Write up: Legacy Spec B steering wheel audio controls install into a 2005 WRX

[181stLeader]

Standard disclaimers apply; I am posting what I did and what worked for me. If you cause damage/harm to you or your car it is not the responsibility of me or NASIOC. Dealing with airbags is dangerous as they are explosive and can cause serious injury or death.

With that out of the way here we go!

This is my write up on how to install the Legacy Spec B steering wheel controls into my WRX with an aftermarket head unit. I don't know how to hook up the SWC to the stock 6 disc changer so don't ask.

In this write up, clock spring and roll connector mean the same thing.

Supplies/tools needed:

· 2007 Legacy Spec B steering wheel/3.0r LL Bean Edition Outback (wood section at the top of the steering wheel)

*You can also do what I did and use a 3 spoke momo steering wheel off of a 5EAT Legacy with the sport shift buttons, if you go this route you will need to purchase the Spec B audio control buttons part number: 83153AG000*

· Metra Axxess ASWC Interface/PAC SWI-JACK SWC Interface
· T-30 Torx bit
· Phillips screw driver
· Breaker bar
· 17mm socket
· Wire cutters
· Soldering iron
· Solder/soldering paste
· Heat shrink tubing/heat gun
· Wire
· Ring terminal
· Zip ties
· Electrical tape
· Multi meter

Step 1. Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery. Step on the brake pedal for 20 sec to discharge and current in the system.

Step2. Center the steering wheel



Step 3. Using the T-30 torx loosen the two torx bolts on the side of the steering wheel to remove the airbag. These screws will not come out all the way.


Step 4. Gently pull on the airbag out of the steering wheel, you will notice that there is a wiring harness (yellow, this is the airbag harness) and a stray black wire with a spade connector (Horn switch) holding the airbag to the steering wheel. To remove the airbag harness there is a small yellow tab that must be pulled up(use your fingernail or a small flat bladed screwdriver) Then the airbag harness should detach easily. Unclip the black spade connector and the air bag should be free of the steering wheel. Make sure you put the airbag in a safe place where nobody is going to touch it.





Step 5. Disconnect the green cruise control harness from the clock spring/roll connector.

Step 6. Using the 17mm socket and the breaker bar break loose the 17mm nut that holds the steering wheel on. It is best to leave the nut on the steering column till you have pulled the steering wheel off so you don't smack yourself in the face trying to pull off the steering wheel when it finally decides to let go. You can also use a steering wheel puller if you have one available. Once loose remove the nut and steering wheel.


*NOTE: the clock spring has a limited number of turns with the steering wheel off try not to turn it with the steering wheel off, if you force it you will break it.*

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[181stLeader]

Step 7. Remove the lower half of the steering column cover (there is one Phillips head screw on the bottom center securing it) It will pop off after the screw is removed.


Step 8. Remove the top steering column cover. Circled in the picture are two Phillips head screws that need to be removed. I wasn't able to completely remove the upper half of the column cover but it gave me enough room to get to the clock spring.





Step 9. There are 4 screws that hold the clock spring to the steering column. It will still be attached by the lower wiring harnesses. I'm sure you could find the plug downstream and be able to completely remove the clock spring form the car, but I didn't because I had enough room to work in the car. Be careful handling the clock spring as it is very delicate and I have heard it is $300 at the dealer, try not to spin it with the steering wheel off. I was also able to free up some wiggling room by unwrapping the clock spring wires off of the steering column. I also cut the ziptie that secured the cruise control side.





Step 10. This part is tricky, I popped open (its held together by many pop tabs around it) the bottom half of the clock spring just enough to gain access to the wiring on the side without the yellow airbag wires coming out of it. DO NOT DISASSEMBLE the whole clock spring it will shoot out a ribbon cable that will be a very big hassle to put back(if that is even possible).

You don't want this:



Theses are not my pics, I stole them from a thread over at LGT.com and re-hosted them.

Be careful not to pull very much on the wires they are very delicate, just pull enough to expose the terminals. There are 3 terminals that don't have any wires soldered to them. These are the ones we will be using (They correspond to the wires on the other side of the clock spring that have an unused connector to the very left. The legacy uses this plug for cruise control; it is unused on the WRX)

[181stLeader]

Step 11. Solder a wire to each of the 3 unused copper terminals. Test for continuity between the newly solders wires and the front connector of the clock spring. This ensures the solder joints are good and that there are no shorts. Position the newly soldered terminal block back to where it belongs in the clock spring and snap it back together. Put a new zip tie on the one you cut off to secure the cruise harness as well as your new wires you just added. Route the new wires you soldered down the steering column the same way the factory routes the cruise and airbag harness. Use zipties or electrical tape to secure it. Ensure that no wires are getting pinched in the tilt wheel mechanism.


Step 12. Reinstall the clock spring. There are instructions in the service manual and on the clock spring itself to reinstall it. Turn the clock spring all the way to the right until it hits it's stop. Now turn it to the left 3.25 turns. To get it exactly where it needs to go you line up two marks on the clock spring(they look like to triangles near the bottom of the moving part of the roll connector. When it is aligned properly the marks should be pointing at each other. Reinstall the steering column covers.

Step 13. This is where we need to do some splicing. The spec b audio controls use the same plug as the WRX cruise controls. The Spec B/LGT 5EAT wheel should come with a cruise control stalk that has the plug we need. I cut the white cruise control plug off the unused LGT/Spec B cruise stalk and spliced it into the Spec B audio controls.




Three wires are passed thought he clock spring. One wire is the signal wire for the SWC, the second is the power for the illumination of the buttons and the third is a ground for the SWC and illumination. The spec b plug is labeled from Right to left pin 1 is a blue wire (this is the signal wire for the SWC) 2 is a red wire (this is the ground for the SWC) 3 is a white wire (ground for the illumination) 4 is orange (It's the power for the illumination). What I did was twisted wires 2 and 3 together and soldered them to the third wire going through the clock spring. Wires 1 and 4 were then wired to the white plug we cut off of the LGT/spec B cruise control stalk.


*Note: if using a LGT 5EAT wheel to remove the old shift buttons you have to remove the back cover of the steering wheel to gain access to 2 screws that hold the shift/audio buttons to the steering wheel.*





Now we should have everything ready to plug back in and reinstall the steering wheel.

[181stLeader]

Step 14. To wire up the illumination we need to tap into a 12volt source that comes on when the lights do. I just taped into the violet wire that goes to the fog switch illumination. Solder a ring terminal on the 3rd wire(ground wire for illumination and the SWC) we have ran down the steering column and attach it to a suitable bolt that will be a good ground.

Step 15. This is where your install may be different. Many people use the SWC interface from PAC. The reviews I read said that the Metra interface performed better. To install the Metra Axxess AWSC box. It install easy, you need to hook up the red wire(pin 12) to a switched 12volts. Ground pins #2(white and green) and pin 6(black wire) for the Axxess box. Only other pin that needs to be connected is pin 5, (Grey/Red in color, connect this to the SWC wire we ran down the roll connector.

Step 16. Enjoy your Spec B steering wheel audio controls!

[Rexben]

Great step by step explanation on setting up the steering wheel controls! Thanks for letting me know about the roll connector.

[dustincredible]

Awesome write up!

[geddesk2]

:applause:

[ronzogonzo]

nice job!

[181stLeader]

Thanks for the positive feed back. I'm really liking this mod

[nategr8ns]

Oh man... I want this. Too bad, I don't think any wheels with aux controls fit on '99s, not to mention I doubt my clockspring has the extra wires.

[BeBop86]

Nice, so does the clock spring (turn off signals) and cruise control still work? I assume this should also work on an 02?

[181stLeader]

Originally Posted by nategr8ns

Oh man... I want this. Too bad, I don't think any wheels with aux controls fit on '99s, not to mention I doubt my clockspring has the extra wires.

I'm pretty sure any impreza wheel will fit on any other impreza. I have seen pics of GC's with GD steering wheels. I dont know about the clock spring. You could pull off your airbag and find out.

Originally Posted by BeBop86

Nice, so does the clock spring (turn off signals) and cruise control still work? I assume this should also work on an 02?

Yup, everything still works, horn, cruise, no airbag light. As for it working on the 02's I'm not sure. it depends on if the 02 clockspring has the extra plug slot on the left where I plugged in the white connector. If it does you will just need a 3 spoke wheel out of a legacy 5EAT or spec B and the airbag to go with it. You could pop off your air bag and see

[cbarbu]

I posted this Q on the "swap 08 onto 05" thread:
Do anybody know if legacy control buttons fit a GD DAMD wheel?
Thx!!

[cbarbu]

Thanks man...

[181stLeader]

Looks, good. Glad my write up was helpful. Good to know it works on that wheel.

[Ryan321]

Hey i have a queston. I have a 2001 impreza and a 2005 legacy wheel, what are the pinouts for the cruse control, i really want the cruse to work, never worked when I bought the car.Also, i have the horn unpluged because the airbag seems to constantly ground and it will not fit snug when bolted to the wheel causing the horn to turn on when i turn the wheel......

[hybrid gti 2]

Subscribed

[hybrid gti 2]

I think the steering wheel part number is 34311AG19AJC

[Performance Suby]

Step 15. This is where your install may be different. Many people use the SWC interface from PAC. The reviews I read said that the Metra interface performed better. To install the Metra Axxess AWSC box. It install easy, you need to hook up the red wire(pin 12) to a switched 12volts. Ground pins #2(grey and redwire) and pin 6(black wire) for the Axxess box. Only other pin that needs to be connected is pin 5(connect this to the SWC wire we ran down the roll connector.

The write up is much appreciated, however I believe you mixed up the corresponding wire colors for pin 2 & 5 for the METRA Axxess ASWC box.

I believe pin 5 (gray/red) is suppose to be connected to the SWC signal wire from the steering wheel, while pin 2 (white/green) is suppose to be grounded with pin 6 (black) from the Axxess box.

Below is a link to the pdf file from Metra, pg 5 shows the pin out for the ASWC box.

http://metraonline.com/files/products/INSTASWC_web.pdf

Here's another link for Axxess box installation into a 3rd gen Outback with SWC. You will see on the 1st pg, point #4 states to ground the white/green wire (pin 2) with the black wire (pin 6) of the Axxess box. There is also some additional information on the 2nd pg in the link below for wiring in aftermarket head units.

https://metradealer.com/files/aswc/ASWC-1_INST_953.pdf

Please confirm if this correct, and if possible edit your write up, to prevent any future diy-er errors.

[181stLeader]

The pinouts are correct, but I did have a typo on the color, I will correct that. I'm glad the write up was useful to you. I have these controls on my 2005 forester XS(the roll conector in the 05+forester is pre wired for the controls too so you don't have to solder to the roll connector!)

[javishm]

I did my wiring for a 07 Forester.

From the Info you posted I can connect the Illumknation and the SWC negoative togethet the at the clock spring harness
My harness only had four wires and is giving me a hard time to add the fifth one

[AZRich]

Thank you for this! Super-helpful.
‘05 Saabaru now has audio controls on swapped steering wheel.

[JarHarms]

Have looking into this mod for my 2006 WRX and reading up. So far I have a suitable wheel, ASWC-1, and the SWC switch assembly on its way. I have a few questions.

Originally Posted by 181stLeader

...This is my write up on how to install the Legacy Spec B steering wheel controls into my WRX with an aftermarket head unit. I don't know how to hook up the SWC to the stock 6 disc changer so don't ask...

The factory radios use two SWC circuits: a 5v reference from radio to the SWC and a return signal to determine the voltage changes based on which buttons are pressed. Sort of a moot point since this mod involves an aftermarket radio and SWC interface. I would bet if one wanted to do this mod using a factory SWC-able radio in a GD...it is not going to work since not enough open roll connector circuits. The GD cruise switch just uses so many circuits.

Originally Posted by 181stLeader

...Three wires are passed though the clock spring. One wire is the signal wire for the SWC, the second is the power for the illumination of the buttons and the third is a ground for the SWC and illumination. The spec b plug is labeled from Right to left pin 1 is a blue wire (this is the signal wire for the SWC) 2 is a red wire (this is the ground for the SWC) 3 is a white wire (ground for the illumination) 4 is orange (It's the power for the illumination). What I did was twisted wires 2 and 3 together and soldered them to the third wire going through the clock spring. Wires 1 and 4 were then wired to the white plug we cut off of the LGT/spec B cruise control stalk.

Step 14. To wire up the illumination we need to tap into a 12volt source that comes on when the lights do. I just taped into the violet wire that goes to the fog switch illumination. Solder a ring terminal on the 3rd wire(ground wire for illumination and the SWC) we have ran down the steering column and attach it to a suitable bolt that will be a good ground...

...To install the Metra Axxess AWSC box. It install easy, you need to hook up the red wire(pin 12) to a switched 12volts. Ground pins #2(white and green) and pin 6(black wire) for the Axxess box. Only other pin that needs to be connected is pin 5, (Grey/Red in color, connect this to the SWC wire we ran down the roll connector...

I follow that wiring and the tapping the violet wire since it is the switched illum 12v circuit. So the other side of this illumination went to chassis ground under the column? Did the SWC button illumination dim along with the dash lights or just on full brightness? My guess, the buttons did not dim.

Originally Posted by 181stLeader

...Yup, everything still works, horn, cruise, no airbag light...

Did the ASWC-1 auto program or did you have to manually set those afterwards? Seems like the ASWC-1 must be reading the resistance from pin5 through the SWC circuit to the chassis ground.

[NewShockerGuy]

I'm swapping my stereo out on my 05' STi, and I'm so tempted to do this... I have a Damd steering wheel but having the steering wheel controls for the new pioneer stereo would be fun!

Very tempting. The only thing that slightly scares me is the clock spring and how they opened it slightly... I've done all work on the car, cut a hole in the roof for a spec-c roof vent..etc. But for some reason I don't want that clock spring to spin open..lol

And did we get an answer on if the steering wheel control lights dim or are they are a constant brightness?

EDIT:
I received my steering control switches, and axxes SWC module. I am waiting on the legacy cruise stalk so I can cut the connector off of it. My axxes control box didn't turn on at all. It was a dud, so I should have the new one tomorrow.

Would be nice to be able to start this install maybe in a week or two. I'll update once I get going.

-Nigel

[NewShockerGuy]

So my first Axxes ASWC-1 box was DOA. No power or anything.

Got the second one today. Plugged it all in to test and success!! Buttons works. I don't have everything plugged into the stereo, but the volume/mode/up/down work. When I push the mute button the ATT on my headunit blinks so I can assume that I need to plug something in for it to register to mute, other wise I'll have to map the button. If I long press the button I get google/siri type voice recognition.

But they light up red, and they work with the axxes control box. I have everything temp wired up just to test. I took out the Avic d3 in my STi, and replacing it with a newer pioneer headunit and while I am there I ordered some new stuff so I can run some wires and clean things up.. Waiting on s204 trim piece.



My only hurdle with this is going to be ever so gently doing the clock spring.

I recieved my legacy cruise control stalk and will be cutting the white connector off so everything is plug and play from the stand point of connections.

YAY! Can't wait. I'll post pictures once I am done. Probably be a few weeks but should look good on the DAMD steering wheel that I have. Fantastic thread and those who have contributed!

-Nigel