[Mk2] [Generic] DIY steering wheel volume controls HELP!!!

[jack-p]

I bought a mk3 steering wheel with the four buttons for changing gear with the intention to make these work as volume controls.
I took apart the steering wheel, de-soldered the buttons and removed them.
I bought one of these harnesses to fit it http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360444610049? ... 1439.l2649









now the iunstructions with the harness say:
1. Mount the interface in a suitable place
2.Connect the harness between the connector on the steering wheel remote control and the interface. Be sure to use the correct harness for your model of car. (some car doesnit need harness).
3. Connect the power (red lead) to an accessory lead.
4 The mini jack should be mounted in the back of the center unit please test operation before final installation.

Soooo... I plugged in the AUX connection and connected the red wire to the power for the cigarette lighter. I cut the other plug off and connected each pair of wires (the wires seemed to be grouped in pairs on the plug so i kept them that way) to the positive and negative of one of the buttons from the steering wheel.... Nothing!! :facepalm:




I'm not the best with things like this so really can't figure out where I'm going wrong, can someone please help!!!

[synXero]

So keen to see the end result of this, always kind of fancied it

[nick200]

Can you measure the voltage across one of the switches, with button pressed and button released, post the values. You may be missing a pull up resister, so in fact the switch is not switching anything !

[jack-p]

what's a pull up resistor? this is my first dabble with wiring!

[nick200]

Ok then, one step at a time !

But to go any further you will need to measure the voltage across the switch, otherwise it's just guess work without this.

[toxo]

Is the controller interface one designed for stereo controls that vary resistance, use a bus or have individual switches for each control? There are 3 or 4 different types of steering wheel controls that different manufacturers use. They are very rarely each button being wired directly back to the interface as a separate circuit.

Erm that controller interface is for a Citroen! It'd make life much easier if you knew how the Citroen steering wheel is wired up...

[madbasshunter]

I know the citroen stalk control is measured in ohms as I had to measure one the other day for the manufacturers off one of the stalk control adaptors we sell (which wouldnt work on the customers car).

[jack-p]

Yeah it seems like a made an error in what I was purchasing, I dont see it working with that unit. I didn't know it was specifically for one car and the seller didn't help when I asked prior to purchase!
I was thinking I could buy some oem switches and the control unit from another car and either bridge wires from the back of four buttons on the switches to my own switches or just mould the new switches into the mr2 steering wheel (lazy and not as cool but definately more do-able!)
any opinions on going this way with it?