Steering wheel audio/cruise button fix

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

SNKPWR

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2016
Posts
16
Reaction score
26
Location
Lake St Louis, MO
My first thread, just thought I would share my findings since my searches didn't turn up this exact info.

Picked up a '03 EB and several of the steering wheel buttons were inop, the rest worked fine or at least sometimes. After reading on here and other places that these seem to "go bad" I picked up a used set off eBay cheap. Long story short, these has certain functions that didn't work also, seller sent me a replacement used set no charge.

Son now I have 3 sets, one that works well (the last set) but the buttons looked terrible. I decided to sacrifice one of the partially working ones to see if I could tell what failed.

After some trial and error here is what I found:
-the functions that quit working were due to dirty contacts.

That's it. Dirty contacts. And they are simple copper contacts.

All you have to do is remove the switch form the wheel, and get a skinny T8 torx in between the buttons at the top and bottom and loosen the two screws holding the board/switch assembly to the housing, and that assembly comes out. Gently separate the board from the button assembly, and you can easily clean the button and board contacts with a cotton swab and some denatured alcohol.

Bit good sets I have work like a champ now!


Hope this helps someone having the same issue! Takes all of 20 minutes total start to finish
 
OP
OP
S

SNKPWR

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2016
Posts
16
Reaction score
26
Location
Lake St Louis, MO
Ok some pictures and detail. To start you need to remove the two bolts holding the airbag on and safely either remove the airbag or position it out of the way (plenty of YouTube vids for this). Remove two Phillips screws holding each button pod to the steering wheel, and release the tab to unplug the connector to each.

Referencing the cruise switch pod for this illustration:
213DFA0C-AA62-462E-B93E-C89CD84627EE.jpg

Torx driver pointed at one of the two points to access the screws that hold the board/switch assembly to the pod housing:
C9EACD0E-F183-4883-B06E-BAA96A12B48F.jpg

And with the bit on the actual screw it will look like this, just take your time the button will move a little to give room to get the bit inserted:
0618C5B3-5989-4A36-B372-FCEA87028246.jpg

Do the same at the opposite end same spot to remove the other screw.

The screws will remain captured in their places. Gently lift the outer edge of the button/board assembly (opposite the plug), and you can remove it from the housing:
C9E5A048-ACC6-41E4-8CA7-541A854DAD5B.jpg
0E6AF13D-41FD-48FB-88D2-21AECDB7E502.jpg

On the back side of the board you will see the clips that hold the button assembly to the board. Very gently lift on the board with one hand while releasing the tabs working your way around until it is separated:
6408B348-1E70-4B3E-8B44-F6C08EE1AAC5.jpg
2951173F-F6C3-42D0-BDE1-DA06F95D0D7F.jpg

This picture shows the button contacts and the corresponding circuits on the board. The copper cylinder gets pressed into the two contact patches on the board when you push a button, completing the circuit.
BD2E7472-471E-4B77-AEDC-C1BA321202C3.jpg

As you can see on this one there was some quite built up corrosion on the lower contacts which are "off" and "coast" which not uncoincidentally were the two functions that didn't work at all.
8B18D9EA-4FCF-40F8-9A28-8F1E42C107C2.jpg

I used a swab with denatured alcohol and cleaned the board contacts as well as the surface of the button contacts:
33F411B0-344A-441A-A2A1-0CF62C2335C5.jpg
46F21CBC-1E93-41B2-9BFC-3DC919F7C3A6.jpg

After letting it dry, reassemble in reverse order, careful not to break clips.

Did this on the cosmetically nice set I put back in and they work perfectly now. Ended up trashing two of the heater/audio ones during the learning process. I cleaned up the other two cruise ones and they should be good to go as well if anyone needs a spare. Cover shipping and packaging and I'll send to you.

Thanks,
Hamilton
 

Bedrck47

Full Access Members
Joined
Jul 4, 2014
Posts
5,641
Reaction score
652
Location
Elizebethtown, PA
Thank you for the pics I am sure this will be very helpful to other members.
I will keep the link to this so I have it in my files.
 

sscharlie

Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2016
Posts
15
Reaction score
2
Location
IL
Thanks SNKPWR, none of my buttons work. It may just be dirty as you pointed out. They do feel kinda sticky when pushed. I was thinking I'd have to replace the clockspring but my horn works. Gona try it first chance I get.
 
Top