It’s a fact of life that mechanical things tend to wear out, and the same goes for mechanical keys and key cylinders used in your car’s ignition system. You may insert and remove the ignition key thousands of times every year, wearing the key and tumblers ever-so-slightly every time. Heavy keychains can add more stress to the ignition cylinder, increasing wear. After a while, the key may fall out of the cylinder or be out of the lock position. Or, an unworn key may not turn a worn ignition cylinder, as they haven’t “worn together.' The ignition switch itself is connected to the ignition cylinder by a shaft or lever.
Dec 29, 2011 Broken Steering Wheel Radio Controls - Housing/Button Replacement Help. I had this happen to my track up button, I found a $2 fix, that has worked for several other things too. Acrylic Nail Glue. Also please note that there is a wire permanently connected between both switch pods, and you may want to pull the two bottom spoke rear. Looking for information regarding Steering Wheel Control Wiring Diagrams? You are right here. You may be a technician who wants to look for recommendations or address existing problems. Or you are a trainee, or perhaps even you who simply need to know regarding Steering Wheel Control Wiring Diagrams. I Am Looking For A Wiring Diagram.
Inside the ignition switch, several contacts connect vital electrical systems needed to start and run the car. Generally speaking, in the “OFF” position, the ignition switch doesn’t connect anything; in the “ACC” position, the radio or fan may be energized; in the “RUN” position, the engine control module is energized; and finally, in the “START” position, the starter relay is engaged. (These generalizations, depend significantly on year, make, and model.). Modern cars with immobilizers use transponder keys to enable or disable engine starting or running.
The chip in the key transmits a specific code, of which there are millions. If this code matches the ones programmed into the vehicle, engine starting is enabled. An incorrect key code, such as from an unprogrammed key or damaged key, would prevent engine starting. Code “confusion,” such as having multiple keys can also occur, preventing ignition. Electrical problems, such as broken immobilizer antenna wiring, which usually encircles the ignition cylinder, can prevent the engine immobilizer from reading transponder codes.
Finally, some keys have battery-amplified transponders, so a dead battery might prevent the codes from being read.
Robert Ferency-ViarsDuring my first few years at Crutchfield, I served as one of our Advisors, helping our customers choose new audio components for their homes and cars. Eventually, I moved to the writing team and spent a decade researching new products and getting even more hands-on with car audio gear.I've performed many car and home audio installations over the years, some of them even on my own cars. As the editor of Crutchfield's car audio web articles, I couldn't ask for a cooler job. We listen to music and play with car audio gear every day!Like most of us here, I've always been into music. I installed my first car stereo system before the family car was even mine. In college, I helped friends and roommates install their car stereos and set up the stereos in their apartments.
I was a volunteer DJ for the local community radio station for a few years (playing late night metal and Sunday morning bluegrass & alt-country). That's where I also first learned a little bit about sound mixers.These days, I serve my community by volunteering as the District Commissioner for my local district of the Boys Scouts of America. I also love playing board games & RPGs, spending time with my family, and installing new audio systems for my friends. More about Robert. Started at Crutchfield in 1999.
Completed our thorough in-house Advisor training, learning about the ins and outs of our various products. Stays up-to-date by attending vendor training sessions for new products.
Earned MECP (Mobile Electronics Certified Professional) certification. Authored dozens of Crutchfield articles and hundreds of car audio product presentations. Managing editor for the car audio articles on Crutchfield.com. Experienced freelance writer and editorMore from Robert Ferency-Viars. Learn how to install a steering wheel control adapterOne of the problems with replacing your factory radio with a new, is that those handy audio controls built into the steering wheel won't work anymore.The way to solve this dilemma is to install an, which we offer at a discount when you buy a compatible stereo.
In this video, we'll walk you through what's involved in the installation process.Installing a steering wheel audio control adapter Video TranscriptWhen you install a new stereo in your car, you lose the benefit of these — the handy controls built into the steering wheel. That's because those are wired for the factory stereo and you can't just plug it into the back of the new stereo.But what you can do is install a special adapter like this one, and that's what we're doing today. This adapter lets these controls interface with the new stereo so that you can use them just like you did before.Plan the wire connectionsI did my homework for this installation and downloaded instructions directly from the Axxess website.
On their site, you tell them what kind of vehicle you have and they'll tell you right up front whether their adapter works with your car. And from there it's step by step, wire by wire, what you need to do for the installation. I added the color coding just to help myself out a little bit.Disconnect the batteryI've disconnected the battery and I'm getting ready to pry open the dash panel so I can get the stereo out. That's what this puppy's for.
Disconnecting the battery is important, and I want to note, for two reasons. One, I don't want to risk shorting something out so that my dash lights or stereo or A/C doesn't work. And two, there's an airbag sensor in this console and I don't want to mess with that, so I'm doing the job right.Remove your stereo from the dashI popped off the top panel, then removed a couple of screws and pulled off the main dash panel exposing the radio. Then four more screws out from the side of the radio and it's free. Now I can get to all the wiring.
Next I'll take a look at the adapter. Opening the package I found the instruction manuals, a couple of wiring harnesses, and of course the adapter itself.Connect the adapter harness and your stereoAt first glance, this harness looks a little intimidating, but don't be afraid of it. You're not going to use all these wires.
First, you'll have your power and ground, naturally, and then depending on your vehicle, you'll use one or two of these wires to connect. For example, my car will be using these two.
The rest aren't used and I can just tape them up or cut them off, whatever I want to do.That leaves this big black cable. This is the control cable that'll plug right into most stereos. Now mine is one of the brands that doesn't work that easily, so instead they include this adapter. I plug that in here and then connect one of these two brown wires to a wire that's already on the back of my stereo. Not that bad.Re-install the stereoI used to make all the wiring connections between the adapter harness and my stereo. And now I'm going to re-install the stereo.
So I plug this back in. And here's our new adapter and it's harness. Plug this guy in, there we go, and get that down there where I can reach it in a few minutes.Programming the steering wheel control adapterAlright we've finished installing the stereo and the adapter, the dash is back together, and I've pushed the adapter out through the bottom of the dash so I can see it, because the next step is programming the adapter. It needs to know what kind of car it's in and what kind of stereo it's connected to.
So to do that, I turn on the ignition and watch for the Axxess adapter to start flashing. Once it does, following the instructions, I hold down the volume button on the steering wheel and just wait as it runs through its paces figuring out everything it needs to know. And once the adapter's LED is on steady — no longer flashing — then it's done.
After that it's a matter of testing the buttons to make sure they work. And they do.And that's how you install a steering wheel control adapter. It took a little planning up front and being prepared, but it really wasn't that hard. I chose the Axxess adapter because it was able to program itself on its own, meaning it could figure out by itself which buttons on the steering wheel controlled which functions of the stereo, and that made the process a little easier.Sometimes it's not able to figure that out, and you have to do it manually, so you have to go in and say 'This button controls tracks.
This button controls volume up, etc.' Instructions for doing that are included, and it's not that hard. It's just another series of steps.So here's the adapter at work changing volume on the disc. I can change tracks. It'll also let me go through sources. I'm really excited to have these buttons working again, and if you're going to do this in your car I strongly recommend you install the at the same time you change the stereo. It'll just save you a lot of work.
When you're ready to do it, give us a call. Our advisors will make sure that you get the adapter that works with both your car and your brand of stereo. Robert Ferency-Viars from Crutchfield on 3/25/2019 George, the harness might work without using the steering wheel adapter, but I can't say for sure. The best thing to do is call the harness manufacturer or visit their website. Most manufacturers have lots of detailed info on their sites regarding these harnesses, but a phone call or email is sure to get you the best answer. And if the harness won't work in your situation, return it and come to us - Crutchfield will make sure you get exactly what you need.
Robert Ferency-Viars from Crutchfield on That's a fair point. Those warnings were mostly intended for older-style taps and crimping. There is no doubt that soldering yields the most secure and best quality connection. And by all means, you're welcome to do so.We've used when installing steering wheel control adapters for years without a problem. Just make sure that wire is secure in the barrel of the Posi-Tap (doesn't pull out), or that your wires are tightly twisted together, before inserting them in a Posi-Connector. And if you're purchasing from us, is always just a phone call away if you run into trouble.
Alexander Hrabe from Crutchfield Posted on 2/18/2016Rudy, purchasing from Crutchfield entitles you to free lifetime tech support over the phone for your gear and in many cases, we provide custom installation instructions. Our tech support team is available to help you with any roadblocks you may run into as you install your gear. However, in some cases, we do recommend professional installation depending on the complexity of the gear or your vehicle. If you're unsure about your skill level, give us a call and an advisor can help you as you choose the gear you need. Alexander Hrabe from Crutchfield Posted on Marcus, as long as you purchased the correct harness for your vehicle, you should get full functionality from your radio (without steering wheel controls).
Retrace your installation steps and recheck all of your connections to make sure they are secure. Any interruption of signal from the radio to the speakers will cause your system to function improperly. If you bought your gear from Crutchfield, you can call Tech Support for free help troubleshooting your system. If you purchased your equipment elsewhere, you can still get expert Crutchfield Tech Support - 90 days-worth for only $30.
Check out our for details. Alexander Hrabe from Crutchfield Posted on Kathie, as we said in the video, we downloaded vehicle-specific instructions from. So, instructions are readily available no matter where you purchase an Axxess adapter. Although if you purchase from us, you're entitled to free lifetime tech support to help you with installation. For what it's worth, this video is an overview of what it's like to install a steering wheel adapter so that you have an idea of the process, but the details of the wiring will vary depending on the vehicle. Car installations pose their challenges, and the last thing we aim to be is unhelpful.
If you have any questions about a product, feel free to call us. Alexander Hrabe from Crutchfield Posted on 6/5/2015Drew, the Maestro should still work without using the 3.5mm jack - you use the Kenwood's blue/yellow wire instead. Don't forget that you need to 'flash' the Maestro with the controls for your car by connecting the Maestro to your computer (just follow the instructions that came with it).
If you purchased either the stereo or the Maestro from Crutchfield, our tech support team can help. Just give us a call. You can also call iDatalink's tech support line at 877-212-6169. Drew Fealy from San Diego, Ca. Posted on 6/5/2015I have just bought a Kenwood KDC BT362U H/U and noticed that the 3.5mm jack on the rear is NOT for my maestro, but for the mic for bluetooth. I see the video here shows that the maestro 3.5mm jack must be plugged into the radio wiring harness to function.
I have connected red, black, black/white & purple/red wires specific to my 2007 Hyundai Sonata, but the maestro will not turn on. My Kenwood H/U included a light blue/yellow wire for steering wheel remote control, which I also connectd to the H/U harness. So the 3.5mm jack is about the only thing not currently connected, and my reasoning is this is preventing my steering wheel controls from once again functioning.
Please advise. Robert Ferency-Viars from Crutchfield Posted on 4/27/2015David, if you want to continue using your Civic's steering wheel radio controls when you install your Jensen, then yes, you'll need an adapter. You can find out which adapter will work with that match of car and stereo on our site by pretending to purchase your VX3010 and a steering wheel control adapter, then delete the stereo from your shopping cart. Frankly, the easiest way to get it is to just call us. Our Advisors can look it up and get you the adapter you need right away.