hi guys.
I know that what I want is difficult. But in my life I have learnt that nothing is impossible. If you have appetite for creation!

I own a 99 EK4 civic VTi. I want to mount some audio controls in my steering wheel. From what I have seen on the net, there are no audio controls for these civics. Instead, there are some cruise controls. Mine does not have any cruise control function.


I have seen that 98 acura CL, has audio and cruise control switches, and the steering wheel is very similar to mine.

Here's how mine looks like:
http://s11.postimage.org/xhhg62j7n/IMG_0402.jpg
and here is how acura's steering wheel with all the switches, looks like:
http://s12.postimage.org/bgu9abl8t/acura.jpg

They are similar (if not the same). So can I use these audio controls, in my s/wheel?
I know that I will have to do some work on my spring cable reel also.
Does the female socket on my spring cable reel, have all the pins for cruise control, despite the fact that I have no cruise control function? Or it has only the necessary pins? (srs and horn=3 wires on the male plug-3 pins on the female plug)

Here's the spring reel from a civic 99.
http://s11.postimage.org/akspxsuyr/K...sh_Bw_60_1.jpg

I have circled the spot, where the male plug sits. I'm wondering what's going on underneath the male plug. If there are all the pins mounted and not just 3 pins. If all the pins are mounted (srs+horn+cruise control) I can use the free cruise control female pins, for my audio switches.

In case pins are missing, I will have to buy the acura spring cable reel. Does it fit on my steering wheel?

Any help is appreciated!

 

I have added wire to a cable reel before,it is possible. Pop the cover off the cable reel and check how many circuits there are. I bet there are more than are terminated. You will need two, one for ground and one for signal. You cannot ground to the column/steering wheel since it is not good enough.

Cable reels are pretty interchangable. At most you wound only probably need to change the combination switch holder to make it work. I am using a 99 cl column, 00 accord switch holder with 03 accord cable reel and 09 tl steering wheel in an 90 accord

Not sure if the cl/tl/mdx switch will fit your steering wheels are pretty similiar. I used an ody switch/bracket on my stock crv wheel before honda decided to add it stock on 05. There is probably a switch that fits perfect you just need to find which one.

 

hi,
thanks for your answer. What you wrote about spring cable reel, is very promising! I think I'll give it a try and open it to see how many cables are terminated. The only problem is that we don't have any acuras here, so I will have to order one on ebay, and the shipping cost is 35-45$. That sucks, but what can I do..I'll try to search again for the most suitable switches.
Thank you!

 

On both my cars, I have radio controls on the steering wheel that I rarely use it. But if you're confident and persistent on doing this project, more power to you my friend.

 

thanks!
I'll start searching some accord switches first, from local stores. If I find nothing, then I'll order this acura switch. I'll take the risk

 

metra makes a couple pieces that you can add on to your steering wheel for this purpose.. obviously not factory looking, but it does the job. just another option

http://metraonline.com/part/RFASWC

or

http://metraonline.com/part/ASWCSTALK

 

Here's a shot of the Metra controls in my coupe. The controller is slightly too big to fit into any of the lower three openings.

Highly recommended ++.

 

^^^ with remotes that big, I would rather use the typical hand-held remote that comes with the headunit.

 

Hi, thanks for your reply
how the second product is mounted?

Here's the switch I'm talking about on ebay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2307549771...84.m1423.l2649

and it's mounted, as shown in the picture in the second link on my first post. I like this result, better than the bluetooth/IR aftermarket products but I'm not sure if the curves on acura's steering wheel, are the same with mine, despite the fact that they look similar.
I visited today 2 local stores, but it's like you look for a needle in a haystack

 

second one mounts to the column shroud, that way you don't have to deal with wires going thru the steering wheel. similar to aftermarket cruise control kits.

 

hey guys, I'm bringing this old thread of mine back to top. My plans changed a little bit from then..
At first I gave up the idea of mounting a switch in the steering wheel, and used a wired sony commander for controlling my HU, with the help of an arduino microprocessor.
Then I decided to buy the acura cruise control switch, but unfortunately it was not suitable for the EK steering wheel...
So, plans changed again, and I replaced my steering wheel with an s2k(ap1) one and mounted a cruise control switch. I modified the switch, so that I could use only the functionality of the 3 buttons. I also made 2 more custom buttons and I connected all of them to the arduino, through my steering wheel
I had to replace my spring reel too. I bought a USDM civic spring reel with cruise control function..and all worked just fine

here is the final result with the comander, and the steering wheel audio controls..


and here is a demo video

 

Cool, you got it working.

You can get another cruise switch and flip to it mount on the other side of the steering. 3 more buttons never hurts.

I hooked up my a/c to the wheel for my accord