Steering wheel stereo controls

[wrayman2]

Hi all,

My audio / channel changing control on the stereing wheel is randomly not functioning. Not critical, but a bit of an inconvenience.

Think it's worth a shot of good contact cleaner to try and solve, or would that be ill advised ?

Thanks !
Mike

[Carbuff]

Hi Mike,


If you are not successful with the WD-40, I have an unused steering wheel audio switch to sell (the lettering had rubbed off mine, which is why I bought it).


PM me if you want to buy it for half-price + shipping from NJ

[DriveOnBy]

This sounds related to a common problem, that I also had on my 2003 TL, with intermittent operation of the steering wheel audio controls. The buttons would intermittently work and not work. Sometimes holding down the down volume button would cause it to even go up!

The issue was addressed in TSB 03-015 where it describes how to remove the steering wheel and cable reel and peen/dent the copper ring. This causes the ring to better contact the steering shaft that passes through it. The forum won;t let me post a real link, add periods(dots) to the one below.
www mdxers org/forums/attachments/problems/24697d1095748088-any-new-info-tsb-steering-wheel-controls-sb-10001341-7274.pdf

There was a much better photographic DIY tutorial available for this procedure. But, all links to it, that I could find, have been removed.

From my own experience the only things to be careful about were, exhibit extreme and due caution with disarming and removing the airbag! Also, the copper ring is very soft, it takes very little pressure to dent/bend it so, start with very little pressure and build slowly.

Edit: I found the How-to document www freefilehosting net/remoteradiofix

[wrayman2]

Hey DriveOnBy,

Exact symptoms I am experiencing, including the volume reverse thing.

Thanks for the info and the link, I'll explore that.

The cure sounds way above my flat head, I am proud to have the control mechanism on my bench and opened up for contact cleaning.

My father is far more adventurous mechanically than me, so I'll get him involved if things persist.

Thanks and regards....
Mike