Vx commodore steering wheel buttons

[Jowewe]

Hey guys, how's it going?

I'm trying to get to the bottom of an issue with my steering wheel buttons not working on my 2001 vx Berlina. The horn works, so it can't be my clock spring. Plus my "mode button" and up and down buttons don't work. I pulled the radio out to have a look back there and it looks untouched, not spliced at all. I also took the buttons off and did a condinuity test on them, and looks to be working fine. It gives condinuity when pressing the button, as it should.

Thanks for your time!

 

[Ginger Beer]

Clock spring

Mine did the same

 

[accentstencil]

It can be the clock spring and probably is. The clock spring has a number of ribbons, dependant on feature, one for horn, one for airbag and one for the audio controls, any one of them can break but the others may still work.

 

[Sam_100]

It's the clock spring. I've seen a similar problem in a Nissan Navara where the horn and a couple of buttons on the wheel didn't work. I turned the steering wheel lock to lock and the buttons and horn would work in a certain position. You can try this simple fault finding procedure.

 

[Bay 13]

First of all original or aftermarket head
unit? When you say tested them was it from the harness plug?
I'm sure each button when pressed puts out a different voltage through the one contact pin inside the clock-spring this is how the unit knows what to do once that voltage is received..
Maybe wrong but that's my understanding.
Have you gone into the settings on unit?

 

[Jowewe]

First of all original or aftermarket head
unit? When you say tested them was it from the harness plug?
I'm sure each button when pressed puts out a different voltage through the one contact pin inside the clock-spring this is how the unit knows what to do once that voltage is received..
Maybe wrong but that's my understanding.
Have you gone into the settings on unit?

It is the original headunit and yes I tested it from the connector that U plug into the clockspring, I don't think you can go into stock headunit settings?

 

[RiffRaffMama]

This is what the inside of a clock spring looks like (this is off a VW or something but it looks very similar to a Commodore one):

The white bit is a ribbon cable just like this:

Each one of those lines is a teeny tiny copper wire and each one is responsible for the functioning of something different, from your airbags to your horn, to your steering wheel buttons. Your steering wheel is constantly turning back and forth and the ribbon cable moves back and forth with it, so you can see how easy it is to break just one of the little wires.

If you're really handy with a soldering iron and have some experience with microsoldering you can open it up and reattach the disembodied wire. The cable is only just long enough, though. There is no excess for you to cut back the end if you need to expose fresh wire. You need patience and a steady hand. I watched my husband do it once. It took literally a couple of hours and involved a lot of swearing.
Or you can roll the dice on a second hand one at a wreckers for $25-$50. I recommend that option.