With some slightly warmer weather here in PA I pulled the knee paneling off to take a look to see if the wiring is there for the JL4 option and at least for my car it is not :(

The necessary wiring is there from the body to column connector to the column but not before the body connector which leads me to believe that GM uses a different harness and maybe even a different head unit for cars equipped with steering wheel controls?

The necessary wiring from the body to column connector ends in a loose connector slightly up and above the column. You can see it if you move the rubber panel that is above the knee panel.

My mother in law has a Buick with steering wheel controls that is 1 year newer then my SE so I might have to pull the knee panel from it and see if the JL4 wiring is there.

Hope this info helps!

First of all, you won't find any wiring that goes from the steering column to the radio for steering wheel controls.

These controls ultimately connect to the Dash Integration Module (DIM). The DIM determines which button is pressed (I won't elaborate here as to exactly how), and sends a signal to the radio over the Class 2 Serial Data Bus.

In order to connect steering wheel controls, you will need the correct Inflatable Restraint Steering Wheel Module Coil (as the connection is made via this part), the steering wheel controls themselves and the correct steering wheel. All the wiring from the DIM to the steering column will also have to exist. As I recall, you will also need to have your DIM correctly programmed (via a Tech 2 scan tool) to tell it the controls exist. There is nothing that needs to be done on the part of the radio itself. The HU is the same with or without controls. If it sees a message on the Class 2 Serial Data Bus it will process it accordingly.

Here is a schematic of the Steering Wheel Controls for a 2004 Bonneville:



Not sure where the discussion about RPO JL4 came from, but this really has nothing to do with steering wheel controls. If you want to know if the (pre)wiring exists, check for conductors at cavities C11 (Remote Radio Control Supply Voltage) and D8 (Steering Wheel Controls Signal) of C202. They should be purple and dark blue wires respectively.

So if I understand correctly...if I have the purple and dark blue wires at connector 202 then it i simply a matter of adding the wheel with controls and the coil?

I assume that this connector is one of the 2 big ones under the knee panel?

I guess I could always add these wires if they did not exist.

The wires from the DIM to the radio already exist then?

Thanks for the great info!

It should be the BLACK 40 cavity connector behind the knee bolster. There should also be a NATURAL colour connector (C200) beside it. Rows A & D both have 8 cavities each and rows B & C each have 12 cavities. A & D are the two OUTSIDE rows while B & C are the two INSIDE rows. You will also notice that rows A & D have a mix of large and small electrical terminals while rows B & C are all of the smaller sized terminals.

To see if the wiring exists to the DIM, check the FEMALE half of the connector. You need to look specifically at cavities C11 and D8 because there will also be DK BLU and PPL wires in other cavities of this same connector for other functions.

You should see small letters/numbers embossed on the plastic housings which will allow you to determine the correct cavities.

As for the wiring from the DIM to the RADIO, there is no question that it will exist. It WILL be there. This is the Class 2 Serial Data Bus and it links several vehicle components in order that they can talk to each other. The DIM and RADIO are only two of several which communicate with each other.

Well I checked and I do have the purple and dark blue wires in D8 and C11 positions of the black connector so it looks like the wiring is there from column to DIM.

I will have to phone the dealer now and see what they will charge to program the DIM with this option.

Thanks for the info. It was very helpful!

That'* Great Sometimes the best way to win the battle is a little at a time. I'm curious to know how the rest goes.

Well, I can sum this up in one word....




SUCESS!!!!



All it took was the replacement of the SIR Coil assy, as it had the wiring needed to run the length of the column from the dash harness to the new steering wheel. The dash harness had the radio plug taped up in it (Thank God!)!!!!! Another plus was the fact the air bag was the same for the different steering wheels!

Thanks again to custom88, bonnyguy & ddalder who responded and made this all possible for me to explore!!!


So to sum it up....new steering wheel & new SIR coil with UK3 option!!!

glad to hear, that it all worked out

No reprogram of the DIM was needed either...just plugged it in & it worked!!!

I only wish I would have done this 2 years ago!

Sweet,

I shall begin searching for a wheel and maybe off the same donor car I can get the SIR coil. (what the heck does that look like ?)