steering wheel buttons
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Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Fairfax, Virginia
steering wheel buttons Ok, I searched around but no one talks about how to take out the steering wheel buttons. My car is a 94, so I don't know if its different for ls1s. Do I have to take out the "star" head screws from the back of the wheel? I'm hesitant to do it because I don't want to set off the airbag some how.
Mitchell
Mitchell
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Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Fairfax, Virginia
Actually, I might not need to take them out anyways. Basically the problem is, none of the buttons work. They didn't work when I bought the car. But for some strange reason, they worked ONE day when I tried it again (weeks later). Should I look at a fuse for it first? If so, which one is it??
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Fairfax, Virginia
I saw the sticky, and it didn't help. Thats why I asked if they were different for lt1's since the sticky is for a 98. It says it just pops out, but I jammed a screwdriver in there to pry it and it was about the break the pastic.
IF they are the same as the LS1's, then take out your airbag fuse, take two flathead screwdrivers, one at the top one at the bottom, just shimmy it back and forth until it comes out, there isnt anything holding them in and then they will pop out, there is a small cbale with a clip attached and you will have to use your pinky to un snap that and then they should be free. I hope this helped
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
There is a 1-amp fuse labeled "STG WHL CNTL" that you should check before taking everything apart. There's not a whole lot that can go wrong with the steering wheel controls - they're simple switches that just introduce different resistances into the single lead going to head unit. If they all went out at once I would suspect the head unit rather than the switches (assuming the fuse is okay).
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Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Fairfax, Virginia
Thanks for the help guys. I don't know why it would be a problem with the buttons, since none of them work. I'll go check the fuse, is there a way to tell if the fuse went bad? A visual inspection?
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Verdad Gallardo Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Fuse testers are available inexpensively (they often come with packages of fuses) but if you don't have one it's best to just replace the fuse if there's any doubt. Visual inspection is often misleading.
Thread Starter
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From: Fairfax, Virginia
Well, I just tried to take out the buttons again. And all I can say is "impossible." Do your all's have a plastic shell around the buttons. Cause the buttons are inside of it and will move a hair if I press hard on them. There are two bolts, not sure if they hold the buttons in. I tried to get them out, but my socket was too big to fit in the little area. I'm posting pictures in a sec
Thread Starter
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From: Fairfax, Virginia
Originally Posted by Mustang5.Ohater
I guess they're different from the 98+. Mine doesn't look like that.
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Originally Posted by Ralls
Well now we know their different. I just need to find someone with an lt1 that messed with their buttons. Do any lt1 guys search this forum? Its always ls1's!
Seriously, I wouldn't even mess with the switches since it's unlikely that the switches themselves are the problem. The chance that all the switches went bad at once is extremely small. You should check those parts of the circuit that all the switches have in common. Start with the fuse then move on to the wire and finally the head unit.
There is only one wire in and one wire out for the steering wheel controls. Power comes from the fuse panel to the switches which are wired in series with different resistors attached to each one. Different total amounts of resistance are introduced into the circuit depending on what combination of switches are pressed. Check that power is reaching the switches then check that power reaches the head unit when any buttons are pressed. If power isn't getting to the switches then check if power is getting to the top of the steering column - it could be the slip ring contacts (between the steering wheel and the top of the column) causing the break in the circuit.
