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Help re-wiring steering wheel controls.

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Dalexritch

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
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I previously had the “display” button only right side module. I purchased this new left side module with audio controls and a “mode” button. The problem is that I only have one input for 1 of these white plugs… How do I resolder the old right side connections for the “display” button into the new left side plug. The only two double connections are the two top left ones (one has red wire, one has yellow wire, I’m assuming these are power wires and I can combine them? And I assume the blue is ground and can be removed on whichever plug gets discarded?
Pics below, any help is appreciated. 2010 Rav4 2arfe, 4wd.

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#2 ·
If you only had the display button, then your clock spring (Spiral Cable) won’t have enough wires in it for your additional buttons. On those base models they only had wires for Horn and Display.
 
Discussion starter · #3 · (Edited)
JuneBug said:
If you only had the display button, then your clock spring (Spiral Cable) won’t have enough wires in it for your additional buttons. On those base models they only had wires for Horn and Display.
Click to expand...
Gotcha,

So I need to buy a new clock spring? Lots of aftermarket ones available... will both OEM and aftermarket ones support the functions I want to include? Any idea were I can find the part number or which model of clock spring I need? I assume this model of clock spring I want was associated with the limited and sport models? I have heard of others doing a plug and play before without need to change the clock spring.. huh

Edit: Okay, so I've done some digging and I'm more convinced that the combination will work. I have only found the one clock spring part number for a 2010 rav4. Heres a post from the Toyota forum:
"I'm guessing it is pre-wired and ready to go. They normally don't make two different clocksprings, and just include all the pins in one. I put a leather wheel on the 2011 RAV4 with buttons to replace the stock plastic wheel. The buttons worked and the LEDs lit up too. Mainly did it for the wheel itself though, as I don't use them that often. On my 2002 Highlander, and 2008 RX350 there were enough spare pins in the clockspring to add heated steering wheels to both cars easily."

I'm going to go ahead and combine to two units as my "combined" diagram shows and see what happens I guess...

Best,
David
 
#4 ·
Hi David - Did this work out? I am trying to get the left side controls in a 2010 base. I happen to also have a 2011 Rav4 that had the left side controls. I've swapped in the control pod and the clockspring (why not?) from the 2011 to the 2010, but still no joy on the left side controls. I do see that one of the harness plugs on the 2010 connecting to the clockspring has two fewer wires (missing a red and a white) on the car side. I'm assuming I need to run wires from the stereo - or somewhere - to this connector to get the controls to work.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
szurszewski said:
Hi David - Did this work out? I am trying to get the left side controls in a 2010 base. I happen to also have a 2011 Rav4 that had the left side controls. I've swapped in the control pod and the clockspring (why not?) from the 2011 to the 2010, but still no joy on the left side controls. I do see that one of the harness plugs on the 2010 connecting to the clockspring has two fewer wires (missing a red and a white) on the car side. I'm assuming I need to run wires from the stereo - or somewhere - to this connector to get the controls to work.
Click to expand...
I did not get it working - I also did not switch my clock spring. Another member here said on another post, "2011 base. I just plugged in the switch to my stock clockspring and it worked. No wiring required"

This is confusing to me, and I can't seem to get a good answer.

How I dealt with the extra pins / connectors was I removed the pins from the connector I didn't want to use, and put them back in their respective holes in the connector I did want to use. To clarify, I took all the wires from both the right side "display" button control module, and the new left side volume control module, ditched one of the plugs, and took all the wires and combined them into the other plug. If I can dig up the photos I will add here. If you figure this out, please let me know!
 
#6 ·
Planning to work on it a bit more tomorrow. I think what is missing for me is a pair of wires, one red and one white, from the harness between the head unit and the clock spring. I haven't looked at the connector on the head unit yet, but the pair of wires that is "missing" from the car that came without controls matches the pinout for the switch wires. My plan is to add a pair of wires between those points and see if it works... I'll post up the results either way.

Thanks for the reply!
 
#7 ·
Dalexritch said:
I did not get it working - I also did not switch my clock spring. Another member here said on another post, "2011 base. I just plugged in the switch to my stock clockspring and it worked. No wiring required"

This is confusing to me, and I can't seem to get a good answer.
Click to expand...
Another snag may be that some RAV4s are built in Japan, and some in Canada. They may not be wired the same. Case in point—the accelerator pedal on the Japanese RAV4 was a Denso part and the Canadian variant used one made by TRW.
 
#9 ·
You need to move the white and pink wire from the old connector to the same locations on the new connector. You then need to remove the yellow wire from the old connector, run it to audio/volume control board and solder it in next to the others and everything should work
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
Zfred10 said:
You need to move the white and pink wire from the old connector to the same locations on the new connector. You then need to remove the yellow wire from the old connector, run it to audio/volume control board and solder it in next to the others and everything should work
Click to expand...
Thanks for your response - where exactly is the "audio/volume control board"?

Thanks.
 
#11 ·
szurszewski said:
Planning to work on it a bit more tomorrow. I think what is missing for me is a pair of wires, one red and one white, from the harness between the head unit and the clock spring. I haven't looked at the connector on the head unit yet, but the pair of wires that is "missing" from the car that came without controls matches the pinout for the switch wires. My plan is to add a pair of wires between those points and see if it works... I'll post up the results either way.

Thanks for the reply!
Click to expand...
I haven't been able to get the exact right wire ends to fit the harness, but I did test it by just jamming the wires in. It sort of works - in that pushing the buttons does stuff, but it's random stuff. My understanding is the system works via only two wires by sending different voltage for different functions/commands - I assume my kludgy wiring is impacting the voltage and confusing the system. Someday I'll get around to finding a wiring harness I can hack apart to get the right ends - unless someone knows exactly what they are and where I can order them - and I'll try it again.
 
#12 ·
szurszewski said:
I haven't been able to get the exact right wire ends to fit the harness, but I did test it by just jamming the wires in. It sort of works - in that pushing the buttons does stuff, but it's random stuff. My understanding is the system works via only two wires by sending different voltage for different functions/commands - I assume my kludgy wiring is impacting the voltage and confusing the system. Someday I'll get around to finding a wiring harness I can hack apart to get the right ends - unless someone knows exactly what they are and where I can order them - and I'll try it again.
Click to expand...
A few pics-
connector at clockspring, connector without wires, my very technical wire folding attempt, connector with wires, radio side of harness.

All I found missing / all I added were the black, white and red wires. I'm 99% that is the correct placement - I think I just need to properly terminate them - it's also likely I'll need to source the correct gauge of wire.


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#13 ·
@szurszewski, can you confirm which situation your installation falls under? I’ve been scouring all over the forum and it seems like there’s three situations possible.

1. New clock spring and wires between clock spring and stereo required.

2. Old clock spring can be reused, but new wires between the clock spring and radio required

3. Old clock spring can be reused and wires already pre installed between clock spring and stereo. Plug and play install.

I’m asking because I have a 2011 base 2.5L I4 built in Canada and I’m looking to do the same install.

There seems to be varying levels of success from other members that have tried before as it almost seems random as to which situation each car falls under. For example, this comment here seems to suggest that the 2011 base 2.5L is prewired. In that comment, OP had the same car but somehow theirs was pre wired? Another example is here and here, same 2011 base.

There seems to be very little consistency between each RAV4, and I’m at a loss as to what I need to buy without ripping apart the car entirely.
 
#14 ·
Dalexritch said:
I did not get it working - I also did not switch my clock spring. Another member here said on another post, "2011 base. I just plugged in the switch to my stock clockspring and it worked. No wiring required"

This is confusing to me, and I can't seem to get a good answer.

How I dealt with the extra pins / connectors was I removed the pins from the connector I didn't want to use, and put them back in their respective holes in the connector I did want to use. To clarify, I took all the wires from both the right side "display" button control module, and the new left side volume control module, ditched one of the plugs, and took all the wires and combined them into the other plug. If I can dig up the photos I will add here. If you figure this out, please let me know!
Click to expand...
@Dalexritch, any luck for your install? I'm in very similar shoes as you with a Canadian-built 2011 base I4 2.5L, and I'd like to follow your footsteps if you've resolved this!
 
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