Installing Steering wheel audio controls

RBP LX said:

OK here we go. I'm not going to go into detail about how to take apart the dash . There is a great description with pictures found HERE. I will however emphasize that you must disconnect the battery negative, DO NOT attempt this mod without disconnecting the battery because you will be removing the driver's side airbag.

Once you have the dash apart the next thing to do is remove the steering wheel airbag. To do this you need to undo each of the Torx screws, one on each side of the steering wheel. While you are doing this remove the 2 Philips screws on each side that secure the audio/cruise control trim piece.

Now that the screws are out the next thing to do is disconnect the electrical connections for the air bag and wiring harness. The connectors are found on the underside of the steering wheel behind a removable trim piece.

Once these connections are undone you can pull the air bag forward and remove it. Now tou need to remove the remaining screws securing the trim piece as well as disconnecting the remaining connector.

Here is the removed trim piece with the wiring from the existing cruise controls.

This is the back side of the trim where the audio controls will be installed. First you need to remove the 2 Philips screws on each side that secure the existing cruise controls and the blank where the audio controls will go.

Here is a picture of the old and new control harnesses

And the new controls installed in the trim piece.

Everything on the steering wheel put back together the reverse of how it came apart.

Now on to the hard part JK:laughing:
Next you need to remove the upper steering colum shroud. I still have not figered a way to do this without breaking the little plastic snaps that holds it together but a bit of super glue puts them back together.

If you choose to you can remove the bottom piece as well, it is held on by 3 Philips screws. If you are like me you will have to do this to glue the broken pieces back together. With the shroud removed you now have easy access to the steering wheel wiring connector which I forgot to take a picture of prior to installing my wiring harness. Speaking of which it is now time to destroy one wiring harness and make another. From the old cruise control harness you need to steal 4 female pins. They look like this when removed.

The old wiring harness will look like this. Notice the plastic is peeled back. The pins lock into position when installed so they are hard to remove. You can either peel the plastic back or use a small screw driver (eyeglass) and hammer them out from the front.

The pins will be used to make the new connections at the steerig wheel connector and the radio connector like this. You can refer to my diagram on the fist page of this thread for pinout locations but steering wheel is 3&4 radio is 6&7. For ease of installation I use red/pink and green/green wires from the old harness to make it easier to remember which wire went were, I also labeled everything. They can be hard to push into the new slots and may require the help of a screw driver pushing them to get them all the way in. Notice that they should only go in one way, make sure to install them the right side up, just mimic the existing ones.

Next you need to make a wiring harness to connect the new plugs. This harness needs to be at least 24" long 30" would be better. This allows enough slack when putting everything back together.

Wiring harness installed.

Now you are ready to test. Reconnect the radio and all harness connections, have your security code ready. Reconnect the battery negative and turn the ignition to the accessory position II. You shoul now have to turn the radio on by pressing the power button, enter your code and test the steering wheel controls. If everthing is fine start to put everything back together and enjoy.

Click to expand...

RBP LX said:

OK here we go. I'm not going to go into detail about how to take apart the dash . There is a great description with pictures found HERE. I will however emphasize that you must disconnect the battery negative, DO NOT attempt this mod without disconnecting the battery because you will be removing the driver's side airbag.

Once you have the dash apart the next thing to do is remove the steering wheel airbag. To do this you need to undo each of the Torx screws, one on each side of the steering wheel. While you are doing this remove the 2 Philips screws on each side that secure the audio/cruise control trim piece.

Now that the screws are out the next thing to do is disconnect the electrical connections for the air bag and wiring harness. The connectors are found on the underside of the steering wheel behind a removable trim piece.

Once these connections are undone you can pull the air bag forward and remove it. Now tou need to remove the remaining screws securing the trim piece as well as disconnecting the remaining connector.

Here is the removed trim piece with the wiring from the existing cruise controls.

This is the back side of the trim where the audio controls will be installed. First you need to remove the 2 Philips screws on each side that secure the existing cruise controls and the blank where the audio controls will go.

Here is a picture of the old and new control harnesses

And the new controls installed in the trim piece.

Everything on the steering wheel put back together the reverse of how it came apart.

Now on to the hard part JK:laughing:
Next you need to remove the upper steering colum shroud. I still have not figered a way to do this without breaking the little plastic snaps that holds it together but a bit of super glue puts them back together.

If you choose to you can remove the bottom piece as well, it is held on by 3 Philips screws. If you are like me you will have to do this to glue the broken pieces back together. With the shroud removed you now have easy access to the steering wheel wiring connector which I forgot to take a picture of prior to installing my wiring harness. Speaking of which it is now time to destroy one wiring harness and make another. From the old cruise control harness you need to steal 4 female pins. They look like this when removed.

The old wiring harness will look like this. Notice the plastic is peeled back. The pins lock into position when installed so they are hard to remove. You can either peel the plastic back or use a small screw driver (eyeglass) and hammer them out from the front.

The pins will be used to make the new connections at the steerig wheel connector and the radio connector like this. You can refer to my diagram on the fist page of this thread for pinout locations but steering wheel is 3&4 radio is 6&7. For ease of installation I use red/pink and green/green wires from the old harness to make it easier to remember which wire went were, I also labeled everything. They can be hard to push into the new slots and may require the help of a screw driver pushing them to get them all the way in. Notice that they should only go in one way, make sure to install them the right side up, just mimic the existing ones.

Next you need to make a wiring harness to connect the new plugs. This harness needs to be at least 24" long 30" would be better. This allows enough slack when putting everything back together.

Wiring harness installed.

Now you are ready to test. Reconnect the radio and all harness connections, have your security code ready. Reconnect the battery negative and turn the ignition to the accessory position II. You shoul now have to turn the radio on by pressing the power button, enter your code and test the steering wheel controls. If everthing is fine start to put everything back together and enjoy.

Click to expand...