Installed: Steering Wheel Radio Controls with 1CD Stock Head Unit
Posted: Sat May 07, 2005 2:11 pm
Finally! I got it done.First, many thanks to:LT4man for posting 2 years ago a tidbit about pins a6 and a7 working as radio control pins on our radiosJoatman for point me to that postGMJAP for weeks of help with schematics and Info.John R. from club-gp.com for helping me with the resistor valuesand anyone who participated in the troubleshooting thread with ideas, brainstorming and help.So......As you know, the stock head unit in the vibe has two pins that are label Not used that are actually the steering wheel control input used on other GM cars such as the GP and grand am and such. Well, i was able to confirm they worked and looking for the same resistor values.the limitation on our car is, of course, the clock-spring. it has 7 wires and 7 wires only running through it (airbag x 4, GND, horn and cruise).Well i ordered a second clock-spring and took it apart and found that it has no wires at all. it is actually a flex PCB film run around a series of rotating thingamabobs. I am hesitant to post what i did to it since there is a critical element to it relating to the fact that airbag lines run through it, but suffice it to say i got two more lines running through my clock-spring at either end.One end runs down the column, across the dash into the back of the head unit.The second end is in the wheel and plugs into my resistor board, which in turn fans out to either side of the steering wheel to the buttons. I like to call them "paddle style" in that they are actually on the back side of the wheel where paddle style shifters are found these days. So i actually use my fingers around the back, rather than my thumbs on the front.The buttons are take from the "fold-able" USB keyboards they sell at computer shops these days which are pretty much rubber molded buttons.I have some pics for you but first:yes, this is not in its final fit and finish form. I want to wait a few weeks to make sure the wiring holds up before i make this permanent. so no, i haven't taken the keyboard markings off, and no i have not gotten everything perfect, and no the buttons aren't trimmed perfectly yet, and yes, they are only held on by double sided tape. but they work! and when i am convinced the resistor board is going to hold up, i will use an industrial adhesive to get those bad boys planted on there. but the beauty of it is, that since they are on the back, no one can see anyway.all told the project cost my $80. $20 for the fold-able keyboard, $50 for the clock-spring and $10 for resistors and flex films and stuff. Well worht it to me for the new convenience. So if you are willing to go at it without a backup clockspring on hand (i was not willing), then you can do it for pretty cheap.So, thanks everybody for helping and cheering me on. its a pretty cool mod, i think, and i am really happy with it!PIC 1: proof it works! has your radio ever shown this?
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