Hello
I purchased a unit with the stalk command center. I would have preferred a dash mount, but the dash mount had no cancel function, which is critical to me. I am not thrilled with the stalk. I feel that it is an inch too long. I'll get used to it.
The quality looks very good. The unit was pre-programmed, and came with a short additional installation sheet that advised to ignore the installation booklet. I may use the booklet as I get experience in order to modify the settings.
For the CAN-bus installation there are four connections, power, throttle, OBD-II, and the command module.
For access, I removed the charge door lever first (two screws), and then the driver's side under dash panel (two screws and some prying). I un-clipped the wires and the connectors attached to the panel, including the OBD-II connector and then set the panel aside. I then split the steering wheel cover (two screws and more prying). I removed the bottom half of the steering wheel cover, but left the top half in place.
The best location that I could find for the stalk was 2" below the cutout for the turn signal stalk in the somewhat flat area
rearward toward the steering wheel. This appeared to be the best compromise between clearance behind the panel and ease of use.
I used power from the pink wire on the dash panel connector for the seat heater.
The connection for the CAN-bus is a "tee" that the original OBD-II connector plugs into and has an identical connector that snaps into the panel instead of the original.
The throttle connection is also a "tee", but proved to be most difficult. Instead of providing matching connectors as above, this connection requires the pins be extracted from the original connector and then inserted into a new connector which mates with the "tee." While I don't own a pin extractor, I usually can remove pins with a stick pin or tiny screwdriver. Not this time. I even practiced successfully with the identical connector on the supplied "tee", but I could not remove the pins on the Mitsubishi connector. Since the Mitsubishi connector was no longer needed, I elected to carefully destroy it in order to salvage the pins and wires intact. Once that was done, they inserted easily into the new connector.
There is lots of space under the dash and I chose to mount the electronics with included double sided tape on a wide flat brace. I was reticent to cut extra wires, so I coiled up all the excess and tied it in the same location.
The steering wheel cover and dash panel snapped and screwed back together easily.
I then calibrated the throttle as instructed and tested the unit. Everything seemed to be working fine.
Here in Phoenix, the terrain is quite flat with the biggest cruise control challenge the dips in the freeway as it passes under grade level street crossings. I observed the cruise control to maintain 55 MPH on the downgrade with no regeneration, but it did go down to neutral current. I'm sure a steeper downgrade would cause regeneration. The climb out dropped to 54 MPH before recovering and took the current just to the top of economy on the gauge. There was no overshoot in speed. ECO mode caused a more sluggish response and thus a drop to 53 MPH, but otherwise performed about the same.
Allowing the cruise to accelerate to the set speed was whole different story. I find the cruise far too aggressive. However, that's probably just me since it is similar to my ICE cars. On them, my habit is to not engage the cruise until the car is near the set speed which avoids the issue. I didn't try accelerating to the set speed in ECO mode.
Please see the photos of the installation:
http://www.5by9.net/Prune/
Thanks for listening,
Mike
