How to Install Steering Wheel Radio Controls

Hi all. As you can see, I've got a 2.5i and I was desperately waiting for someone with a 2.5i to confirm if we have the necessary wires from the radio harness...well I've had enough!!!!!

 

So today, I decided to take apart my dash just for kicks and take pics of the harness. It seems we've got the necessary wires. If someone, especially trabbic, could confirm that we do indeed have the correct wires that would be much appreciated. I've checked using the PDF on the first post attached by trabbic. Pics below!

 

Left side 1

Left side 2

Right side top

Right side bottom

 

EDIT: Wait, did someone already confirm the 2.5i having the right wires before? I don't remember someone posting pics or claiming to have the correct wires...hope I didn't miss anything while going through this thread haha.

 

 

so do we have the right harness and wire just sititng there for this mod lmk i am interested

 

rao741

so do we have the right harness and wire just sititng there for this mod lmk i am interested

 

rao741

 

I wanna give it a try with the Spec B wheel, but I have to prioritize right now. It's either the wheel or getting my suspension stuff installed...definitely leaning towards suspension

 

Let's see how well I do at the casino this weekend haha. But will definitely be trying this out real soon. Not sure if the 08 is the same or not, but I don't see why it would be any different... It might cost you less since you can just purchase the controls instead of a whole wheel.

Bah. Spent my Sunday afternoon doing this (took my time, quadruple checked everything, printed out wiring diagrams, read this thread so many times I have it memorized, etc) and I have illumination in the radio satellites, but no functionality. I am so pissed. I don't want to look at the effin car right now, so I guess I will spend Labor Day trying to figure out what went wrong...has to be a bad connection as the wiring hookup is correct. Auto trans by the way. I am tired of scratching up my hands unplugging the radio harnesses (I don't know what you guys with large hands do). The way they have the wiring harness under the steering column is so effed up. I had my doubts before I started, just sell the satellite controls and forget about it and save myself some aggravation. Sigh. I'm going to bed.

It is now working. There was a wire tap that did not cut all the way through the insulation on one wire at the connector at the steering column. Pulled off the wire tap, carefully scraped at the insulation where the tap was trying to pierce the insulation and put it back together.

 

I need a new volt-ohm meter with slimmer probes. My old Radio Shack one couldn't reach into the wiring harness connectors when I was trying to check the continuity of my jumper wires from behind the radio to under the steering column. I was able to determine that the first wire tap I looked at was not making contact with the car harness and prayed the other three (related to the function buttons) were good to go. They were.

 

 

 

I have to agree with rlax31 on a couple things and have some more to add:

 

Completely remove both of the dash panels under the steering column. I also removed the bottom panel on the colum itself. This makes it SO much easier to work under there.

 

When attaching the wire tap to the white wire on the column side (the female half) of the B68 connector, undo the harness stay from the metal plate (you can reach and squeeze it from the back side with a needle nose pliers) and it will be much easier to work on. Also unplug the yellow air bag connector to gain more room too.

 

Use a Sharpie to mark the steering wheel shaft and the metal part of the wheel itself so you can line it up when putting the steering wheel back on.

 

Before you disconnect the battery make sure and place the automatic shift selector in "Drive" so you can get the radio out.

 

I think most people use the wire taps in the upper left picture which pierce both wires at the same time. I crimped insulated spade lugs on the ends of my stranded, 16 gauge jumper wires (the bottom picture) so that they would plug into the style of wire tap you see in the upper right picture (only they were blue rather than red). This makes it easier for me to undo the whole wiring mod and return it to shift button functionality if I ( or the next owner) desire. I also dabbed "liquid electrical tape" on the cut ends of the car's harness, just in case.

 

The blue colored wire taps are supposed to be suitable for 14 to 18 gauge wire and I believe the red connectors are for 14 to 22 gauge wire. I probably would not have had connectivity issues if I had use red connectors on the car wiring as it appears to be 18 or 20 gauge.

 

 

My thanks to Trabbic for the write-up and everyone else who contributed to this thread.

Hey guys, just an update for the 2.5i folks and those interested. I bit the bullet and bought a Spec B wheel, and followed the walkthrough. Unfortunately, the radio in the 2.5i is not made to take steering wheel control input

 

Not sure about the 05-06 and 08+ 2.5i's but, definitely doesn't work on the 07's. So now I've got a Spec B wheel to return or to sell. If anyone is interested, keep a look out in the Member Classifieds section. Peace.

I bit the bullet and bought a Spec B wheel, and followed the walkthrough. Unfortunately, the radio in the [2007] 2.5i is not made to take steering wheel control input.

That's strange. From the pictures you posted earlier, it sure looks like your radio has the steering wheel wires on the 8-pin plug.

 

Do you think the radio just doesn't support that functionality? Are you sure your wires have continuity all the way to the steering wheel?

 

Before you give up, you might try connecting the steering wheel directly to the radio with short jumper wires or alligator clips.

 

Whether it works or not, can you post pictures of the front of the radio and the label on the top?

That's strange. From the pictures you posted earlier, it sure looks like your radio has the steering wheel wires on the 8-pin plug.

 

Do you think the radio just doesn't support that functionality? Are you sure your wires have continuity all the way to the steering wheel?

 

Before you give up, you might try connecting the steering wheel directly to the radio with short jumper wires or alligator clips.

 

Whether it works or not, can you post pictures of the front of the radio and the label on the top?

 

I already put everything back to stock. I did get illumination so the right side of the radio connection was fine. I undid the connectors on the left (8-pin) for the controls, reconnected them, and they still did not work. It seems the radio just doesn't want to take. If I feel like trying again, then maybe I'll take some pics...right now really discouraged The alligator clips are a good idea.

Well, I tried to install the wheel again, this time using quick disconnects instead of wire taps to make sure the connection is made. Unfortunately, same result. Pics of radio and label on top below. Wheel is definitely for sale now.

 

Thanks for the help and encouragement SVXdc.

 

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1317/1351937167_b219d49cc3.jpg?v=0

 

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1038/1351937351_2297ff3cbd.jpg?v=0

 

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1149/1352826344_5798c417d2.jpg?v=0

Hey did you ever get this done? I'm about to do it on my 07 LGT 5M and am curious if its the same procedure. This is gonna be a fun saturday..or sunday...depending on which day it rains..

 

Eric

So,looks like we have identical cars,07 LGT 5MT NBP,I was about to ask if theres anything different on an 07 compared to 05-06's? Did you follow the same instructions and were the wiring colors the same? Was there any issues on an 07? too bad your not in CHICAGO,would appreciate anybody whos done this to help me out....

So,looks like we have identical cars,07 LGT 5MT NBP,I was about to ask if theres anything different on an 07 compared to 05-06's? Did you follow the same instructions and were the wiring colors the same? Was there any issues on an 07? too bad your not in CHICAGO,would appreciate anybody whos done this to help me out....

 

SORRY,quoting myself.........ANYBODY in Chicago that has done this mod?

Would love any input or help on this,Im sure I could do it myself,but if somebodys already taken trim off,changed /wired wheel,will make life a lot easier,I havnt even taken trim or stereo out....

Everything was the same on my '07. I just followed the directions and the controls are working great.

So,looks like we have identical cars,07 LGT 5MT NBP,I was about to ask if theres anything different on an 07 compared to 05-06's? Did you follow the same instructions and were the wiring colors the same? Was there any issues on an 07? too bad your not in CHICAGO,would appreciate anybody whos done this to help me out....

 

Hey sorry for not responding earlier I haven't checked this thread in a while.

 

Its the same instructions for the 07. Not too bad.

 

Eric

I'm now having issues with the satellite illumination coming and going. I attribute it to using blue wire taps...I should have used red which are designed for smaller gauge wire (car's harness).

Amazing bro! that car sooo needs steering wheel radio controls.

any of you guys buy the new steering wheel and want to get rid of your leather steering wheel with only cruse?

 

i have an 07 Legacy ( limited) that has the plain plastic steering wheel.. want to upgrade to leather.

 

let me know what you would want for one

What were the part #'s for just the audio controll pods alone?

What were the part #'s for just the audio controll pods alone?

 

It's in the first post:

 

Radio Controls to replace your shift buttons (if you drive an automatic) P/N: 83153AG000 ($113 - $82 EST.)

Just did this... many kudos to the pioneers who paved the way!!!!

 

Couple of things I thought were weird:

 

Step 9.

Repeat this with the Green wire with your stripe drawn on it and the solid purple wire on the other side of the stereo and the black wire and the Black wire with the White Stripe.

 

In my '05 this wire was blue.. there was a purple one, but that didn't work. thanks to the awesome pictures it was easy to figure out, knowing it was simply the top wire on that side of the radio plug. Same with the black, I had two solid blacks and just chose the one right under the blue one like in the picture, worked like a charm!

 

Step 10.

 

The white connector near the yellow airbag connector near the steering column, has 8 wires feeding it from the roll connector, #’s 6 & 7 (the other side of those holes should have green with red stripe and white wires, heading up the column) then plug in the green stripe and black wires into holes 2 & 8 respectively. (The other sides of those holes are colored Sky Blue and Black with White Stripe).

 

Plug layout (on the side facing away from the roll connector plug):

 

1 *.* 2 3

4 5 6 7 8

 

Here again I had some weirdness, but thanks to the awesome pictures and great diagram it was easy enough...

 

#6 was white

#7 was the green with red stripe

 

Maybe the original description wasn't met respectively?

 

Thanks to trabbic and everyone else for all of their hard work figuring it out, made it a super easy hour and 20 min install!

it looks like the 08 autos got actual paddle shifters (instead of buttons), cruise buttons instead of , and also got the radio controls.

 

 

anyone tried putting one of these in an earlier year?

http://www.subaru.com/media/image/2008/legacy/25gtlimited/photos/4216_054_lg.jpg

it looks like the 08 autos got actual paddle shifters (instead of buttons), cruise buttons instead of , and also got the radio controls.

 

 

anyone tried putting one of these in an earlier year?

 

The paddle shifters are actually part of the steering column. They do not come off when you remove the wheel. I don't know if the other buttons would work, or if the SI-Drive buttons on the outside of the bottom part of the wheel are attached as well.

The paddle shifters are actually part of the steering column. They do not come off when you remove the wheel. I don't know if the other buttons would work, or if the SI-Drive buttons on the outside of the bottom part of the wheel are attached as well.

 

I concur...actually I noted that earlier in the thread...I would love to try but don't really wanna burn the path yet. Also the SI-Drive button <----(no s) only switches from where you're at to S# not anything else. The other buttons cycle through the mini display for mileage, trip odometer, fuel consumption etc.

 

Eric

^^ having those buttons on the wheel would be quite a bit nicer than the setup on the 07. having to hit the trip reset thing is a royal pain in the ass.

 

i may have to go up to the suby dealer this afternoon and check it out in person. (plus they need to fix the damn pinstripes on my car... or remove them all together is what i want)

Wow, thanks for the great write-up trabbic. I couldn't have installed this in my Forester without your help.

 

Just in case anyone is interested, I have successfully installed the Spec.B steering wheel with stereo controls functioning with my Eclipse AVN5435 HU. I needed to use a PAC SWI-ECL (ECL for Eclipes, they have a bunch of others) to act as an interface between wheel and HU. It was very easy to program the interface. Info on products can be found here: http://www.pac-audio.com/

 

Can you explain which wires you had to hook up to the PAC SWI box? Were any of the resistors required?

i have a spec-b so i have the controls already..

 

what i'm really interested in tho, is that if i could apply this mod so i can control my Zune (or ipod for most people) with my steering controls..

 

i just want to use the 'up & down' buttons on the right to 'forward & reverse', and perhaps 'mode' botton as 'play/pause'..

 

now.. i have the 'wired' remote for Zune already which is very similar to the ipod remotes sold on ebay for ~$5.. so im hoping this will help a lot of other ipod users as well..

 

anyways.. i'm assuming since 3 buttons on the right are controlled by 2 wires, its most likely that one wire for up, one for down, signal to both for mode.. (am i totally wrong on this..? )

 

well, i have cut up my Zune remote.. it has a small circuit board inside and has 8 wires coming out of it.. hmm..

 

anyone see this possible.. ?

anyways.. i'm assuming since 3 buttons on the right are controlled by 2 wires, its most likely that one wire for up, one for down, signal to both for mode.. (am i totally wrong on this..? )

 

 

 

IIRC the way the steering wheel controls work is it changes the impedence of the circuit (changes how much power is flowing through the lines) and the head unit see these changes and reacts to them. I may be completely wrong but I think I remember reading that somewhere in this thread from trabbic.

 

Eric