VZ Steering wheel buttons illumination.

[Tnarg78]

Hi all, just new to this site and have found it be full of great info. My question is, are the buttons on the steering wheel supposed to illuminate when you turn your headlights on? Mine don’t. I have just installed a Pioneer head unit with a CAT 10 and thought maybe I had done something wrong to cause this, however I’m also thinking it would have nothing to do with the lighting. I can’t say I paid too much attention to whether or not they illuminated before I installed the head unit.

Cheers
Grant.

[Lumps of cheese]

Mine in the ss do, but they didn't in my old vy berlina.
From what i'm told only the calais and models above have it, as do the ss.

[impulsesv6]

auto or manual...

for some reason i think the manuals dont???

[gregiem]

Depends on the model of and transmission. SV6 auto has lit up buttons because of auto shifter paddles on steering wheel.

[satos]

My VZ Berlina don't light up also.

[Veriton]

I think the general rule of thumb is that if it has steering wheel paddles, then the radio controls light up, if they don't have the paddles then they don't (from what I understand anyway).

[hwy747]

Hi all, just new to this site and have found it be full of great info. My question is, are the buttons on the steering wheel supposed to illuminate when you turn your headlights on? Mine don’t. I have just installed a Pioneer head unit with a CAT 10 and thought maybe I had done something wrong to cause this, however I’m also thinking it would have nothing to do with the lighting. I can’t say I paid too much attention to whether or not they illuminated before I installed the head unit.

Cheers
Grant.

The other guys are right. It was only certain models in the VZ which did light up, mainly the Calais, SS and SV6 auto (due to the flappy paddle gearbox on the wheel). Unfortunately the Acclaim, like yours, do not light up. If you wanted them to light up you would have to purchase the switches from one of the models that did, then get them wired up. Pain in the a*** if you ask me, but it can be done.

[henrytad]

from what i know only the higher models have it like HSV & berlina etc. i wanted them on my executive but i couldnt get them

[torana355]

Only the 5 speed automatics (since they have the paddle shift) have the illuminated steering wheel controls in the VZ's from what ive been told.

[Tnarg78]

Thanks for all the info fellas, most appreciated. It’s strange that they didn’t make them illuminate standard, however I’m sure I can live with out them doing so.

[showxpony]

My VZ Calais does. not tooo difficult a swap i'd imagine...

[colgf]

I just converted my VY to the illuminated controls , not an easy job but I did it using a WL clockspring & WL illuminated buttons, & a wiring harness plug & 100mm of harness from a wrecker off a VZ with the paddle shifts, that taps in to the VY harness & plugs into the rear of the clockspring. The WL clockspring needs to be "altered slightly" to fit on the VY , A couple of bits of plastic need to be cut off where it hits. 2 extra wires need to be run down to the BCM & spliced into the wiring to get your +ve & -ve for the illumination dimmable circuit. You need a VY & VZ wiring manual/s (ellery's is a good one). Be carefull with the airbag (disconnect battery , ) & make sure the clockspring is centered turns wise when you fit the steering wheel , (2 1/2 turns from centre either way to each full lock) . Not for the amateur this mod but if youre a Techie or a Hobbyist supreme you can do it....

[sonixau1]

i have a vz exec, it doesn't have illumation, cat10 is just for the pickup to the 3rd party head unit i thought, as a got a pioneer headunit with bluetooth, and had to have steering wheel support on the headunit to use the cat10 unit.