Installing Axxess ASWC steering wheel radio control adapter

papaindigo · **Posted:** Sat Mar 07, 2015 11:47 am

We have run into a slight technical issue/question regarding installing the Axxess adapter in stoutdog's 06. Both he and I have used the PAC adapter and ultimately had the same problem in that the adapter eventually begins for "forget" which steering wheel controls are supposed to have what function. The Axxess seems to be much more "stable" at least it has been on my 05.

Installation on my 05 was pretty easy - just hook up red/power; black/ground; and, per Axxess instructions for the Jeep splice the Pink wire of the ASWC into the wire from pin 14 of the vehicle's radio plug. Pins on that plug have a tiny number on each side so finding pin 14 is easy and the OEM pin 14 wire on my radio and the FSM wiring diagram is White/violet. Controls work fine.

Fast forward to stoutdog's install. Finding pin 14 on the OEM plug is no problem but the OEM wiring colors are completely different from those on my 05 plug and the 05 and 06 FSM wiring diagrams. Interestingly many of stoutdog's wires on that plug have one or more "gray" marker dots on the wires as if someone (factory/aftermarket I have no clue but DCJ has a long history of doing strange non standard things based on what's available as a vehicle comes done the assembly line as I well know) was using different color wires and needed the "gray" dots at each end to keep track of a section of non standard wiring.

So question - can we just ignore wiring color and assume pin 14 is where the Axxess control should be splice in? I'm about 99%+ sure as the steering wheel controls worked with stoutdog's old (aftermarket) radio at least until the PAC adapter lost its "marbles". Since the PAC adapter is installed by wiring into the steering wheel control wire under the steering wheel BEFORE it goes wherever on the way to the radio I would assume that ultimately the PAC adapter signal had to be routed to pin 14. I'd try checking continuity from the wire under the steering wheel to pin 14 but I'm pretty sure the signal goes thru the BCM so I do not know if a continuity check would tell us anything.

Thoughts?

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Sat Mar 07, 2015 1:37 pm

The switches are resistive mux. read which pins you think you should be correct and measure the resistance while pressing the buttons.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Sat Mar 07, 2015 10:20 pm

Sorry I was trying to get something out quick since I was busy at the time and likely to forget. These days if I cannot answer something quickly I probably wont be getting back around to it.

In my 05 manual it looks like the BCM reads the switches at the C2 plug. It shows pin 11 and pin 22, circuit X920 and X20. If you were to put a multimeter on those pins and read for resistance you would see a different resistance based on the switch being pressed. EG vol up would be 10 ohms, and vol down 5. Or something like that.

All I meant was you could read the resistance between those two pins, and press a button to watch it change, similar to check checking for continuity.

-Sam

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Sun Mar 08, 2015 1:36 pm

papaindigo wrote:

That I understand but doing so only confirms that a signal is going from the steering wheel to the BCM. Since the PAC control worked until it started forgetting settings I think it's safe to assume the wiring from the steering wheel to the BCM is fine; at least when that wiring was cut (severing the BCM signal) and replaced by the PAC which hooked directly to the radio the controls worked and all we have done to that wiring is pull the PAC out and splice the original wire under the steering wheel back together thus restoring the steering wheel to BCM connection.

What I'd like to confirm but assume is true is that the PCM then sends some sort of signal to the radio via pin 14 on the radio harness plug right behind the radio.

Take a glance at my email in for a picture of the odd wiring. I wouldn't even bother to ask the question but for the fact that none of the wire colors on the factory radio harness plug match the 05 or 06 FSMs or the wires on my 05.

The BCM reads the radio button and transmits that information on the PCI bus. The PCI bus connects up to the radio on pin 14.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Sun Mar 08, 2015 2:18 pm

Thanks. Guess we will just ignore the non-standard wiring colors and hook the adapter to the Pin 14 wire and see if it works.

I don't have a clue why the different wiring colors and the odd gray dots on those wires but I can guess why. DCJ does have a long history of non-standard stuff being done as a vehicle comes down the line. In our case:
1. one Plymouth mini-van with a prior year front bumper interior support - had to carry the support into the dealer and say get me this in order to get the right part.
2. my 1993 Dodge D-250 Cummins build sheet insisted I had a 3/4 ton rear axle with 2.5" rear drum brakes but what came off the line as a 1 ton rear axle with 3/4 ton springs/shocks and 3" rear drum brakes.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Sun Mar 08, 2015 10:33 pm

papaindigo wrote:

Thanks. Guess we will just ignore the non-standard wiring colors and hook the adapter to the Pin 14 wire and see if it works.

I don't have a clue why the different wiring colors and the odd gray dots on those wires but I can guess why. DCJ does have a long history of non-standard stuff being done as a vehicle comes down the line. In our case:
1. one Plymouth mini-van with a prior year front bumper interior support - had to carry the support into the dealer and say get me this in order to get the right part.
2. my 1993 Dodge D-250 Cummins build sheet insisted I had a 3/4 ton rear axle with 2.5" rear drum brakes but what came off the line as a 1 ton rear axle with 3/4 ton springs/shocks and 3" rear drum brakes.

You could always check continuity on pin 14 for the PCI bus, easiest place to check would be the OBDII connector.

Installing Axxess ASWC steering wheel radio control adapter

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