My 2008 Escape LTD steering wheel has a chunk out of it. I was able to obtain a like-colored wheel from eBay, with partial column (but no airbag). I've removed the eBay wheel itself from the column, and have been reading up in the Chilton manual on the removal/replacement of the wheel.

My question concerns the airbag. Disconnecting the battery and pulling the fuse would seem to disable any activation of the airbag (assuming I'm careful with it) but the instructions for the "2008 and later models" do not specifically include the "Re-powering procedure" (Chapter 12-31).

I understand that after disconnecting the battery that the system will need to "re-learn" certain mapping procedures, but does the airbag system really need the complicated procedure described in this manual???

I have all the tools (except for the airbag retaining spring tool which I can make) and it doesn't seem all that complicated, but I would prefer to err on the side of caution.

Has anyone done this already??? What advice can you offer???

Thank you for your time!