PAC SWI-JACK Steering Wheel Interface

[Langas]

Hey Guys, I thought I'd do a little write up for this brilliant piece of hardware from Pacific Accessory Corporation as it is quite applicable to Commodore owners wanting to get their steering wheel controls working with after market headunits.



The PAC-SWI is a multi platform interface for connecting your cars steering wheel controls to an after market headunit.

The SWI-JACK makes use of the 3.5mm socket on the back of Alpine, JVC, Clarion and some kenwood headunits. For units without this accessory jack there is an infrared version available.

INSTALLATION:
Installation into my VX was fairly straight forward. The VX steering wheel controls form a voltage divider when a button is pressed. As far as the PAC-SWI instructions are concerned this style of controlls are 'negativly triggered'. PAC provide a sheet with different 'versions' to suit the characteristics of different vehicles.

You will end up needing to use three wires going to the SWI - +12v, GND and your control wire. I used the 'white' control wire as this suited negativly triggered vehicles. The 3.5mm plug coming out of the SWI plugged straight into the back of my Alpine 9887.

Programming:

To determine what 'version' you need to program the SWI as you need to measure the resistances between the steering wheel controls and ground. To do this attach a multimeter probe to the steering wheel control wire in the vehicle (in VX commodores this is a brown wire) and the other to ground. Write down the different resistances you measured when each button is pushed.

After you have made your measurements, compare them to the table provided by PAC and pick the appropriate version to program into your SWI. I chose version 9 for the VX. To program the version simply hold down the 'program' button and turn the ingition on, then release the button. The LED will go out at this point after which you press the program button x times (x denotes version number) - I pressed it 9 times. At this point, turn the igition back off and back on. You are now ready to program the functions in on your headunit.

PAC provide a table for the order the functions need to be programmed in. It is simply a matter of hitting the program button and the corresponding button on your steering wheel to make the SWI learn their functions. After this is done you have WORKING STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS!

PROS:
-Cheaper than the 'CAT' range of products (I paid 79 including freight from America)
-Very small size
-Clear instructions
-Programming was straight forward and logical
-Steering wheel controls work!

CONS:
-Buttons must be pushed in for slightly longer than with the original headunit for it to trigger - Takes a little getting used to.
-I could not program 'Preset up' and 'Track up' sepperatly; I ended up programming the 'Track up' function, however when listening to the radio it will scan to the next station as opposed to going to the next preset. No big deal really.

Overall 4.5 / 5

[Thomas1]

Nice write up. I'm in the process of fitting one to my VS statesman, hopefully VS and VX use a similar system!

[Thomas1]

I tried wiring mine up today, but I don't think VS uses the white wire, or it must need a different program to number 9. I have lost my instructions so don't know how to work out which wire/program combo I need!!!

I know the box is receiving the signals from the buttons as I can program it, but once it is programmed nothing happens. Any ideas? Would you be able to scan up the bit in the instructions where it explains how to work out which program number and wire to use?

[vteezr]

The steering interfaces are really good, that company does some really good stuff. Their line converters are useful too.