NP5 is the RPO code for a leather-wrapped steering wheel. It is the alternative to NK5, the standard urethane wheel — a truck has one or the other, never both.
It is a small code with an outsized presence in used listings, because “leather wrapped steering wheel” reads like a trim level. It is not. It is one part.
Where NP5 is documented
| Year | How GM described it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | “Steering wheel, leather wrapped” | GM option master |
| 2022 | “Steering wheel, leather-wrapped” | Secondary order-guide transcription only |
| 2025–2026 | “Steering wheel, leather-wrapped” | GM Fleet order guides |
Be straight about the coverage here: NP5 is one of the thinner codes in our database. We hold thirteen records in total and only eight of them meet our sourcing bar. The other five are two undated option-master entries, one dated 1983 entry, and two unverified 2019 entries for T1XX and K2XX. There is no GM-sourced record between 1984 and 2021. The code was in continuous use; our library is what has the gap.
The wheel is one thing, the buttons are another
This is the practical point. NP5 tells you the rim is wrapped. It tells you nothing about what is mounted on the spokes.
| Code | What it covers | Can appear with NP5 |
|---|---|---|
| NP5 | Leather-wrapped rim | — |
| NK5 | Urethane rim | No — they are alternatives |
| UK3 | Steering wheel mounted controls | Yes |
| K34 | Cruise control system | Yes |
A leather wheel with no buttons is common on older trucks. A leather wheel with buttons is common on newer ones. Only the codes together tell you which you are looking at.
Leather wears, and that is what you are really asking
Most people who look up NP5 are looking at a worn wheel and deciding what to do about it. Three honest options:
- Replace with a used factory wheel. Match the code, the button content and the airbag connector, not just the year. This is the cleanest result and often the cheapest.
- Re-wrap. Stitch-on covers look good when the underlying rim is sound and the stitching is done patiently. They look bad when rushed.
- Leave it. A worn leather wheel is a cosmetic issue, not a safety one, unless the material is lifting enough to move under your hands.
What you should not do is fit a wheel from a different button configuration and expect the clockspring to cope. It will not.
How to check yours
- Find the stitching seam. Leather has one; urethane does not.
- Decode NP5 for your model year, and run the whole label so you also capture UK3 and K34.
Sources
- 2025–2026 GM Fleet order guides
- GM VPPS option master, November 2002
Related
- RPO Decoder · RPO Code Database
- NK5 — standard wheel · UK3 — steering wheel controls · K34 — cruise control
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