How Does Steering Wheel Control Work?????

[Crandis16]

I'm putting DIY steering wheel controls into my 1998 ford escort zx2. Forget factory steering wheel controls because I"m making steering wheel controls out of cruise controls. I have 5 buttons... pause/play, next track, back track, volume up, volume down. I press pause/play and a 12v signal is sent through my pause/play wire. I am looking at using the PAC SWI-RC with a kenwood kdc-x997 deck.

My question is how does the steering wheel control module work. Does it take 12v signals from separate wires then translate it to the correct voltage into the head unit for the correct command? Does the module need different voltages for different commands?

Here is what my wiring is like currently. I have 5 wires that put out a 12v signal when the corresponding button is pushed.

pause/play (RSM) --------> 12v

next track (ACC) ---------> 12v

back track (CST) ---------> 12v

volume up (ON) ----------> 12v

volume down (OFF) -----> 12v

Here is what my steering wheel looks like

[Crandis16]

I found this on Axxess's website for their steering wheel control device. Sounds like I have to have it programmed first in order to make it work.

Remapping the SWC (Steering Wheel Control) Buttons

Once you have the ASWC programmed you can then change the

steering wheel control button assignment(s). Such as, programing the

“Seek Up” button as a “Mute” function. Follow the steps below to

remap the SWC buttons:

1) Ideally have the ASWC visible, so you can see the LED flashes to

confirm button recognition.

2) Turning “off” the radio is recommended.

3) Within the first 20 seconds of turning the ignition on, press and hold

down the “Volume Up” button for

at

least 20 seconds.

4) The LED will light up solid red. Release “Volume Up” and the LED

will go out. “Volume Up” has now been programmed.

5) Follow the list in the Button Assignment section, page 19,

to reference the order of what buttons need to be pressed and/or

how to bypass a button.

6) After the last button is programmed on your steering wheel (you

do not have to go through the whole list), hold down the “Volume

Up” button for

at

least 10 seconds then the LED wil

[Crandis16]

Thanks for moving thread. Wasn't sure where it would belong.

So commands to head units are determined by the amperage, correct?

If so then I need to get a potentiometer to play around with in order to determine the amperage needed to do various commands on the deck. Hopefully I can get information from Kenwood before I start doing testing.

[paylesspizzaman]

Did you ever figure out your steering wheel controls? I want to do the same thing you did, but I don't want to blow up my new kenwood.

[Crandis16]

yes I did. Just too busy working on this auto to manual swap in the project car

[AA98hoe]

It's low voltage an some are just resistance that changes with buttons

[ncc74656]

many vehicles use a MUX system so that axxcess piece can detect the varying resistances and send the proper signal to your HU. id recommend going with a PAC peice over an axxess tho, they fail ALL THE TIME.

[Crandis16]

many vehicles use a MUX system so that axxcess piece can detect the varying resistances and send the proper signal to your HU. id recommend going with a PAC peice over an axxess tho, they fail ALL THE TIME.

My plan is to go with PAC. I can wire in resistors to my cruise control, and it should read my steering as a ford edge.