Steering wheel lights in '04 Coupe- EASY
#62
Originally Posted by elrooko
From what I have seen, the premium switches have the bluetooth phone buttons instead of the mode and power buttons. They may have dual purposes (i.e. the computer still uses them for power and mode) or there may be another switch somewhere that controls it...not sure. Anyone have a picture of the premium switches.
Here you go
#63
Just an update guys - took my lower dash apart and got out my handy dandy volt meter. I am planning on powering the steering wheel lights using the VDC button's 12V led power wire. I figured out that the 4th wire in connector has 12V on it when the interior lights are on and confirmed the black wire is a ground. The connector has 8 slots I think but only 4 have wires in them and the LED power wire is the last of the 4 wires in the middle of the connector.
I looked that the now famous grey plug under the steering column and confirmed that there is 2 empty spots right where AccordFreak said. These should line up to the 12V power for the Steering lights and the ground if I'm not mistaken.
I'm going to pick up some vampire splices and splice into these 2 wires on the VDC button and run them into the grey connector. I'm going to try to find some simple female connectors that I can insert into the 2 empty connections to run the 12V and ground. This should save me from cutting any wires on the new steering wheel controls (which I really wanted to avoid to keep this simple).
Hope this helps - AccordFreak, can you confirm that this is what you did?
I looked that the now famous grey plug under the steering column and confirmed that there is 2 empty spots right where AccordFreak said. These should line up to the 12V power for the Steering lights and the ground if I'm not mistaken.
I'm going to pick up some vampire splices and splice into these 2 wires on the VDC button and run them into the grey connector. I'm going to try to find some simple female connectors that I can insert into the 2 empty connections to run the 12V and ground. This should save me from cutting any wires on the new steering wheel controls (which I really wanted to avoid to keep this simple).
Hope this helps - AccordFreak, can you confirm that this is what you did?
#64
^ GREAT update ELROOKO,
Once you get everything up and running smoothly, let me know if you need any help piece milling any pictures you took and some document write-up's (jotted down notes) and I can assist (if needed) w/ the overall creation of the "Steering Column Light Up Controls" D.I.Y.
Schweet!!!
We ALL owe you big time for this and ALL other members that will be helping with this new D.I.Y.!!!
Thanks Guys!
-WoW
Once you get everything up and running smoothly, let me know if you need any help piece milling any pictures you took and some document write-up's (jotted down notes) and I can assist (if needed) w/ the overall creation of the "Steering Column Light Up Controls" D.I.Y.
Schweet!!!
We ALL owe you big time for this and ALL other members that will be helping with this new D.I.Y.!!!
Thanks Guys!
-WoW
#65
Originally Posted by elrooko
Just an update guys - took my lower dash apart and got out my handy dandy volt meter. I am planning on powering the steering wheel lights using the VDC button's 12V led power wire. I figured out that the 4th wire in connector has 12V on it when the interior lights are on and confirmed the black wire is a ground. The connector has 8 slots I think but only 4 have wires in them and the LED power wire is the last of the 4 wires in the middle of the connector.
I looked that the now famous grey plug under the steering column and confirmed that there is 2 empty spots right where AccordFreak said. These should line up to the 12V power for the Steering lights and the ground if I'm not mistaken.
I'm going to pick up some vampire splices and splice into these 2 wires on the VDC button and run them into the grey connector. I'm going to try to find some simple female connectors that I can insert into the 2 empty connections to run the 12V and ground. This should save me from cutting any wires on the new steering wheel controls (which I really wanted to avoid to keep this simple).
Hope this helps - AccordFreak, can you confirm that this is what you did?
I looked that the now famous grey plug under the steering column and confirmed that there is 2 empty spots right where AccordFreak said. These should line up to the 12V power for the Steering lights and the ground if I'm not mistaken.
I'm going to pick up some vampire splices and splice into these 2 wires on the VDC button and run them into the grey connector. I'm going to try to find some simple female connectors that I can insert into the 2 empty connections to run the 12V and ground. This should save me from cutting any wires on the new steering wheel controls (which I really wanted to avoid to keep this simple).
Hope this helps - AccordFreak, can you confirm that this is what you did?
#66
Originally Posted by elrooko
Just an update guys - took my lower dash apart and got out my handy dandy volt meter. I am planning on powering the steering wheel lights using the VDC button's 12V led power wire. I figured out that the 4th wire in connector has 12V on it when the interior lights are on and confirmed the black wire is a ground. The connector has 8 slots I think but only 4 have wires in them and the LED power wire is the last of the 4 wires in the middle of the connector.
I looked that the now famous grey plug under the steering column and confirmed that there is 2 empty spots right where AccordFreak said. These should line up to the 12V power for the Steering lights and the ground if I'm not mistaken.
I'm going to pick up some vampire splices and splice into these 2 wires on the VDC button and run them into the grey connector. I'm going to try to find some simple female connectors that I can insert into the 2 empty connections to run the 12V and ground. This should save me from cutting any wires on the new steering wheel controls (which I really wanted to avoid to keep this simple).
Hope this helps - AccordFreak, can you confirm that this is what you did?
I looked that the now famous grey plug under the steering column and confirmed that there is 2 empty spots right where AccordFreak said. These should line up to the 12V power for the Steering lights and the ground if I'm not mistaken.
I'm going to pick up some vampire splices and splice into these 2 wires on the VDC button and run them into the grey connector. I'm going to try to find some simple female connectors that I can insert into the 2 empty connections to run the 12V and ground. This should save me from cutting any wires on the new steering wheel controls (which I really wanted to avoid to keep this simple).
Hope this helps - AccordFreak, can you confirm that this is what you did?
I was only aware of 1 slot being open. in any case, you can ground the ground wire in the steering wheel instead of the headache of routing two wires through the gray connector.
#67
Originally Posted by accordfreak
I was only aware of 1 slot being open. in any case, you can ground the ground wire in the steering wheel instead of the headache of routing two wires through the gray connector.
#69
Originally Posted by elrooko
So how did you connect the wire onto the gray harness? What type of female connection did you use?
Elrooko, you can figure out the answer to your question by taking apart the connector from your old steering wheel switches. You'll see that you can remove each wire from the old switch. Just cut one of the wires off the old switch and splice it into your wire that your pulling your light source power from. I highly recommend soldering the wires together, they are very small and any type of crimp-on-connector won't last long.
Good luck.
#70
Originally Posted by accordfreak
I was only aware of 1 slot being open. in any case, you can ground the ground wire in the steering wheel instead of the headache of routing two wires through the gray connector.
#71
Originally Posted by Daehtihs
Wow, I can't believe this thread is still alive.
Elrooko, you can figure out the answer to your question by taking apart the connector from your old steering wheel switches. You'll see that you can remove each wire from the old switch. Just cut one of the wires off the old switch and splice it into your wire that your pulling your light source power from. I highly recommend soldering the wires together, they are very small and any type of crimp-on-connector won't last long.
Good luck.
Elrooko, you can figure out the answer to your question by taking apart the connector from your old steering wheel switches. You'll see that you can remove each wire from the old switch. Just cut one of the wires off the old switch and splice it into your wire that your pulling your light source power from. I highly recommend soldering the wires together, they are very small and any type of crimp-on-connector won't last long.
Good luck.
#72
Over the hump
You were right, the wires are really small. I soldered the new wire from the old steering wheel controls into the VDC LED current wire and I have 12V on the 3rd pin on the clock spring hub when the lights are on and 0V when the lights are off. I think I'm over the hump now.
I'll put everything back together tomorrow and post a followup when I get everything done.
I'll put everything back together tomorrow and post a followup when I get everything done.
#73
#75
Got it all working perfectly this morning. Looks awesome. Now that I have done this once, to do it again would take about 45 minutes to an hour. I'll start working on the DIY tonight.
Thanks all, way to go team!!
Thanks all, way to go team!!
Thanks to EVERYONE for helping make this happen (noteably: Daehtihs, Elrooko, AccordFreak).
I'm really looking forward to doing this mod!
A soon to be "D.I.Y" for everyone to utilize and enjoy! - I can NOT wait to do this!!!!
Thanks Guys!
-WoW