Help, how to add radio controls?

[kool-aide]

I would love to have the steering wheel radio controls in my car.

99 Camaro Z28, monsoon system, single disc

I have the regular non radio control steering whhel

what do i need in parts to add the steering wheel controls? Do I need a new steering wheel only? Would a non radio control still have the wiring harness in the column?

I need to know if I have to buy a new column or can I just buy a new steering wheel.

thanks

kool-aide

[kool-aide]

Any thoughts out there?

[kool-aide]

any one, any one, any one awake, tryptophan is an urban myth, not gunna make you sleepy.

I'm sure I'm not the only one that has needed to put in a new steering column or wanted radio controls.

Mmm turkey.....Mmm doughnuts....

[kool-aide]

Okay soe where do you plug the grey radio control wire connetor under the dash?

My A4 didn't come with steering wheel radio controls

I bought a steering column that did, now I need to know where to plug the grey cable under the dash?


thanks

[kool-aide]

Any one? I have the steering wheel radio control connector waiting to find a home. I have this bad feeling I am missing more wiring....

Does any one have any exp with the monsoon and the steering wheel radio controls?

[kool-aide]

wow i can hear the crickets singing me a sad sad song.....I find it hard to believe no one out there has ever tried adding steering wheel radio controls to their f-body. hmm...

I am googling to death and coming up dry...any help would be great...


thanks

[bigrondownhiller]

what color wires are coming off the connector?

[kool-aide]

black/white stripe
seafoam green
grey
yellow

in a black and blue connector

[kool-aide]

here is a pic of the radio rear wiring
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2954870/1

here is my attempt at the wiring colors

Red Connector, near antena
Green
Black
Black White Stripe
Brown White Stripe
Green White Stripe
Silver Cable ?


Bigger Connector, black, lots of wires
Top Row


Grey ?
Biege
Green
Light Green
Black
Brown?
Grey ?
Light Yellow
Orange


Bottom Row

5 empty spots

Green White Stripe
Light Blue
Blue
Light Yellow
Brown


I have a feeling the radio controls are supposed to be in that empty row of five?

[Kevin]

Been awhile since I did it to my 99 but it was straight forward. I didnt replace the whole column like it sounds like you did. Rather I got a new wheel/airbag and replaced the coil in the column. It had 4 wires. Power, ground, illumination and radio wire. Like I said, its been awhile but if I remember right the grey was illumination and a blue wire ( I didnt have a green wire) was the single wire that goes to the radio. Find a schematic of a 2000 up radio and it will tell you what pin number you need to insert the wire to (I wired mine to an aftermarket radio).

Kevin

[Kevin]

Its pin 14 on the radio.

[kool-aide]

thanks.

the steering column servered many purposes, radio controls, nicer looking, and less bearing wear and wobble in the column guts.

I was thinking the same thing, maybe one day getting an aftermarket.

this thread is essentially the same, and has a diagram too

http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72645

[kool-aide]

well i figured it out, and its done.

parts list

d-sub male connectors, i used a 9 pin crimp style, Radio Shack
d-sub female connectors, i used a 9 pin crimp style, Radio Shack
18 awg wire, Wal-Mart
14 awg wire, Wal-Mart
shrink tubing, multi color, Radio Shack
new fuse(s), 1 amp, Advance Auto Parts, I could only find 3 amp
16-14 awg T-wire tap connector, Advance Auto Parts
18-20 awg T-wire tap connector, Advance Auto Parts
new fusebox, i used one that didn't have the fusebox clips installed, it was a connect tite from advance auto parts

steering wheel with controls
steering wheel control wire that runs down the column

I have a 99 z28, no steering wheel radio controls, that's what i am adding

pin 14 on the white connector is the input for the stering wheel radio controls. all the wiring diagrams I saw had it as dark blue.

I used the fuse clips from the new fusebox to add a new fuse slot, i used slot 3 since 3 & 13 are designated for the steering wheel controls.

The new fusebox has a row of four tied together and four individual ones. I figured out that the ones tied together are to give you the ability to run a single power wire for all four. In the GM fuse box you don't have room for the straight four. So I used two of the single fuse clips.

I tapped the blue, mine is light blue, wire in the fuse box using 14 awg wire. This is the 15 amp line for the radio. I used the 16-14 awg t-tap connector to create a pig tail wire or jumper wire for power to my new fuse slot, #3. The other end just crimps to the fuse clip. Now I have a fuse slot with power, right hand side like all the others.

now for the other side. I wired the control illumination and control power to the right side of the fuse. i made two 18 awg strips of wire. I tied the two together and crimped to the fuse clip. On the other ends I crimped on a male d-sub pin to each. I found the d-sub pins are the perfect size. These two wires are the power for the controls and illumination. On my connector yellow and grey are the power pins. It doesn't matter which goes where unless you're color coding.

down the road if i can find 1 amp fuses I can add slot 13, and split these wires out, or a 2 amp fuse and leave it alone. but for now it works and it is less wiring. I hope the 3 amp doesn't end up blowing my steering wheel controls.

I ran two 18 awg strips of wire up to the radio. I ran a black line for ground. I crimped a d-sub male pin to one side and the other side goes in the t-tap connector. I used pin five, it’s the only black wire in the bunch, for my ground. Actually I didn't have a t-tap connector. so i temporarily have it spliced in, yuck. I like the t-tap connector so much on the fuse box line i plan to buy a pack to make the ground wire and get rid of the splice. the second wire goes to pin 14 on the white connector block. this one gets a d-sub male pin on the under dash side like the rest. The other side gets the one and only d-sub female clip. the d-sub female clip is small enough to fit right in the OEM connector block, perfect fit. You shove it in slot 14 until you can see the clip on the other side. The radio male pin will fit right in and it should not push it out.

All four wires have been run, a ground, the radio control, a two power lines. I tested all of the functions and they work. Now my wife and I are waiting for night to see if the illumination works, woo whoo.

I used various shrink tubing on all the wire ends, better than electrical tape.

I spent more time thinking, researching, asking questions, and slackin off than it took to wire it. I would say it is about 3-4 hour job to get everything done, i'm slow. That would include pulling the steering wheel, putting the new one on, freezing your but off in the cold and eating lunch.

here are a few cardomain photos i took. I may take more later. Unfortunately the under dash ones are blury cuz the camera focused on the far instead of the near object, doh.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2954870

kool-aide

[kool-aide]

oh, and thanks to all and all that helped, it was smooth sailing once i got the parts

[bigrondownhiller]

glad that everything worked out good. The real question is was it worth it?

[kool-aide]

yes, i love steering wheel controls. I had them on my Dakota R/T and my wife has had them on her cars. She has them on her Sebring right now. She always gets the posh and fancy cars.