Steering Wheel Audio Controls

[Faze0075]

My steering wheel audio controls don't work and my stereo keeps skipping from cd to radio and then to fm,am and lw anyone had this problem? Thanks

[BumBle02]

Hi Try taking the battery terminal off sometimes it works by reseting the computer a guy on youtube had similar problem he disconnected the radio data cable make sure you have radio code. 

[andyb2000]

The steering wheel controls use the CANBUS to send the signals, so it could be either the physical buttons are damaged and occasionally making contact causing the radio to occasionally change, or there may be a more serious problem.

Also, does your horn work and the cruise control buttons work OK? They all connect using a spring like connector that's in the steering wheel which commonly starts to fail due to constant rotation, etc, and eventually will fail completely and give you an airbag warning light, horn won't work and neither will any steering volume/channel buttons.

 

First though as BumBle02 says, try the battery disconnect.

If that doesn't make a difference then the next thing would be to start checking the grounds, as a poor ground could cause that. Also, does it only do it when the car is running, or if you sit with ignition on but engine not running is it the same? The reason I say that is a faulty alternator/noisy voltage regulator (built into the BCM on these unfortunately) can cause electrical noise on the CANBUS and can cause the occasional odd signal to be sent/received on it causing jumps like that.

Edited July 23, 2018 by andyb2000

[Faze0075]

Hi abdyb2000

Yes horn and cruise control are good. The stereo is working fine when stationary it only occurs when I'm driving. The steering wheel audio controls on the other hand aren't working at all. Im going to try disconnecting the battery see if that works but firs of all I need to get the serial number from the stereo as I can't find the code in the user manual ? I will post my findings as soon as I have done this. Thanks for the reply ?

[andyb2000]

The code is a strange one, it depends on the model, I've never had to enter the code in on my factory RB3 as it seems to get the code from the BCM automatically, but others have had to, so it depends which one is yours, and how brave you're feeling!

 

The fact it works fine when stationary (Engine on or off?) makes me think it's related to electrical noise, or vibration somewhere so a connector might be loose. I'd start looking behind the radio though as that's the easiest access to start with. I also put a video together on how to get at the back of the radio.