Anyone else having issues with the volume up/down buttons on the steering wheel? I would say probably 1 out of every 3 times I start my Meepster and listen to the radio/Bluetooth device, my volume buttons get all wonky. I have only ever noticed my issues when using my iPhone over the Bluetooth (since that's all I ever listen to), but my wife has had weird problems with the buttons when she listens to the FM radio. When I press my volume up button, it actually lowers the volume. If I press the volume down button, it activates the voice control system and I get the "Link System Ready" voice. My wife told me that when she listens to the FM radio, pressing the volume up button will sometimes change the station. She has gotten yelled at by my daughters when one of their favorite songs comes on the radio and they ask her to turn it up, and it changes the station instead!
Steering Wheel Thumb Control Issues!
- Thread starter RobbW
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Help Support Mitsubishi i-MiEV Forum:
Marathonor
Active member
Yes I had experimented this situation 2 times, so strange that all controls seems to be mixed. I've turned off the car and turned on again and then it was ok.
Never heard such. My only glitch is when I take a call while the iPhone is plugged into the USB port. A particular song from the iphone library will play, but only on my end (the caller can't hear it!). This happens whether using the bluetooth for handsfree conversation, or if I listen through the phone while it is still plugged in.
I've been meaning to delete that song and see what happens....
I've been meaning to delete that song and see what happens....
Marathonor said:
Sometimes just turning the stereo's power off and on again will clear the issue. However, most of the time I have to completely shut off the car to clear the problem. I've found out the hard way that the iMiEV does not like to be completely turned off and then back on again in quick succession. It likes a wee bit of a respite before trying to crank her back up. I've been stopped at a stoplight a couple times when I had to turn off my Meepster to clear this issue. Stoplight turns green as I'm trying to restart the car, and I don't get the green "Ready" light and ding. It just sits there with the red battery icon. I have to turn the keys to the off position again, wait a couple seconds, and then start her back up. All the while vehicles behind me are getting very impatient!
PV1
Well-known member
A rapid click off and on will give you an automatic READY as the contactors are still engaged. But once the main positive contactor drops out, it must do a complete discharge before it'll restart. That's why it takes about 5 seconds after turning the key off before the car will restart.
Also, you must be in Park.
Also, you must be in Park.
The way the radio and other controls on the steering wheel operate is though a limited number of wires (as few as two) for some of the systems. For the radio, each button on the steering wheel (which is a switch) is connected to a resistor. Each resistor is a different value for a specific function. So for example, if you push the volume down button, a 100 ohm resistor might be placed across the two wires, volume up might be 200 ohms and so forth. The radio see the resistance value and determines what it should do in response like lower the volume until the 100 resistance goes away when you release the button. So if it gets "wonky", it is most likely a connector in the circuits going from the switches, through the clock spring, down the steering column, over to the left side of the dash, up to the radio harness and into the radio. There are several connectors involved and any one of them (or the clock spring assembly itself) could be the cause. A little hard to chase down but taking each connector apart and putting it back together after inspecting the pins might solve the problem. Wiggling the harness's and/or turning the steering wheel while pressing the offending buttons might help localize the problem. I would be very careful around the clock spring assembly as the steering wheel button connector is right next to the yellow colored airbag connector in the steering wheel. This might be something that you don't want to mess with if the obvious connectors under the dash aren't the issue. BTW--clock spring is a name given to a flat multi wire harness that is in the shape of a clock spring. It is mounted behind the steering wheel and winds and unwinds as you turn the wheel left to right. It provides a connection to all the steering wheel controls, the horn and the airbag in a limited space with limited circuits. This is why the radio controls are connected in this manner.
Just figured I'd post a non-update update. I haven't gotten any closer to figuring out what is causing the steering wheel controls to malfunction. If anything, it is getting worse. It used to be just the Volume buttons giving me issues. Now the pickup/hangup buttons are malfunctioning too! The other day, my daughter called me while I was driving in my Meepster. I pressed the "Answer" button on the steering wheel and it hung up on her instead! This has happened several times now. Using the track selector buttons is also triggering the link system to activate now, too!
Now that I've had the Meepster for four years, she's obviously way out of warranty for taking her in and having the service department fix it. And I don't feel like paying a hefty fee out-of-pocket to get it taken care of. I guess I'll just learn to live with it. At least I can still control everything properly from the stereo/nav system directly. You know, like back in the "old days"!
Now that I've had the Meepster for four years, she's obviously way out of warranty for taking her in and having the service department fix it. And I don't feel like paying a hefty fee out-of-pocket to get it taken care of. I guess I'll just learn to live with it. At least I can still control everything properly from the stereo/nav system directly. You know, like back in the "old days"!
A couple years ago, I had an accident that kept my Meepster in the shop for an extended time for repairs. It seems like these issues on the steering wheel controls didn't start up until after that. I don't know if the issues are related to the accident in any way, though, as none of the damage or repairs had anything to do with the stereo/steering wheel/navigation system. Although, maybe they had to disconnect power for an extended period or something and that could have affected it. Not sure. Is there any way I could disconnect/drain power from the stereo/nav system and restart it to see if that clears up the issues?
PV1
Well-known member
If I remember reading right, the steering wheel controls connect to the head unit with only two or three wires. Each button has a different resistance value, and this is how the head unit identifies which button is pressed. It's possible that it could be a simple weak/dirty connection causing your issues. Maybe try popping the trim out and checking the connections on the back of the head unit? Maybe being in the shop introduced excessive moisture or dirt in the air and corroded the connections.
