Putting an Accord/TSX steering wheel with audio controls in a Civic
Hi all. I'm wondering if anyone knows if a 2003+ Accord or TSX steering wheel would fit on a Civic. I'm guessing yes as the same aftermarket steering wheels will fit on all 3 cars (but can someone reassure me? )
Anyway, the purpose behind this is I like the shape and feel of the Accord/TSX steering wheel and I may want to use the audio controls for something. In particular to control my hyperblinker's speed (yeah... riceness... Flame away) or to control the volume on a stereo. I'm guessing the stock one doesn't have that capability? Well, you experts tell me.
All I know is I'd have to change the resistance in my blinker (got a potentiometer in there right now). But does anyone know how many wires come out of the steering wheel audio controls and what do the wires do?
No idea to all your questions but just to offer another solution, check out the decks with a steering wheel mount. I know pioneer makes a few and I'm sure I saw at least one in the member's rides.
theres a company (cant remember who) that sells interfaces for steering wheel remotes to convert them to use with aftermarket radios. it has a box you hide that learns the codes from your radio's remote.
i think its PAC that makes one, SWI-X is the model i believe.
for it to work, your aftermarket radio has to have a wireless remote, the swi-x has an infrared sensor that learns functions from your remote. it costs like $60-$70.
To put a Tsx wheel in your Civic is going to be near impossible, esp if you want to control your Headunit.
You can get away with aux. lighting controls, but controling the hu is going to be damn near impossible. You would have to some how splice wires from your headunit control panel into the steering wheel, that requires alot of technical skill, time and patience.
However if you just want a straight swap, it is probally do able. I would swap it and use the buttons to operate the cruise control, as well as aux. lighting.
Yeah, I would definitely use the cruise control buttons. And yeah, I realize that using the audio controls for the headunit would be tough. But I've got other uses for it. Just gotta take some electrical engineering courses first. heh.
And thanks all for the info on the remotes... Unfortunately that's not what I'm looking for. I plan on putting a wireless internet connection on my car sometime tho with ethernet ports for a laptop but that's currently below my ability. I want to put embedded systems in my car eventually. Just do a search on PC104 or PC/104 for an idea. Those are some tiny little computers. Or www.5speedpc.com or www.cappuccinopc.com.
the audio controls are definitely impossible. but beware the control switches in there. you may need some sort of gating system or something else that has a big technical name that i dont understand well to get the output you want. here is what I mean:
take our stock civic steering wheel buttons. three buttons, speed up, slow down, and cancel. there are only two wires for all three buttons! pushing speed up sends signal down one wire. pushing speed down sends signal through the other wire. pushing cancel sends signal through BOTH wires!
its very possible that honda has done the same thing with the TSX steering wheel controls, so even for controling aux lighting, definitely brush up on your EE. ive seen circuit scematics on how to control 8 functions using only three wires, but i lost hte paper long ago, and ill never find the book again at my local library (check yours out, you might be surprised!)
I dont remember how to translate it to analog, but i know it can be done using basic circuit elements!
Originally posted by slick i think its PAC that makes one, SWI-X is the model i believe.
for it to work, your aftermarket radio has to have a wireless remote, the swi-x has an infrared sensor that learns functions from your remote. it costs like $60-$70.
I hope you don't mind me derailing the thread but...
When I put my remote aroudn the area of the wheel there is no way that the infrared can hit the deck. If this SWI-X is on the steering wheel, how does the infrared reach the deck?
Originally posted by mos_skeeto I hope you don't mind me derailing the thread but...
When I put my remote aroudn the area of the wheel there is no way that the infrared can hit the deck. If this SWI-X is on the steering wheel, how does the infrared reach the deck?
Use mirrors to reflect the beam.....just kidding, I am not sure.
i believe its a wired infrared sensor and can be placed anywhere.
however, the infrared sensor is used just to learn functions from the wireless remote of the deck, after its done with it job, its no longer needed.
Originally posted by mos_skeeto I hope you don't mind me derailing the thread but...
When I put my remote aroudn the area of the wheel there is no way that the infrared can hit the deck. If this SWI-X is on the steering wheel, how does the infrared reach the deck?
The SWI-X is a module that hooks into the wires comming off of the buttons on the steering wheel, and then it has a remote IR repeter eye that is like 2-3 feet long comming off of the box which has to be mounted in the line of sight of the Stereo. Also, direct dsunlight does affect the eye, I've had occasions (Mostly on motorcycles) in which we has to build a sort of canopy system to block out the light.
and its designed to work with proprietary systems. it wont work for hondas because there is no data in. these are installed at the radio itself!
there are no steering wheel controls in our hondas in the center console.
its not physically possibkle to do with a PAC thing..... not to say that it is impossible at all! but it will require hacking into a remote and hiding it somewhere, and using the stock buttons as extensions.
I actually did this using my cruise control buttons for awhile, but I was unable to make it sturdy enough to last very long, and had to pull it out.
but the PAC device just wont work. unless its analog. and i dont think it is.....
Yes the accord/tsx wheel will work factory or aftermarket radios. The steering wheel controls will work an aftermarket radio with a PAC SWIX. For either, wiring through the cable reel needs to be modified or better yet replaced with a modified accord(tsx cable reel will cost way more because of being from japan instead of the US) cable reel.
The factory civic radio will most likely work for vol+, vol-, and seek. Pin 3 is for the remote, the radio diagram may even show this. Insert wire into slot 3 and test through resistors to ground. If so, the resistors in the accord switches may have to be changed to match the civic radio. The accord has more functions than the previous radios. If the radio will not work, any factory double din will work and again the resistors may have to be changed.
The civic factory steering wheel looks pretty close to the CRV, so you may be able to add the remote switch from an Ody like I did to my CRV. The Ody switch has the proper resistors for the double din radios and civic(if it works). If you remove the airbag, you will be able to see whether or not there is a spot on the left that matches the cruise switch mounting on the
right. If it has the spot on the left it the remote should bolt on with its bracket. The cable reel will need to be modified.
The cruise control buttons can also be used through a few relays and resistors to control a factory or aftermarket(with PAC SWIX) radio.
I currently have an MDX wheel with audio remote and cruise swithes controlling 6 functions of an Eclipse deck through a SWIX. I have an 03 accord coupe wheel sitting here but have not found a coupe airbag yet.
Putting an Accord/TSX steering wheel with audio controls in a Civic 
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Just gotta take some electrical engineering courses first. heh.
