Steering Wheel

[GPKidd_4_Life]

I have a question. Has anyone swapped regular steering wheels for one with radio controls? If so, how hard was it? I have a 93 GP and i would like Radio Controls on the wheel but only if it isnt that hard to do. I have a lil bit of wiring experience.

[jake91]

there have been a few people that have done it, but i couldnt find out how, but i can be done

[Addicted To Boost]

You don't have to swap the entire steering wheel, just the center pad. If your car is pre-wired for it, just pop off the center pad, plug in the steering wheel control wire plug, and pop in the steering wheel control pad. Pretty easy if your car is prewired for it.

[swift13]

i have never seen a car prewired for it myself but its still not a bad swap.

you would have to get the harness from the one with the controls that run along with the column, which i think includes your turn signal cam/switch. You might be wired up to the harness plug box but if your not you will need that and wherever it trails to as well(just the wires that have to do with the steering coontrols) I believe there are like an extra 8 wires or better.

[GPKidd_4_Life]

Yea i dont think my car is prewired for it. I have popped that center pad off billions of times wen i was bored LOL. So if its not prewired, which method would be eaisest? Swapping the whole steering wheel for another one or wiring it and running the wires myself. (i kno both may have their own flaws but which one do you guys think may be eaisest?

[swift13]

easiest might be to run your own wires

[Venom]

PM Crazy K he should be able to help you out.

[Brian P]

I've done the swap (in a '90 Olds, but same column). You'll need from the donor car (or buy new):

 

- Turn signal switch made for the cars with steering controls. The extra wires on the harness you'll need to splice into it and run it to the radio, and run power and ground.

- Larger cancel cam

- button/controller

 

I think that was it. You'll also have to run a couple of wires such as the 12V backlighting power, and I believe switched ignition source as well.

[ManicMechanic]

From wbodysource:

 

Installing Steering Wheel Controls (1988-1993 cars WITHOUT AIRBAG)

 

On cars like the Cutlass Supreme, the controls are made for both the RADIO, and the CLIMATE CONTROL. If your car does not have the AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL (ATC), then only the RADIO side will function. The 1988-1993 Pontiac Grand Prix, Buick Regal, and Chevy Lumina never got ATC, so it is not an issue for them. You can use the Buick and Pontiac steering wheels instead, and the controls will work fine.

 

You will need:

Steering wheel puller, Turn signal assembly from car with Steering Wheel Control (SWC), Cancel-Cam from car with SWC, entire steering wheel with controls, back cover (for the Cutlass Supreme), and metal horn tower (no need to remove it, so it should just be there. That is what the cover is clipped too when it is all attached.

 

1: Remove the steering wheel pad. There are several different styles. Some are held on with screws, and some are just pushed on. Just remove it so that you can see the retaining clip, and nut. Also, be careful so that you do not mess up the horn wire. Just push down on the black plastic part, and twist it to remove the horn wire.

 

2: Remove the Steering Wheel. Remove the retaining clip (I just use a pair of pliers to pull it off). Remove the nut that holds the wheel down. mark the steering wheel shaft so that you know which way to install the new wheel. Install the steering wheel puller, and remove the steering wheel.

 

3. Remove the Turn Signal Switch. With the steering wheel off, just pull the cancel-cam off of the shaft. Remove the HAZARD knob screw, and knob. Remove the Turn Signal Stalk (if you have cruise control, just unplug the connector at the back BASE of the stalk. With it unplugged, just grab the stalk, and pull it straight out). Remove the TOP RIGHT hex screw. With the screw out, grab the entire housing cover, and pull it off. When you get it off, there will be a plastic piece at the bottom left of the housing. Remember how it goes, and remove it (it will just be there. No screws, and it really is not important. If it is not there, it just coveres up a hole). Remove the other 3 screws that holds the turn signal switch on.

 

At the base of the steering column, loacate the block connector. Seperate the two parts by unscrewing the 7mm bolt in the center of the block connector. With the two parts seperated, locate the BLADE that has the turn signal wires attached too it. Seperate the blade from the rest of the block connector. Pull the turn signal switch off of the post, and then pull the wiring out of the column.

 

4. Install the new Turn Signal Switch. Carefully run the wires throught the column, and slid the blade into it's slot. Check to see if the car is prewired up to the block connector. Compare the old turn signal switch blade wires with the new one. Where the extra wires are, check to see if there are corresponding wires on the CAR side of the block connector. If there IS, then reconnect the block connector. After the block connector is back in place, make sure that the TRANSLATOR is connected (it is a small white, or clear box that is inbetween the wires coming out of the column, and the block connector. It has a small black connector, and it is all thin wires). For those of you that are not prewired, I will include the wiring at the END of this write up (my 1988 was NOT prewired for it, but I have seen cars at the yard that were. If you have a Cutlass Supreme with the ATC, then you are most likly prewired up to the block connector. If you have the BASE climate control, then you are probably NOT prewired).

 

With the wiring done, slide the Turn Signal Switch over the shaft, and install the lower 2 screws (bottom center, and lower left). Put the pivot and pulse assemble on making sure that it lines up with the button for the hazard switch (metal ball towards the back of it that sits on a black plastic piece. If you push it with your finger, you will hear it click and activate the high beams). Screw the pivot assembly down, install that small plastic piece at the lower left, and slide the cover back on making sure that the plastic piece is lined up right. Put the last screw into the top right corner, then install the turn signal stalk making sure that you get it all the way in (you might have to move around the different sections until it all clicks in. It is a little harder in the Cutlass Supreme than the grand prix because of the wiper stuff). Also, make sure that you plug the cruise control plug back in FRIMLY.

 

5: TEST THE CONTROLS. Plug the controls connector into the cancel-cam assembly, and press it onto the turn signal switch holding it firmly. Turn the key on, and turn the radio on. You have to wait about 5 seconds, then push the radio buttons to see if it works (sometime it will work, and sometimes it will not. I really recommend testing AFTER the steering wheel is installed).

 

6: Install the Steering wheel. Slide the cancel-cam over the shaft, and make sure that it is sitting good (the SWC cancal-cam has 4 sections, the BASE one has only 1). If you are using the Cutlass Supreme steering wheel, make sure that the BACK COVER is in place before installing it. Line up the steering wheel, put the nut on, and tighten it down. Install the retaining clip.

 

7: Install the controls. Plug the HORN wire in by pushing it down into the hole, and twisting it to lock it into place. Plug the connector into the base of the cancel-cam, then postion the controls so they are in place. On the Grand Prix, they just push right in. On the Cutlass Supreme, they are held down with 2 screws that have to be installed from the back. I don't know what the buick has on it, if it is just pushed down, or held in with screws. On the Cutlass one, you will need to make sure that the pad does not bunch up when you install it. It will not hurt anything. It just looks ugly.

 

Test everything one last time, and if all works correctly, then enjoy.

 

 

 

 

WIRING for the conversion.

 

If your car is NOT prewired, then here is what you will need to do.

 

At the TRANSLATOR, you will have 7 wires coming out of it.

 

You only need to deal with the wires going into the BLOCK connector. Those are:

 

A1 - YELLOW - This is the FUSED POWER, to the controls. If you do not have this, you will need to run a wire to RADIO fuse.

A2 - BLACK - GROUND.

A3 - DARK GREEN - this is the data line. It goes to the RADIO (C2 number 7), and to the ATC (C3 number 10), and to the ALDL connector (Pin "J")

A5 - GRAY - backlighting. (C2 letter "E") on the headlight switch.

A6 - BLACK - GROUND

A7 - YELLOW - This is also a power. On my car, when I installed them, there were 2 yellow wires. When I had them BOTH hooked up, the controls would not work at all. I would recommend that before hooking them up that you tested both of them together. In my 1993 service manual, it says that A7 is not used at all. It is THERE, but it is not hooked up.

 

[89GP_SE]

My question is why do you want to do this, they are usless with aftermarket cd players lol. No one likes to roll around with buttons they have no use for.

[Brian P]

not if you use the PAC SWIX or similar interface.

[swift13]

where do you get that at cuz i wanna try and keep the controls working on my 98 GTP but i wanna get rid of the stock radio.

[Brian P]

I got mine on ebay years ago, but just do a google search for "PAC SWI-X" it's still being made. It's essentially a learning remote which converts your steering control outputs to an IR output that matches the aftermarket HU's remote control.

[Venom]

From wbodysource:

 

Installing Steering Wheel Controls (1988-1993 cars WITHOUT AIRBAG)

 

 

How did you get that? The website has been down for ages now.

[oldscsc]

My question is why do you want to do this, they are usless with aftermarket cd players lol. No one likes to roll around with buttons they have no use for.

 

Mine work with my aftermarket Pioneer, I believe you have to have an adapter for them to work.

[ManicMechanic]

From wbodysource:

 

Installing Steering Wheel Controls (1988-1993 cars WITHOUT AIRBAG)

 

 

How did you get that? The website has been down for ages now.

 

I saved a lot of info from there.

[Venom]

From wbodysource:

 

Installing Steering Wheel Controls (1988-1993 cars WITHOUT AIRBAG)

 

 

How did you get that? The website has been down for ages now.

 

I saved a lot of info from there.

 

Was there a writeup for SWC for cars w/ air bags or is it basically the same?

[ManicMechanic]

From wbodysource:

 

Installing Steering Wheel Controls (1988-1993 cars WITHOUT AIRBAG)

 

 

How did you get that? The website has been down for ages now.

 

I saved a lot of info from there.

 

Was there a writeup for SWC for cars w/ air bags or is it basically the same?

 

PM sent.