I'm a knucklehead gents...
Plugs are the same, but they have a cover that snaps over them and makes them fit and lock in. The re-covered steering wheel was missing the cover on the plug so I managed to get it off of my OE wheel harness without breaking too much plastic, and on to the "new" harness. Works as advertised now.

I did reclock the wheel this afternoon. What I thought were centering pins to get the wheel clocked correctly, are actually part of the clock spring mechanism and don't interfere with the getting the wheel centered correctly.

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Current
Original owner 2002 E53 X5 4.4i to 4.6i swap
2026 G80 M3 6 spd
2025 G06 X5 50e
Former
1972 Audi Fox
1986 Saab 900S
1996 BMW Z3
1998 BMW E36 M3 Sedan
2004 BMW E46 M3
2006 Audi A3 Quatro
1993 Mopar 318 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2015 V6 Jeep Grand Cherokee