peeeot Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 If I were to replace the stock head unit with a cd player, would the auxiliary volume/tuning controls on the steering wheel still work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 What year is your car? 94-up will not function without an adapter. Check out this site: http://www.logjamelectronics.com/stwhcoin.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigshynepo Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 You can buy a harness or IR transmitters to make this work. Search the forum, there are lots of posts about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianhasadd Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 Crutchfield has an adapter also. It's $100 for my car but they said that it is alot cheaper for older cars. Check them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianhasadd Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 I like mine, but I usually just use the remote anyway. I did the same thing in the Malibu but I love the steering wheel controls. I can't imagine not having them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeeot Posted May 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 It's a 1991 model. How does the interface work? My very limited experience with installing head units has always involved buying a harness-to-unit adapter that matches between the car and the stereo (aka olds to Alpine). Is the interface you refer to the same thing, or does it go in between the adapter and harness, or?? Thanks for the help guys, stereos are not my area of expertise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianhasadd Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 The one that I'm talking about from Crutchfield is just an adapter that hooks up to the stock adapter that comes from the steering wheel. I'm not sure about the adapter for your car but I imagine that it is pretty much the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeeot Posted May 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 Okay, I think I get the idea. There are 3 different plugs that plug into the back of the stock stereo; one of those must be the steering wheel input. The crutchfield adapter would then connect that to the stereo adaptor harness? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianhasadd Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 The steering wheel control should plug into a harness coming from the dash. It's been awhile since I have installed a headunit in a car with steering wheel controls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted May 29, 2006 Report Share Posted May 29, 2006 Now just remember, you need to purchase a HU that comes with an IR remote. SoundGate makes modules that will plug into a wired-remote port on certain makes of HU's (refer to the link I posted earlier.) If you want to go the cheap route and get the PAC SWI-X, you will definitely need a HU that has an IR remote. Okay, I think I get the idea. There are 3 different plugs that plug into the back of the stock stereo; one of those must be the steering wheel input. The crutchfield adapter would then connect that to the stereo adaptor harness? There is one wire in the car's stereo harness that transmits the "data" from the SWC's to the HU. You tap into that wire (it was green on my Regal) for the "module" to interpret the commands from the SWC's. My very limited experience with installing head units has always involved buying a harness-to-unit adapter that matches between the car and the stereo (aka olds to Alpine). Is the interface you refer to the same thing, or does it go in between the adapter and harness, or?? The SoundGate modules behave in that manner. You simply set a few DIP switches, and you're GTG (Good-To-Go.) The PAC SWI-X module needs to be programmed with the remote that came with the HU. If you're going to go with the PAC (and therefore use the IR emitter) you will need to mount the IR emitter somewhere on the dash in close proximity to the HU. I simply mounted mine on the headunit mount directly underneath the stereo itself (I have the "discontinued" SoundGate Remote 1.5 connected to the SWC's in my Regal...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 PAC has hard-wired modules that plug directly into the HU's remote input jack. SWI-ALP controls Alpine, JVC, and Kenwood. SWI-PS controls Pioneer SWI-ECL controls Eclipse The hard-wired interfaces do not require an IR remote for programming. There are 3 reasons why the PAC interfaces are better than Soundgate's offerings: 1. Works on 89-93 non-airbag cars. 2. Retains function of climate controls on steering wheel (they cease to function with Soundgate). 3. Cheaper (half the price). I have the SWI-PS in the convertible controlling a Pioneer Premier DEH-P680MP, and it works wonderfully! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeeot Posted May 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 okay, I'm in a little over my head here. So many acronyms! Are you saying that I need to get a head unit with a remote control and a module that plugs attaches to the wire(s) from the steering wheel controls that simply beams the steering wheel inputs to the head unit, as if it were the remote? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 Yeah, that's what everyone except me has been saying. I said you don't need the clunky infrared solution. You can get a module that directly converts the steering wheel control output into a format directly compatible with the remote input jack on the back of the head unit. Hard-wired. Way better than infrared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 Dumb question, but where did you buy the SWI-PS from (and how much did it cost?) More importantly, how easy was it to hook up and get working? Does it alternate between "Tuner" and "CD" when you press the "Source" button on the steering wheel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 I got it from eBay for $45 shipped from someone who bought it and then didn't need it (it was brand new). I did see a business that was selling it for $50 shipped though. Hookup was super easy, I just unplugged the SWI-X and plugged in the SWI-PS. Installing from scratch is pretty easy though, just 4-wires to hook up: SWC input, E&C output (for climate control), +12V switched, and ground. If you don't have steering wheel climate controls, you only need to hook up 3 wires. Then all that needs done is to plug it into the back of the HU. To get the extra wires in my harness, I bought 2 harness adapters, took a couple wires out of one and put it in the other. Programming it was pretty simple, but it does require reading the instructions since you have to program it with just 1 button and 1 LED. I'm sure I'm leaving out some details, but basically you press the button on it while applying power and it will light up an LED. Then push the button 4-times to select Version 4, and it will blink 4 times to confirm. Then you have to press each climate control button in the correct order and the LED will confirm. After that, you press the radio control buttons in the correct order and LED will confirm. Once it's done, the LED will blink a couple times. Yeah, I have mine set up to alternate between Tuner, CD, and iPod when pressing the Source button. You can set it up any way you want by pressing the buttons in a different order during programming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regal_GS_1989 Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 A little off topic, but does anyone happen to have a wiring diagram for SWC for a 92 cutlass? I want to try and trouble shoot mine and I dont know what is what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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