the tabs in the back of the steering wheel. There are 3, two on the sides, and one in the bottom. Picture below is for one of the side ones.
--- B: There is no need to use excessive force, as just pushing the screwdriver in will push the tab, and you will see the airbag come out a little.
--- C: Once the airbag is loose, DO NOT REMOVE IT YET, make sure the wheels are pointing straight, and turn off the car.

PbW6XvT.jpg



2. Remove negative battery terminal. SUPER IMPORTANT as we are messing with the airbag. You do not want it to go off while you are working on this.
DO NOT plug the battery back in without the airbag in place, this will most likely cause a check engine light that cannot be easily erased. Read about this on my online research


3. Once battery is unplugged, time to remove the airbag.
--- A: There are 3 plugs to remove, the highlighted green one is a ground, which pulls straight out.
--- B: The 2 red highlighted ones are the important ones. You can see a back tab on top of each one, you will need to use a small flathead screwdriver to pull it up slightly, as pictured.
--- C: Once the black tabs are extended, both entire plugs will pull off with you hands. They will take a little bit of force, but they come off. I DO NOT suggest you use anything other than your hands
--- D: Pull the airbag off, and set it aside, don't throw it around or put it on the floor to step on it lol. Back seat for me.

U9g4q55.jpg



4. Take out the steering wheel
--- A: Unplug the white connector, highlighted in red
--- B: Take the 21mm socket and remove the main bolt. You will need to hold the steering wheel so it doesn't turn when you start putting pressure on the bolt.
--- C: Pull off the steering wheel. Note the airbag plug stays on the car

y8ExbWP.jpg



5. Remove the back cover of the steering wheel by pinching the 4 plastic tabs in red below. I did it as you see in the picture, putting pressure in the back with one hand, and used a screwdriver in the other hand to push down each side of each tab. (Thinking about it now, you can probably just use some pliers)

kQLuLNR.jpg



6. Remove the Steeering wheel controls to change the wiring
--- A: Pull off the plastic connector highlighted in pink
--- B: Lightly pull the tall plastic tab highlighted in green, and push the control out a little so it is not locked. (This is the tab the a lot of people break. Don't worry if it does)
--- C: Use a flathead screwdriver to put pressure on the two red plastic tabs and pull them out. This ones are really tight in there, so you will use a little bit of force. Put the tip of the screwdriver right on the base of the tab, so you don't break anything else.
--- D: Once those 3 are out, the control comes off.
--- E: Do the same to remove the other side

8ozOqck.jpg



7. Switch the wiring
--- A: Cut the two zip ties highlighted in green with the cutting pliers
--- B: Unplug the blue connector and plug in the new one. Then unplug the gray connector and plug in the new one. (One at a time to make sure we don't plug the wrong cables)
--- C: The new wires come with 2 new zip ties to replace the ones you just cut out. Put them in.

KGh4caT.jpg



8. Put the controls back on the steering wheel, and plug back in the white plastic tabs highlighted in red in place. Note I had not put mine back on the picture below.

EIMU7sd.jpg



9. Put the back cover on
--- A: First put the paddles on the back cover, and route the cable along the path, highlighted in red.
--- B: Put the complete back cover on the steering wheel with pressure, the 4 plastic tabs will click
--- C: Use the 4 screws you purchased, put a little bit of threadlock in each one and tighten the paddles with 2 bots on each side

y1GFqYy.jpg

j2eIQFE.jpg



10. Put steering wheel back on the car
--- A: Connect the white connector highlighted in red, this is the new one for the paddle shifters
--- B: Put the steering wheel back on the car, use some threadlock on the bolt and tighten.
--- C: Connect the white connector highlighted in green back on the car, and make sure the ground and two wires for the airbag are outside, like the picture
--- D: Make sure the steering wheel bolt is reeeeaaallly tight. I did not find the torque number needed, so I just made sure that bolt is tight in there, use those muscles.

iXxgbjS.jpg



11. Put the airbag back on the steering wheel
--- A: Connect the ground cable
--- B: Connect the two airbag connectors back on, and press the black tabs back down. The connectors are color coordinated, so plug the right ones in.
--- C: Push the airbag back in place with pressure. No battery means the horn is not going to go off lol

12. Plug the battery back in and go enjoy those paddles!
 
Hi all,

I would like to know how to remove the back cover of the steering wheel for the 2017 model (GL). So far up to that stage before the back plate removal, its exactly the same steps taken. Currently stuck here!

Hope to hear some input if possible. thanks!

Regards,
Mervynsng
 
Hello all,

I know there is scattered information everywhere about installing paddle shifters on Sport and Touring Mazda 6s. After reading as much information as I was able to find online, and going to a dealership to get part numbers from a 2016 Grand Touring (got a vin number from autotrader lol), I bit the bullet and ordered the parts.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible if anything breaks on your car. This is a pretty simple upgrade, so don't worry, nothing should break (Except those little black tabs (pissed) ) if you follow the steps.

PARTS:
Wiring: (BNK8-66-4M2) https://www.mazdaswag.com/oem-parts/mazda-wire-bnk8664m2/?c=aT01NDE5MzM1NSZyPTEw
Rear cover: (GJS2-32-049) https://www.mazdaswag.com/oem-parts/mazda-rear-cover-gjs232049/?c=aT01NDQyNDA1NSZyPTM=
Paddle Shifters: (BHT1-66-3P0) https://www.mazdaswag.com/oem-parts/mazda-paddle-switch-bht1663p0/?c=aT01NDE5MzM1NSZyPTY=
Bolts: Two options, local harware store, or Mazda ones. You need 4 bolts total.
-A: (GJS2-32-750) https://www.mazdaswag.com/oem-parts/mazda-paddle-switch-screw-gjs232750/?c=aT01NDQyNDA1NSZyPTg=
-B: #10-32 x 1/2 in. Round-Head Combo from your local hardware store. Mine: (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt...-Steel-Machine-Screw-3-Piece-814391/204274805)

I decided to order everything at the same place to keep things simple. You may or may not find those part cheaper in other websites. My total cost was $180.44 before shipping.
The bolts I ended up buying at the local hardware store. Paid $1.18 for the pack of 4
NOTE I can only confirm this parts work perfectly for the 2016 Mazda 6 Touring, and most likely work on the 2016 Sport. Do your research if you do not have a 2016!


TOOLS:
21mm socket - To remove the steering wheel nut
10mm socket - To remove battery negative terminal
Flathead screwdriver
Phillips head screwdriver
Cutting Pliers
Blue Threadlocker

S7oB3ky.jpg



1. Loosen the airbag. At this point my car is on, so I can easily turn the steering wheel.
--- A: Use the Phillips screwdriver to push the tabs in the back of the steering wheel. There are 3, two on the sides, and one in the bottom. Picture below is for one of the side ones.
--- B: There is no need to use excessive force, as just pushing the screwdriver in will push the tab, and you will see the airbag come out a little.
--- C: Once the airbag is loose, DO NOT REMOVE IT YET, make sure the wheels are pointing straight, and turn off the car.

PbW6XvT.jpg



2. Remove negative battery terminal. SUPER IMPORTANT as we are messing with the airbag. You do not want it to go off while you are working on this.
DO NOT plug the battery back in without the airbag in place, this will most likely cause a check engine light that cannot be easily erased. Read about this on my online research


3. Once battery is unplugged, time to remove the airbag.
--- A: There are 3 plugs to remove, the highlighted green one is a ground, which pulls straight out.
--- B: The 2 red highlighted ones are the important ones. You can see a back tab on top of each one, you will need to use a small flathead screwdriver to pull it up slightly, as pictured.
--- C: Once the black tabs are extended, both entire plugs will pull off with you hands. They will take a little bit of force, but they come off. I DO NOT suggest you use anything other than your hands
--- D: Pull the airbag off, and set it aside, don't throw it around or put it on the floor to step on it lol. Back seat for me.

U9g4q55.jpg



4. Take out the steering wheel
--- A: Unplug the white connector, highlighted in red
--- B: Take the 21mm socket and remove the main bolt. You will need to hold the steering wheel so it doesn't turn when you start putting pressure on the bolt.
--- C: Pull off the steering wheel. Note the airbag plug stays on the car

y8ExbWP.jpg



5. Remove the back cover of the steering wheel by pinching the 4 plastic tabs in red below. I did it as you see in the picture, putting pressure in the back with one hand, and used a screwdriver in the other hand to push down each side of each tab. (Thinking about it now, you can probably just use some pliers)

kQLuLNR.jpg



6. Remove the Steeering wheel controls to change the wiring
--- A: Pull off the plastic connector highlighted in pink
--- B: Lightly pull the tall plastic tab highlighted in green, and push the control out a little so it is not locked. (This is the tab the a lot of people break. Don't worry if it does)
--- C: Use a flathead screwdriver to put pressure on the two red plastic tabs and pull them out. This ones are really tight in there, so you will use a little bit of force. Put the tip of the screwdriver right on the base of the tab, so you don't break anything else.
--- D: Once those 3 are out, the control comes off.
--- E: Do the same to remove the other side

8ozOqck.jpg



7. Switch the wiring
--- A: Cut the two zip ties highlighted in green with the cutting pliers
--- B: Unplug the blue connector and plug in the new one. Then unplug the gray connector and plug in the new one. (One at a time to make sure we don't plug the wrong cables)
--- C: The new wires come with 2 new zip ties to replace the ones you just cut out. Put them in.

KGh4caT.jpg



8. Put the controls back on the steering wheel, and plug back in the white plastic tabs highlighted in red in place. Note I had not put mine back on the picture below.

EIMU7sd.jpg



9. Put the back cover on
--- A: First put the paddles on the back cover, and route the cable along the path, highlighted in red.
--- B: Put the complete back cover on the steering wheel with pressure, the 4 plastic tabs will click
--- C: Use the 4 screws you purchased, put a little bit of threadlock in each one and tighten the paddles with 2 bots on each side

y1GFqYy.jpg

j2eIQFE.jpg



10. Put steering wheel back on the car
--- A: Connect the white connector highlighted in red, this is the new one for the paddle shifters
--- B: Put the steering wheel back on the car, use some threadlock on the bolt and tighten.
--- C: Connect the white connector highlighted in green back on the car, and make sure the ground and two wires for the airbag are outside, like the picture
--- D: Make sure the steering wheel bolt is reeeeaaallly tight. I did not find the torque number needed, so I just made sure that bolt is tight in there, use those muscles.

iXxgbjS.jpg



11. Put the airbag back on the steering wheel
--- A: Connect the ground cable
--- B: Connect the two airbag connectors back on, and press the black tabs back down. The connectors are color coordinated, so plug the right ones in.
--- C: Push the airbag back in place with pressure. No battery means the horn is not going to go off lol

12. Plug the battery back in and go enjoy those paddles!
Great write-up!
 

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