Brunzo Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 (edited) Hello everyone. This post is for those who would like to upgrade their steering wheels to newer version MY14. Disclaimer: My car is EU version Diesel, Manual transmission, please don't be confused with color cluster on the pictures since I went through this upgrade as well and this story is for steering wheel swap. I did it for my car, hopefully it may be same for US market (as I used US diagrams). You do it all on your own risk. My Old steering: Includes: 1. Audio controls 2. Handsfree controls 3. Standard Cruise 4. Color cluster controls. Does not include 1. No shift paddles (i have manual transmission) 2. No SI-Drive (diesel version did not come with it in MY10) 3. No adaptive cruise (it was not available in MY10) 4. No heating. My new steering wheel has: 1. Audio controls (functions as previously) 2. Adaptive cruise (use normal cruise as previously, additional button used for pad). 3. Si-Drive (use these for Audio source and pad controls). 4. Shift paddles (use it for pad volume controls) 5. Cluster controls (functions) It's full steering wheel except heating option. I have purchased New steering wheel long time ago on the junk yard when I was looking for some other parts for my car. It was pretty cheap, so I decided to buy it. This steering wheel did not have adaptive cruise switches, which i had to purchase later. The most expensive in this mod is the airbag price and it took a while for me to find one for appropriate price. First have to find parts: 1. MY14 Steering wheel (it may be with or without needed controls, as controls can be purchased separately according to your needs). 2. Airbag. 3. Clock spring 83196-FJ000 if you go complicated way (i checked for EU car, please double-check if it is also for US market). Important information regarding AUDIO controls: Facelift audio controls are 2 type: for normal headunit and for Navigation (look the same, different part numbers). Old controls and new controls have same circuit boards, but different resistance and jumper setup. You can strip your old control circuits with all wires from body and move it to new facelift body. Its the easy way to fix it. If you do not look for easy way out, you can resolder resistance: Old controls are similar to facelift normal headunit controls with difference in LED brightness which you can resolder. I add here the needed resistance ID (what is written on resistor) and resistance in kiloOhms. In brackets I show new facelift steering wheel resistance ID for reference purposes only). You need to remove resistors R1-R6 from new board and solder following resistance to Audio control switch: R1 = 392 or 3.9 kOhm (new FL 222) R2 = 622 or 6.2 kOhm (new FL 272) R3 = 392 or 3.9 kOhm (new FL 202) R4 = 622 or 6.2 kOhm (new FL 222) R5 = 622 or 6.2 kOhm (new FL 222) R6 = 682 or 6.8 kOhm (new FL 202) Legend (take first line for explanation): R1 - Resistor location on the board. 392 - Resistor nominal ID. First 2 digits is resistance, last digit is the quantity of decimal zeros. 392 = 3.90 kOhms. Number 392 should be written on needed resistor. If you are unsure, you may check it on your old board. (new 222) - is a new board original resistance 2.2 kOhms which has to be replaced (it is given for reference purposes only to spot it correctly). Picture of the board: Remaining resistors should stay as is as similar as circuit boards are same. If you have taken the facelift steering wheel from the car with Navigation device and you keep it with steering wheel - it will not work for your car. Facelift Navigation AUDIO controls is different from both old model and facelift normal headunit controls. Easier just to move circuits. I have actually installed later facelift navigation device and gone through resoldering of controls as well - but its off topic for this thread. Cruise control switch does not need soldering works, as it has same resistance (no matter of cruise type: normal or adaptive). If you've done easy board swap without soldering, then just connect the plug to old clock spring and you are done. If you add options which were not available in your old steering wheel (such as SI-DRIVE) then you have to change the clock spring. I have purchased my new clock spring on ALIEXPRESS (search for part number 83196-FJ000) as it was cheaper than used part on junk yard. Removed my old clock spring from car: Left side - new clock spring. Right side - old clock spring. Carefully remove steering wheel position sensor from old clock spring and install it to new clock spring: Clock spring shape is identical except of contacts count from both sides. Old clock spring has: 10 pins from driver side plug 16 pins from car side plug New clock spring has: 12 pins driver side plug 14 pins from car side plug. I'm not sure why pin q-ty is not equal on front and back. New steering wheel switch plugs in to driver side plug of new clock spring without any changes. All modifications will be done with the plug from car side. Picture of my old plug which goes to clock spring from car side: As you see Old plug has 16 pins, New plug should be 14. I was looking for a new plug type on junk yards for a while with no success and decided to modify my old plug. It's just enough to cut a pair of contacts from plug so it fits 14 pin connector, see picture of modified connector in new clock spring: Wiring of clock spring plug from driver side: Just repin it according to wire colors. For those who are interested in SI drive - you have to get Brown wire from your old si drive switch. Black-yellow wire is a ground wire, which you can connect to pin 6 of illumination ground. For those who are interested in color cluster controls, extend a wire from pin 13 to cluster plug pin 34. On picture cluster plug with a piece of wire on pin 34: New airbag simply clicks to the steering wheel so I suggest to inspect this mechanism before you click it, so you could know how to remove it again if you need changes. And don't click before you are absolutely sure that everything works fine. New steering wheel installed: I have installed adaptive cruise, si-drive controls and shift paddles because I need additional buttons for pad controls as I am integrating pad with a motorized screen frame from Audi A3. Please note, it will not add additional options to your car like adaptive cruise or si-drive and others if you don't have it. I use additional buttons functionality for other purposes to control motorized screen and pad. I hope this information may be useful for other crazy people like me. Edited October 15, 2019 by Brunzo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubaboo Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 I want SI Drive on my steering wheel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brunzo Posted February 21, 2019 Author Share Posted February 21, 2019 (edited) I want SI Drive on my steering wheel! You can get this steering wheel on ebay, it's similar to what i have + purchase airbag with clock spring. Edited February 21, 2019 by Brunzo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubaboo Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Thanks for the links, and especially the pinouts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brunzo Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 Just noticed, US cars have 2-stage airbags, I believe clock spring may be different... Need to check it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehsnils Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 This is also useful information when you have problems with the steering wheel switches, since it might be as simple as a resistance error. Where I work the switches are LIN bus connected instead, which would make mods like this a bit trickier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrD123 Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 Another option (since you've already done the wiring, should be a quick swap) is the '15+ STi steering wheel - the frame is the same, and the long airbag you have now more or less works (the trim piece is a little different shape, but the gap is more at the side than the front) - it's thicker all around, and has bulged regions at the 2 and 10 o'clock positions which are nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubaboo Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 ^I'd love to do the above, the main problem is sourcing an airbag at a reasonable price will be difficult. I've heard that shipping can be difficult because they are explosive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubaboo Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 It just occured to me...the control panels are the same size for all those steering wheels? Can I get just the panel I want (the right one with the Si Drive switch) so all I will need is the clock spring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brunzo Posted September 25, 2019 Author Share Posted September 25, 2019 It just occured to me...the control panels are the same size for all those steering wheels? Can I get just the panel I want (the right one with the Si Drive switch) so all I will need is the clock spring? Sorry I get no notifications, if the clock spring has spare contacts then no need to replace it. It's not that expensive on aliexpress and the modification work is so simple, so.. Switches are usually sold by Subaru as pair (left+right) as it shares same connector. I managed to purchase used Si drive switch separately. Si drive switch requires newer steering wheel, as the upper switch decorative cover is different on airbag side (it matches facelift airbag only). So if you want to add si drive switch - you have to purchase newer steering wheel. You can also update the previous cover (cut old switch plastic for si drive buttons) and keep old steering wheel but it is advanced work. My first trial was exactly cutting the hole for the switch but i dropped it as changed the entire steering wheel. Airbag is the most expensive part in this setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubaboo Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 Thanks Brunzo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_A_ron Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 Thank you! How tough were the the torque bolts to remove for you? I put a bit in a screw driver to try to loosen mine up and I couldn't get them to budge. Thinking about putting my impact driver on a low setting and trying that. Build Thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent_Orange Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 Thank you! How tough were the the torque bolts to remove for you? I put a bit in a screw driver to try to loosen mine up and I couldn't get them to budge. Thinking about putting my impact driver on a low setting and trying that.Which bolts? The steering wheel nut or ones holding on the airbag/horn assembly? Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_A_ron Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 Which bolts? The steering wheel nut or ones holding on the airbag/horn assembly? Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk Air bag horn assembly Build Thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brunzo Posted September 26, 2019 Author Share Posted September 26, 2019 I used torx screwdriver. First time the screws are very tight. Just need more power. Please don't forget - your airbags may be dual stage (2 sockets on airbag) - in this case check on aliexpress clock spring with part number 83196-FJ030 - it has 2 airbag connectors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_A_ron Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 I have the same airbag plugs but my steering control plugs are different. Do you know of a pinning kit I could use to pin new plugs to fit the older clock spring? Or would getting a new clock spring be easier? Build Thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brunzo Posted September 29, 2019 Author Share Posted September 29, 2019 I have the same airbag plugs but my steering control plugs are different. Do you know of a pinning kit I could use to pin new plugs to fit the older clock spring? Or would getting a new clock spring be easier? Please show pics of your parts so I could check the case. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brunzo Posted October 15, 2019 Author Share Posted October 15, 2019 A little update to this post. I was a little wrong about audio controls resoldering - it was related to LED only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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