tekman78 Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 The directional left-hand audio controls on my 15 Legacy steering wheel are feeling very strange. Sometimes sticky, sometimes feeling stuck, sometimes pretty clicky feeling (best way to describe it). Don't remember spilling anything. Tried to spray contact cleaner in there and blow with air, but it hasn't made a difference. I'd like to take the controls off, if possible, to clean them. Hopefully not to make a big ordeal out of this - is there an easy way to get just those controls off? I've been looking but it doesn't seem like it is. Or, has anyone else had this issue and deal with it an easy way? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wi_legacy2016 Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 I think I know what you mean. I've always kind of thought if feels like that on my 2016. I've just attributed it to how they're rocker buttons instead of individual ones like I wish they were. I haven't thought about really doing anything about them though so maybe not that helpful to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tumbleweed 49 Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 If I have that problem I will try some silicone lube. Spray around all the buttons while exercising them. If you need to remove the steering wheel google steering wheel removal for your year Legacy/Outback and I think you will find a u tube video that will tell you how. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XT-sub Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 ... Tried to spray contact cleaner in there and blow with air, but it hasn't made a difference. ... I’ve always had success with various sticky switches, high resistance contacts etc. with a generous spray of isopropyl alcohol. I don’t think it would react with anything on the steering wheel but try a small bit in a hidden area first. If that doesn’t work, try what tumbleweed 49 suggested. But I don’t know if silicon spray would give a slightly higher contact resistance to the switch contacts to cause any issues if it got on the contacts (just about all contacts that switch low current at low voltage require very low contact resistance, ideally 0Ω). If it does, the isopropyl alcohol should clean it off. I would be interested how you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crudzinskas Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 If I have that problem I will try some silicone lube. Spray around all the buttons while exercising them. I would avoid using silicone lubricants around the steering wheel as there are critical safety components in there. Silicone has very low surface energy and can wick up into just about anything. If it gets in between electrical contacts or into the strands it can create higher resistance and increase temperatures of the connection systems. If a fluke thermal event were to happen, then the silicone can degrade and turn into sand essentially and cause fretting corrosion or complete failure of the part. I would give your best attempt to clean it first as there probably wasn't lubricant in there to begin with. This is a post I made on the Outback Forum on this similar topic: "This has happened to me and I used 99% Isopropyl Alcohol which is a very effective and safe electronics cleaner. I put it in a spray bottle, used 1 spray into the the button gap, and worked the button a few times and it immediately freed up. I made sure to let the car sit a few hours to allow excess solvent to evaporate before starting the car/turning on any power. You would be fine using 91% IPA which is more commonly found in stores, but I wouldn't recommend going going any lower concentration than that." This was similar reasoning for the Subaru brake light recall a while ago: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/subaru-recalls-million-vehicles-brake-light-problem-forester-crosstrek-today-2019-03-02/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XT-sub Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 ... Silicone has very low surface energy and can wick up into just about anything. If it gets in between electrical contacts or into the strands it can create higher resistance ... That’s what I suspected, but I’ve never tested it. 99% Isopropyl Alcohol is my go-to cleaner for just about everything. It is one of the few cleaners that doesn’t leave any residue. I even use it on the +ve & -ve terminals of 1.5V & 3V batteries & their mating contacts in remote controls to give a clean surface. The only negative reaction I have ever had over the years was when I wiped a paint surface with it that hadn’t fully cured. The one I buy (Diggers brand 99% Isopropyl Alcohol from Bunnings for anyone in Australia) comes in a spray bottle & there should be something similar readily available in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tekman78 Posted March 14, 2020 Author Share Posted March 14, 2020 Isopropyl alcohol did the trick! Turned vehicle off. Sprayed into controls with a spray bottle. Let it sit for 15 seconds while I pushed all of the buttons often and rapidly. Blew out with air compressor. Repeated. It's been a few days, and they're all still feeling nice and clicky, like they should. When I'd attempted this with contact cleaner a few months back, they felt OK right when I cleaned them, but back to mushy/inconsistent within days. I'm confident at this point that the alcohol did the trick. Thanks for the feedback! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XT-sub Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 Isopropyl alcohol did the trick! ... ... It's been a few days, and they're all still feeling nice and clicky, like they should. ... Let’s hope they stay that way. Thanks for coming back to let us know the outcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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