Installed steering wheel mounted radio buttons tonight:

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:30 am

Very easy to do, took about 30 minutes overall. I got the parts at the junkyard last weekend, unfortunately I wasn't able to pull the rear steering wheel plastic which has the cutouts for the buttons, however its pretty easy to dremel them out and install the buttons.

Should you feel the urge to do this the parts you will need are the left and right radio buttons, the radiobutton/cruise control harness, and possibly the rear steering wheel plastic.

Disconnect the negative battery terminal. Go inside and enjoy a beer for about 20 minutes.

Start by removing the airbag, there are 2 8mm bolts that hold it in place, once the bolts are out the airbag will come forward, disconnect each airbag connector from the back along with the horn connection. Set the airbag aside in a safe place facing upward.

loosen the 13mm bolt and unscrew several turns.

Unscrew the cruise control buttons from either side, unplug them and set them aside. Disconnect the steering wheel wiring harness from the clockspring.

Use a gear puller(traditional steering wheel pullers will not work since the KJ steering wheel does not have threaded hold for the puller to screw into) to remove the steering wheel. Feed the airbag wires through the rear plastic cover and set the steering wheel aside.

Make sure not to turn the clockspring, dont worry about aligning the wheel, there is only one configuration that it can be installed with.

Remove the rear plastic from the wheel, remove the wiring harness.

Use the cutting instrument of your choice, mine was a dremel with a drill bit and a razor blade to cleanup the cut, and cut along the mold lines seen on the rear plastic, tweak as needed to get the buttons to mount, alternatively if you are able to get the rear plastic you will not need to make the cuts for the buttons.

After cutting and installing the buttons install the new steering wheel wiring harness, it will be obvious, it will install in the same place as the old one you just removed.

Install rear plastic on the back of the steering wheel, install cruise control buttons, replace the screws holding them in place, and make sure the cruise and radio buttons are plugged in.

Feed the airbag and horn wires through the rear of the wheel, there is only one orientation that the wheel can be installed with, take your 13mm bolt and tighten it down nicely.

Plug in the horn and airbag wires, place airbag on wheel and reinstall 8mm hold down bolts.

Reconnect battery.

Enjoy beer while sitting in Jeep changing stations from the steering wheel.

Pictars:
Without steering wheel radio buttons(this is the plug of the steering wheel harness that plugs into the clockspring):

With steering wheel radio buttons:

Wheel without radio buttons and cruise buttons partially removed:

Steering wheel harness with cruise control and radio buttons:

Back of steering wheel where radio control buttons should be:

First button, hole cut, cleaned up, and button installed:

(other side not yet cut out):

Both buttons holes cutout and buttons installed.

Inside the wheel:

Maybe I'll snap some of the installed product. Got them all in and working, pretty cool little thing to do for as cheap and easy as it was. Total project time was about 30 mins.

BankNote4X4 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 18, 2007 6:33 pm

Nice Work Sir! The list of things to do to my rig keeps growing. Oh, nice color, model, and year choice

I too like the white lettering, but nice tires all the same! By the way, your running stock suspension right? I might go 31" as well. Looks great!

tulsa · **Posted:** Tue Nov 20, 2007 8:48 am

Sir Sam,
Do the controls work with the standard RBK cd/radio?
Lewis

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2007 2:50 pm

tulsa wrote:

Sir Sam,
Do the controls work with the standard RBK cd/radio?
Lewis

yes they do, they work exactly as they should.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:52 pm

Update:

Pulled the part numbers for the parts:
56042313AB - Steering wheel - Steering wheel and trim - Radio control Radio control Left 2002 - 2007 - List price:$15.60, online:$12.64

56042312AB - Steering wheel - Steering wheel and trim - Radio control Radio control Right 2002 - 2007 - List price:$16.35, online:$13.24

For a 2005:
56050821AB - Steering wheel Steering wheel and trim Wire W/audio controls - List price:$33.35, online:$27.01

the part number for a 2006 wiring harness is different the part number for the 06 harness is: 52029381AA

Now those parts with some cutting time on the factory trim would do it just like I did. So if you did it this way your total cost to add these suckers using new parts would be:
$52.89

Now if you didnt want to have to cut anything you need to order the rear plastic trim, the plastic costs $18.08 shop price.(25% discount over RRP)

05086215AA - COVER, Steering Wheel Back

So for about $71 total you could add this via new parts from the dealer and it would be a completely "bolt-on" mod. If you found a WJ with the buttons and harness and spent a little time installing the radio wires into your harness, and cut out your old plastic, you could do this for only the cost of those used parts from a junkyard.

You can take these part numbers down to your local dealer to order them, if you do that you may wish to print the following 2 pages of the PDF that shows all your needed parts:
http://colorado4wheel.com/allmanuals/Je ... uttons.pdf

Also, 99-04 WJs use the same radio buttons, but do not use the same steering wheel harness.

Uffe · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:46 am

This thread makes me want to find out if I already have those buttons installed! Never thought about touching the backside of the steering wheel!!

Super duper idea mate!

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:04 am

Uffe wrote:

This thread makes me want to find out if I already have those buttons installed! Never thought about touching the backside of the steering wheel!!

Super duper idea mate!

LOL, I figured anyone would know if they have em.

Uffe, your up late.....you have AIM or MSN?

Uffe · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:37 am

Sir Sam wrote:

LOL, I figured anyone would know if they have em.

Uffe, your up late.....you have AIM or MSN?

Hey don't push it

I haven't tried fumbling on the backside of any steering wheel before. I think I will give it a try and become disappointed.

I'm at work, it's just 13:36 here (1:36pm) in Denmark

I do have msn though, not sure if it's any use because of the time zones though. I will add the info in my profile asap.

Spowers · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:13 am

So for clarity - you only need to update the harnes IN the steering wheel?
That is sweet!
Nice job with the photos!

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 1:28 pm

Spowers wrote:

So for clarity - you only need to update the harnes IN the steering wheel?
That is sweet!
Nice job with the photos!

Thats correct, you DO NOT need to change the clockspring or anything else, only the harness in the steering wheel.

If you felt so inclined you could remove the harness from a WJ(which is not the same) and remove the 2 radio control wires from it, and then install those into your KJ steering wheel harness. The only reason you would do that is if you were like me and got a steering wheel harness at the junkyard from a WJ and wanted to make it work for a KJ for free, otherwise there is a little cost to the off the shelf solution.

Basically if you luck out and find the parts from a WJ at the junkyard, you can make them work for a KJ at no additional cost.

Uffe · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:57 pm

Curses.

No radio control buttons. I'd like to install it though, do you know of any prerequisities? With an EVIC you need the premium BCM (IIRC) which is either key-less entry, fog lights or some other thing I just forgot (

).

Would be sweet with some radio control buttons on the KJ. It's an electrical mod, which I would be just marvelous at, now that my girlfriend bought me a soldering iron and a toolbox for 1 year anniversary present

Scrap heap - here I come!

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:48 pm

Uffe wrote:

Curses.

No radio control buttons. I'd like to install it though, do you know of any prerequisities? With an EVIC you need the premium BCM (IIRC) which is either key-less entry, fog lights or some other thing I just forgot (

).

Would be sweet with some radio control buttons on the KJ. It's an electrical mod, which I would be just marvelous at, now that my girlfriend bought me a soldering iron and a toolbox for 1 year anniversary present

Scrap heap - here I come!

No, its should work on all models, ours does not have the EVIC. Ours has the RBK radio.

Unfortunately for you you dont have to do any soldering to do this mod, just spend a few $$ for new parts from the dealer. Check and see what they cost from a dealer near you, but I'm guessing they are much cheaper in the US.

Reflex · **Joined:** Mon Jan 29, 2007 8:48 pm **Posts:** 567

This is a very cool post. If anyone could figure out which part(and a source for it) is needed for the back of the steering wheel for those of us who aren't willing to cut, I'd be all over this project.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:13 pm

Reflex wrote:

This is a very cool post. If anyone could figure out which part(and a source for it) is needed for the back of the steering wheel for those of us who aren't willing to cut, I'd be all over this project.

Ok, got it figured out.

05086215AA is the rear cover to the steering wheel with the radio buttons. Shop price is $18.08.

Reflex · **Joined:** Mon Jan 29, 2007 8:48 pm **Posts:** 567

Sir Sam wrote:

Reflex wrote:

This is a very cool post. If anyone could figure out which part(and a source for it) is needed for the back of the steering wheel for those of us who aren't willing to cut, I'd be all over this project.

Ok, got it figured out.

05086215AA is the rear cover to the steering wheel with the radio buttons. Shop price is $18.08.

Very nice and much appreciated. I'll look into doing this this month.

We should make a list of what upgraded features were available for higher trims than baseline, and see what it would take to implement them for those who do not have fully loaded Liberties. I'd be willing to bet in many cases it would be significantly cheaper than having had those features from the factory(especially since many were only available as a bundle with other, possibly unwanted features).

Spowers · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:45 pm

Your correct about the mods being cheaper in the bundle - but only if you wanted the entire bundle -

I custom ordered mine - all I wanted was the EVIC and cruise on a CRD sport w/ skids and limited slip.

It was cheaper to get the "c" group with cruise and the aluminum wheels (that I really did not want)

The Evic was not going to happen for the Addional $600 and the only package that came with was the limited.

Disclaimer - this was Feb. of 05 so I may be full of B.S. by now

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 7:46 pm

Reflex wrote:

Sir Sam wrote:

Reflex wrote:

This is a very cool post. If anyone could figure out which part(and a source for it) is needed for the back of the steering wheel for those of us who aren't willing to cut, I'd be all over this project.

Ok, got it figured out.

05086215AA is the rear cover to the steering wheel with the radio buttons. Shop price is $18.08.

Very nice and much appreciated. I'll look into doing this this month.

We should make a list of what upgraded features were available for higher trims than baseline, and see what it would take to implement them for those who do not have fully loaded Liberties. I'd be willing to bet in many cases it would be significantly cheaper than having had those features from the factory(especially since many were only available as a bundle with other, possibly unwanted features).

I kinda doubt it, buying all these part from the dealer to upgrade yours would add up VERY quickly, things like the EVIC are not cheap from the dealer. Heated mirrors, heated seats, etc, and VERY pricey from the dealer.

Some easy little things to upgrade are heated mirrors, these buttons, foglights, and a EVIC. The heated leather seats, nav radio, CD changer, and sirius kits are rare in the junkyards, and VERY pricey new.

Reflex · **Joined:** Mon Jan 29, 2007 8:48 pm **Posts:** 567

Well thats really my point, I don't think most people would care about the nav/radio/etc, those types of features can be done both better and cheaper aftermarket(already put an Alpine stereo in mine with a bluetooth capable PDA that runs GPS for me). But the other ones you mention, like heated mirrors, steering audio and others may be able to be done fairly cheap, I know for a fact that I couldn't have added steering wheel audio controls for the ~$75 these parts would cost, there was no specific cost on it as it required the premium sound group, which I had no interest in(and it was several hundred dollars for a sound system I would have replaced with my own, which meant the cost was just for the darn buttons in my case). Being able to add just the buttons for less than a hundred bucks is a pretty fair deal and a neat project. I'm wondering what other projects could be done that cheap/easy.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:57 pm

Reflex wrote:

Well thats really my point, I don't think most people would care about the nav/radio/etc, those types of features can be done both better and cheaper aftermarket(already put an Alpine stereo in mine with a bluetooth capable PDA that runs GPS for me). But the other ones you mention, like heated mirrors, steering audio and others may be able to be done fairly cheap, I know for a fact that I couldn't have added steering wheel audio controls for the ~$75 these parts would cost, there was no specific cost on it as it required the premium sound group, which I had no interest in(and it was several hundred dollars for a sound system I would have replaced with my own, which meant the cost was just for the darn buttons in my case). Being able to add just the buttons for less than a hundred bucks is a pretty fair deal and a neat project. I'm wondering what other projects could be done that cheap/easy.

Uh, if you have an after market HU then these buttons wont do you any good.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:00 pm

Spowers wrote:

Your correct about the mods being cheaper in the bundle - but only if you wanted the entire bundle -

I custom ordered mine - all I wanted was the EVIC and cruise on a CRD sport w/ skids and limited slip.

It was cheaper to get the "c" group with cruise and the aluminum wheels (that I really did not want)

The Evic was not going to happen for the Addional $600 and the only package that came with was the limited.

Disclaimer - this was Feb. of 05 so I may be full of B.S. by now

Were any CRDs sold with steel wheels? I have only seen the aluminum wheels on them.

Installed steering wheel mounted radio buttons tonight:

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