New Head Unit VS Steering Control
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 67
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New Head Unit VS Steering Control Hi all,
Has anyone ever plugged a new head unit with a Steering Control that had 3 wires, 1 Ground and 2 wires (1 black and 1 Red). I just bought a new head unit Xtron TP 712 and the only thing left to do is the steering control.
Can anyone help me ????
Has anyone ever plugged a new head unit with a Steering Control that had 3 wires, 1 Ground and 2 wires (1 black and 1 Red). I just bought a new head unit Xtron TP 712 and the only thing left to do is the steering control.
Can anyone help me ????
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
What on earth is an Xtron TP 712? I could find no reference to it on Google.
All brand name head units require an adapter to interface with the factory steering wheel controls. The adapter usually uses four wires - power, ground, HU input, and signal. The HU input wire may connect to a wire from the aftermarket HU or it may have a plug (like a headphone plug) that plugs into a jack on the back of the HU (depending on the brand of HU). The signal wire wire connects to the dark blue wire in the factory stereo harness.
All brand name head units require an adapter to interface with the factory steering wheel controls. The adapter usually uses four wires - power, ground, HU input, and signal. The HU input wire may connect to a wire from the aftermarket HU or it may have a plug (like a headphone plug) that plugs into a jack on the back of the HU (depending on the brand of HU). The signal wire wire connects to the dark blue wire in the factory stereo harness.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Hi WhiteBird,
Sorry about the misstype, I mean a TP712 from Xtrons, about the dark blue wire, didn't I see that the signal coming from the steering to the Original Head Unit was dark grey... I might be wrong.....
again, its really a TD712G Xtrons, sorey about that!!!!
Sorry about the misstype, I mean a TP712 from Xtrons, about the dark blue wire, didn't I see that the signal coming from the steering to the Original Head Unit was dark grey... I might be wrong.....
again, its really a TD712G Xtrons, sorey about that!!!!
Last edited by WhiteBird00; Jul 6, 2010 at 08:44 AM. Reason: Merge consecutive posts
Steering wheel control modules are brand specific to the head unit you are using. That's one of the many things that sucks about buying no-name equipment. For example swi-ps (pac) is for pioneer head units etc. Where swi-jack (pac) is for kenwood head units etc.
Also metra has developed a new piece (xxx-swc) can't remember the part # off hand that IIRC is supposed to work with any vehicle and any HU. I haven't used one yet though. Usually the head units I install are brands like pioneer, kenwood, alpine, and clarion, so I usually have the module in stock.
Also metra has developed a new piece (xxx-swc) can't remember the part # off hand that IIRC is supposed to work with any vehicle and any HU. I haven't used one yet though. Usually the head units I install are brands like pioneer, kenwood, alpine, and clarion, so I usually have the module in stock.
Last edited by WhiteBird00; Jul 6, 2010 at 08:43 AM. Reason: Merge consecutive posts
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
The signal wire from the steering wheel controls is the dark blue wire at pin 14 of the white 10-pin connector for the radio (pins are numbered 11-20... see the Monsoon FAQ sticky for a diagram).
It appears that your new HU has the steering wheel control adapter built-in. It will need programming so you should check the owners manual for how to connect the wires and how to program the steering wheel switches.
It appears that your new HU has the steering wheel control adapter built-in. It will need programming so you should check the owners manual for how to connect the wires and how to program the steering wheel switches.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Hi again,
If I test the signal from the Dark Blue wire, what kind of signal should I be looking for? Ohms, volts DC...... What I am thinking of doing is 1 probe(-) on the ground and 1 probe (+) on the dark blue and see what I get from it.
If I test the signal from the Dark Blue wire, what kind of signal should I be looking for? Ohms, volts DC...... What I am thinking of doing is 1 probe(-) on the ground and 1 probe (+) on the dark blue and see what I get from it.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
My first question is... why?? What do you think you will gain from knowing what signals are produced? Planning to build your own interface?
Second question is... didn't this head unit come with instructions?
The factory steering wheel switches have resistors of various values connected to them. Any combination of pressed switches will produce a unique total resistance value. The factory HU determines the resistance in the circuit and triggers the appropriate action based on which switch has been pressed. The current in the circuit is very low and changes only by small amounts when a switch is pressed. For example, the circuit flows 10.8 mA when the volume up switch is pressed, 8.8 mA when the volume down switch is pressed.
Second question is... didn't this head unit come with instructions?
The factory steering wheel switches have resistors of various values connected to them. Any combination of pressed switches will produce a unique total resistance value. The factory HU determines the resistance in the circuit and triggers the appropriate action based on which switch has been pressed. The current in the circuit is very low and changes only by small amounts when a switch is pressed. For example, the circuit flows 10.8 mA when the volume up switch is pressed, 8.8 mA when the volume down switch is pressed.
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Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Hi WhiteBird,
Don't get mad, I bought this through EBay and it came from Japan, the instruction manual is very simple with no details really. Thanks anyways for the info and as usual you came through.
Thanks again,
Rudy
Don't get mad, I bought this through EBay and it came from Japan, the instruction manual is very simple with no details really. Thanks anyways for the info and as usual you came through.
Thanks again,
Rudy
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Verdad Gallardo Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Don't worry... I'm certainly not angry (although I might be mad - some of the people I work with think I should be locked up). 
Is there an American distributor that you might be able to call for assistance? Because this is going to involve not only connecting wires but programming the HU to recognize each of the switches. Somebody somewhere must have a guide that tells how to do it (hopefully it's in English).
Is there an American distributor that you might be able to call for assistance? Because this is going to involve not only connecting wires but programming the HU to recognize each of the switches. Somebody somewhere must have a guide that tells how to do it (hopefully it's in English).
