Steering Wheel Button Lights
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Moore, SC
Steering Wheel Button Lights
Was wondering if anyone has ever replaced the lights in the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel. It looks like you can pop the cover off, but I'm a little worried about the airbag etc. My left one for the On Off buttons is out.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,748
Likes: 16
From: Connecticut
Steering Wheel Button Lights
My Ford manual says:
The steering wheel trim cover:
- encases the driver air bag module and horn switch.
- has tear seams that separate to allow inflation of the air bag.
- must not be repainted for any reason.
- is a component of the driver air bag module and is not repaired separately.
There are also about half a dozen or so warnings regarding unexpected airbag deployment when working on the steering wheel components.
The steering wheel trim cover:
- encases the driver air bag module and horn switch.
- has tear seams that separate to allow inflation of the air bag.
- must not be repainted for any reason.
- is a component of the driver air bag module and is not repaired separately.
There are also about half a dozen or so warnings regarding unexpected airbag deployment when working on the steering wheel components.
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Moore, SC
Steering Wheel Button Lights
I actually took the little black plastic cover off of the left side of the steering wheel where the cruise control On/Off buttons are, but i think when i did it I might have messed it up a little bit. Anyway, after i got it loose, i took the bulb to a Ford dealer and they looked at me like I was crazy and told me they didn't have a bulb to fit it. Well, that was about a year ago and recently I've started thinking that it is probably a regular instrumentation bulb (I've never changed any instrumentation bulbs before so i didn't know what they looked like until recently I have a speedometer light out that I bought bulbs for but haven't changed yet). I can't find the bulb that I took out of it, does anyone have a manual that calls out the bulb type for these steering wheel cruise control indicators? Thanks Rock and all others...I really am glad I found this site...lots of good stuff here.
New User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Steering Wheel Button Lights
I have the same problem...the left side of my steering wheel lights are out! I think the wires to it shorted out though...before it went out, they would "blink" as I turned the wheel. Now they just don't work at all. Bad wiring maybe? and if it is, how the heck would I fix it?
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Moore, SC
Steering Wheel Button Lights
burchoid,
I learned when I was messing with my steering wheel that the circuit board that is underneath the cover with the On Off buttons has some pins on it that must fit tight into a wire connector that is located inside the steering wheel. The wire connector can get loose from the circuit board and the buttons will no longer work or the lights. You might want to check to see if your board is still plugged in...the easiest way to do this is to look down the crack between the soft steering wheel cover and the hard plastic case that holds the On Off buttons. You can see the connector down there and you should be able to tell if it is connected. In order to see in there you might have to stick a dowel rod or something between the black plastic and the soft cover...
also, I did all this without disconnecting the battery, but it might be a good idea to do so for fear of airbag deployment. I can try to get a picture of where this connector is if you can't understand my explanation. Just let me know.
I learned when I was messing with my steering wheel that the circuit board that is underneath the cover with the On Off buttons has some pins on it that must fit tight into a wire connector that is located inside the steering wheel. The wire connector can get loose from the circuit board and the buttons will no longer work or the lights. You might want to check to see if your board is still plugged in...the easiest way to do this is to look down the crack between the soft steering wheel cover and the hard plastic case that holds the On Off buttons. You can see the connector down there and you should be able to tell if it is connected. In order to see in there you might have to stick a dowel rod or something between the black plastic and the soft cover...
also, I did all this without disconnecting the battery, but it might be a good idea to do so for fear of airbag deployment. I can try to get a picture of where this connector is if you can't understand my explanation. Just let me know.
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
Steering Wheel Button Lights
Ya, they same thing happened to mine (1998). I ordered the cruise control switches (cost like $25). Just unhook the battery and you will be fine with the air bag. Both the "On and Off" and "Speed/Reset" come pre-wired together. All I did was replace the one side which the lights were burned on. Because the wiring harness which attaches both switches is wound behind the steering wheel. If you were to replace both you would need a steering wheel puller.
Rick
Rick
