Steering wheel controls for the i-MiEV

[databeestje]

It's been a while, but I've added steering wheel controls to my car using after market steering wheel controls from the Lancer/Outlander ~2010 models. These fit the existing 2010 steering whee, it even has the cable clamps in the plastic back cover.

You also need a new clock spring though, since the cheap people at Mitsubishi installed one that only connects the horn. The clockspring only cost about 10 euros, so that wasn't too bad. I sacrificed a old floppy connector to transplant into the existing white connector under the steering wheel column. I sacrificed a JST connector for the other side of the clockspring to use inside the steering wheel. Still haven't connected up the illumination wire.

I then made and installed a arduino nano, wrote and adapted some software so that I can use the cruise control knobs with the after market JohnGold Goldcruise controls. These were about 8 years old now and the plastic was giving out. It works a bit more reliable this way.
I control this one using a basic Aliexpress 4 channel arduino relay board, but the schematics I have are for a solid state variant.

Translating the Audio button using the arduino works pretty well, and I use the MCP4151 digipot to drive the 12 year old pioneer radio.

The code and schematics for what I used is here. Photo's are not yet uploaded.
http://iserv.nl/files/pics/imiev/arduino/

 

[JoeS]

databeestje, thank you for all this cool information, including the photos. Nice hack. I hadn't heard of JohnGold before, but see that they have an interesting product line with items specifically applicable to our i-MiEV triplets.

 

[Tiborx8]

It's been a while, but I've added steering wheel controls to my car using after market steering wheel controls from the Lancer/Outlander ~2010 models. These fit the existing 2010 steering whee, it even has the cable clamps in the plastic back cover.

You also need a new clock spring though, since the cheap people at Mitsubishi installed one that only connects the horn. The clockspring only cost about 10 euros, so that wasn't too bad. I sacrificed a old floppy connector to transplant into the existing white connector under the steering wheel column. I sacrificed a JST connector for the other side of the clockspring to use inside the steering wheel. Still haven't connected up the illumination wire.

I then made and installed a arduino nano, wrote and adapted some software so that I can use the cruise control knobs with the after market JohnGold Goldcruise controls. These were about 8 years old now and the plastic was giving out. It works a bit more reliable this way.
I control this one using a basic Aliexpress 4 channel arduino relay board, but the schematics I have are for a solid state variant.

Translating the Audio button using the arduino works pretty well, and I use the MCP4151 digipot to drive the 12 year old pioneer radio.

The code and schematics for what I used is here. Photo's are not yet uploaded.
http://iserv.nl/files/pics/imiev/arduino/

Thank you for your detailed explanation. One question though: why did you use arduino at all? only to drive the four relays, which then would close the speed control push button poles? Would not be easier to use the steering wheel button poles after the clockspring to trigger 12v to a relay directly, or - if it is better to isolate the steering wheel buttons from the car 12v system - just to extend the relevant speed control push buttons so that thhe steering wheel push buttons take over their roles?