Installing a steering wheel on a vantage with cruise etc

Installing a steering wheel on a vantage with cruise etc

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Discussion

Jalfonse

Original Poster:

241 posts

139 months

Saturday 27th September 2014
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I've read a couple of posts describing the retrofitting of vantage steering wheels with the addition of cruise and Bluetooth functionality, Karlfranz was particularly informative. What I've gathered is: the wheels are interchangeable and so finding a wheel with the extra functionality is the easiest option, the switches can be purchased separately and fitted to the original wheel if you remove the rubber with a knife to make space for the switch. I believe that a separate harness would have to be purchased if you just bought the switches to add to the 'basic' wheel however?

I'm thinking of buying the whole steering wheel, can someone confirm if it just swaps over and the connections for Bluetooth and cruise are already there in the harness? Also, I think a Bluetooth receiver (the blue one) for a MY06 vantage also has to be acquired, has anyone gone this far and installed this and does it work okay with iPhones etc?

dig123

339 posts

115 months

Saturday 27th September 2014
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The AM Bluetooth works ok with and Iphone (I have factory install version) but the mic which you will need is poor, I have read the following re the mic,

1. Obscured by the interior mirror can be fixed by moving the mic to winow pillar
2. Poor fitting of the mic and is sometimes obscured by poor trimming of the fabric around the mic blocks the mic.

I was also told by and AM engineer at a dealer that the pannel in front of the mic is frustrating to re fit, but does not look that difficult.

I have not had time to check the above yet but did read that some one had fitted a parot Bluetooth in the trinket/ash tray this may be an easier solution for you. Also you won't get the noisy lady telling you your phone is connect when you switch your can on.

V8V Pete

2,496 posts

125 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
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My car (MY2009 V8V) originally had neither Cruise nor Bluetooth and I wanted both. The solutions advised by Statstone and the ones I pursued are:

1. Cruise - brand new steering wheel fitted. My understanding is that all other hardware/wiring is there and just needs an ECU re-flash.

2. Bluetooth - Aftermarket Parrot device. I was advised that retrofitting the OEM unit is not really viable and not as good a solution functionally. The Parrot I have lives in here



The remote control is wireless and usually lives in the arm rest. The only visible addition is the microphone which is up by the mirror. Functionally it is excellent, pairing with my iPhone very well and has some voice activated functions. It automatically mutes the stereo when you have a call. It does NOT however work through the steering wheel controls which was initially disappointing but I got over it very quickly as all that matters is that you can use it to make phone calls and it does that very well. I don't know how much it cost as the salesman insisted the car had Bluetooth when I enquired about the car so when I came to discover it didn't they agreed to fit the Parrot free of charge hehe

Jalfonse

Original Poster:

241 posts

139 months

Sunday 28th September 2014
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Thanks for the replies, the 'new wheel' + parrot solution seems best and the one in the picture looks like a great bit of design, very neatly done too.

BamfordMike

1,192 posts

156 months

Monday 29th September 2014
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V8V Pete said:
1. Cruise - brand new steering wheel fitted. My understanding is that all other hardware/wiring is there and just needs an ECU re-flash.
You can do this, or, save the money on the new wheel and just buy the buttons, easy install of buttons into existing wheel, no harness needed and then just ECU reflash and cruise control at a snip of the price. Done this countless times

Wh1teKnight

42 posts

114 months

Monday 29th September 2014
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What is entailed in an "ECU reflash" ?

BamfordMike

1,192 posts

156 months

Monday 29th September 2014
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Wh1teKnight said:
What is entailed in an "ECU reflash" ?
tell the module to activate cruise whereas before it was disabled

SS972

591 posts

182 months

Monday 29th September 2014
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I remember that you need to get a new car config from the factory with the CC enabled and programm the ECU(s) as if they were new with this config,let me know if I'm wrong.

BamfordMike

1,192 posts

156 months

Monday 29th September 2014
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SS972 said:
I remember that you need to get a new car config from the factory with the CC enabled and programm the ECU(s) as if they were new with this config,let me know if I'm wrong.
essentially all that's needed is AMDS and ability to use it

KarlFranz

2,008 posts

269 months

Monday 29th September 2014
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BamfordMike said:
You can do this, or, save the money on the new wheel and just buy the buttons, easy install of buttons into existing wheel, no harness needed and then just ECU reflash and cruise control at a snip of the price. Done this countless times
On my 07MY and other cars I have seen, if the steering wheel does not have the control switch packs, it also does not have the correct wiring that connects the switches and horn buttons to the clock sporting connector; so just putting in the switches alone won't help. The wiring is pretty trivial, but is outside the scope of capabilities of many who do not understand wiring diagrams and can diagnose or troubleshoot circuits. A member on 6-speed tried to order the wiring separately and, although it seemed promising at first, was unable to obtain it after months of trying.

This is what the standard wiring looks like if you do not have the cruise or audio controls. Note that there is no place to connect the switch packs.



And here is what the wiring looks like with the switch packs. Notice the extra wiring:



Edited by KarlFranz on Monday 29th September 14:00

BamfordMike

1,192 posts

156 months

Monday 29th September 2014
quotequote all
KarlFranz said:
On my 07MY and other cars I have seen, if the steering wheel does not have the control switch packs, it also does not have the correct wiring that connects the switches and horn buttons to the clock sporting connector; so just putting in the switches alone won't help. The wiring is pretty trivial, but is outside the scope of capabilities of many who do not understand wiring diagrams and can diagnose or troubleshoot circuits. A member on 6-speed tried to order the wiring separately and, although it seemed promising at first, was unable to obtain it after months of trying.

This is what the standard wiring looks like if you do not have the cruise or audio controls. Note that there is no place to connect the switch packs.



And here is what the wiring looks like with the switch packs. Notice the extra wiring:



Edited by KarlFranz on Monday 29th September 14:00
Yeah, great info.

I know on minor number of cars i have come across all of the wiring required is not there and your pics are really helpful, because yes too, the wiring does not exist as part that can be bought either.

wiring present or not doesn't cause any issue here and isn't something that would come up in the conversation at handover, job would just get done. The annoyance for somebody doing the job at home is that it will still need a visit to a computer to enable cruise. Message therefore is to check with whoever you will get to reprogram the ECU, ask how much to enable cruise supply and fit of all bits and price of no supply or fit of bits just reflash ECU. I have heard of instances where the price was no different! cruise enabled was cruise enabled, regardless.




KarlFranz

2,008 posts

269 months

Monday 29th September 2014
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When I added cruise control to my old 4.3 the dealership re-flashed the ECU for free but this is not usual. It took under 5 minutes to do. You just set the cruise control parameter to true.

ds2000

2,681 posts

191 months

Monday 29th September 2014
quotequote all
Does anyone have a guide on removing the steering wheel without blowing your face off with the airbag? My alcantara has less fluff than Sukh's head so I'd like to re-cover it over the winter smile

Thinking of doing a couple of other areas too

L0TT0

2,465 posts

151 months

Monday 29th September 2014
quotequote all
ds2000 said:
Does anyone have a guide on removing the steering wheel without blowing your face off with the airbag? My alcantara has less fluff than Sukh's head so I'd like to re-cover it over the winter smile

Thinking of doing a couple of other areas too
Wot....like Sukh's head?

sukh_m

1,325 posts

191 months

Monday 29th September 2014
quotequote all
ds2000 said:
Does anyone have a guide on removing the steering wheel without blowing your face off with the airbag? My alcantara has less fluff than Sukh's head so I'd like to re-cover it over the winter smile

Thinking of doing a couple of other areas too
That's the last time I pick you up from Works again curse

Maybe you could consider a brazilian for your "other areas", would suit somebody like you smile

AMDBSNick

6,990 posts

161 months

Monday 29th September 2014
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ds2000 said:
My alcantara has less fluff than Sukh's head
hehe

TrackaPhone

240 posts

185 months

Monday 29th September 2014
quotequote all
Jalfonse said:
I've read a couple of posts describing the retrofitting of vantage steering wheels with the addition of cruise and Bluetooth functionality, Karlfranz was particularly informative. What I've gathered is: the wheels are interchangeable and so finding a wheel with the extra functionality is the easiest option, the switches can be purchased separately and fitted to the original wheel if you remove the rubber with a knife to make space for the switch. I believe that a separate harness would have to be purchased if you just bought the switches to add to the 'basic' wheel however?

I'm thinking of buying the whole steering wheel, can someone confirm if it just swaps over and the connections for Bluetooth and cruise are already there in the harness? Also, I think a Bluetooth receiver (the blue one) for a MY06 vantage also has to be acquired, has anyone gone this far and installed this and does it work okay with iPhones etc?
From my experience, the IHF1000 (Blue Motorola box) can work with Iphones etc. However there can be issues, and as correctly mentioned the outgoing audio can leave a bit to be desired. The Parrot way of doing things is a great way of sorting things out and getting a far better audio quality. My unit of choice is the CK3100, the reason being is that I have an interface that allows control of this via the steering wheel on the Aston. The Mki unit shown in the photo is a good device and is good for music playback although some of the premium sound systems can throw issues up, because the Parrot Mki units use their own 4 channel amp rather than the car's 5/6 channel surround sound and sub. The extra remote I do find a little annoying though, Just my opinion.......

The last V8 worked on, that had the addition of a steering wheel with cruise and bluetooth didn't have the wiring in the car for Bluetooth at all, either for the Blue box or at the steering wheel ring, one of only 3 I have ever seen. Worth a look for a large grey connector wrapped in foam, normally taped to an aluminium coloured bar adjacent to the headlamp switch. It can be viewed by looking up from the pedals, directly above the accelerator pedal.





ds2000

2,681 posts

191 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
quotequote all
sukh_m said:
That's the last time I pick you up from Works again curse

Maybe you could consider a brazilian for your "other areas", would suit somebody like you smile
Haha, cheers for the lift and it was a pleasure watching the footy with you smile

Ikobo

511 posts

148 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
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This is all excellent info as I want cruise retro fitted. Will be collecting my car from having its new clutch fitted Friday so will ask for costs. I'm assuming from the photos above that since I have the phone prep on my wheel that it's also the same loom for the cruise and I'll just need the buttons?

Sump

5,484 posts

166 months

Tuesday 30th September 2014
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Been looking into this for the DB9.

The fact that Bamford offer this service without a brand new wheel means it just a case of getting the button and wiring it in.

From what I can see you just need to send 3 wires into the Rotary coupler