steering wheel control light and passenger switch light..

[unico13]

Greetings to all!

Just wanna know If anyone's here experienced what happened to me?

So I decided to put led on my steering wheel control after they burned out..
when i put my led and its not working after following the polarity what Ive seen
to our site. I pull out one of the led and reverse the polarity and olah!! it works!

but when I put them together to the original place its not working at all,. and if I put another Led or just ground the
possitve and the ground the leds are working.
Do the steering wheel control have their own fuse? if yes. where is it?
and Im wondering cause the buttons are working properly,. only the lights are not working..

and after that day I checked all the lights and found out that my passenger switch are out as well( Its already converted to leds last year).
So I removed it from the solder and its working but its constant even my car is off, the light socket feeding 12v.. So I decided to take the led off..
Thank you in advance!

 

[Blckshdw]

Greetings to all!

Just wanna know If anyone's here experienced what happened to me?

So I decided to put led on my steering wheel control after they burned out..
when i put my led and its not working after following the polarity what Ive seen
to our site. I pull out one of the led and reverse the polarity and olah!! it works!

but when I put them together to the original place its not working at all,. and if I put another Led or just ground the
possitve and the ground the leds are working.
Do the steering wheel control have their own fuse? if yes. where is it?
and Im wondering cause the buttons are working properly,. only the lights are not working..

and after that day I checked all the lights and found out that my passenger switch are out as well( Its already converted to leds last year).
So I removed it from the solder and its working but its constant even my car is off, the light socket feeding 12v.. So I decided to take the led off..
Thank you in advance!

So are your LEDs burning out? Or just intermittently working? If you're putting different LEDs in, and they light up, the illumination fuse is not the problem. (that circuit feeds all of the lighting in the dash that come on when the parking lights come on)

I had the same issue with my passenger door module, where the buttons were lit up whether the truck was on or not. I bought a used module off Ebay and swapped it out, problem solved.

 

[unico13]

So are your LEDs burning out? Or just intermittently working? If you're putting different LEDs in, and they light up, the illumination fuse is not the problem. (that circuit feeds all of the lighting in the dash that come on when the parking lights come on)

I had the same issue with my passenger door module, where the buttons were lit up whether the truck was on or not. I bought a used module off Ebay and swapped it out, problem solved.

Thank you for your reply Sir Blckshdw!!!

No its the same Leds, what I just tried to do from the picture is to have jumper,. As you can see in 2nd picture if I put the Led or I can put any conductor to the + and - of the circuit the steering wheel control lights up,.
But you cant control/dimmer the lights.

And thank you for the info about the module. maybe Ill wait or look for it in Pick n pull here in canada, Cause shipping from US is more than the price of used module,.

 

[Blckshdw]

Oh, now I understand. Hmm...

Since the LEDs are polarized, I would doublecheck that you didn't install one of them backwards, which would break the circuit. (although I wouldn't think that ALL of the buttons' illumination power is from 1 big series circuit )

Does the same trick work if you try it with any of the other buttons? You could also try changing the buttons around, to see if the problem stays with the button, or if it happens with one particular wire harness in the steering wheel. Somehow we need to narrow down where the problem lies, to troubleshoot it better.

 

[unico13]

Oh, now I understand. Hmm...

Since the LEDs are polarized, I would doublecheck that you didn't install one of them backwards, which would break the circuit. (although I wouldn't think that ALL of the buttons' illumination power is from 1 big series circuit )


Does the same trick work if you try it with any of the other buttons? You could also try changing the buttons around, to see if the problem stays with the button, or if it happens with one particular wire harness in the steering wheel. Somehow we need to narrow down where the problem lies, to troubleshoot it better.

thank you for helping me out..
I did the trick to all of them and I have the same results,. I Also tried moving them around but I can only swap the bottom buttons coz the upper buttons have different pins 5pins on right and 6 pins on left,.
And all the leds light up when Im doing the trick,. So Im thinking I have the right polarity,. Or am I wrong? maybe the reason why they all light up because of the jumper?

I also tried just to put them 1 by 1 and its not working unless doing the trick,.

 

[Blckshdw]

It's hard to see where you placed the legs of the jumper LED, do you have any closer pictures of it?

Do you have a volt meter to confirm you have the polarities correct? I remember when I posted the polarities for the manual HVAC module, it turned out to be incorrect for some people, because we didn't realize there were 2 different circuit board models for the manual controls at the time. Maybe your polarities are different than the ones posted, and using that jumper is backfeeding voltage into your circuit, that doesn't get there through the contact pads normally.

Edit: For shits and giggles, I'd try re-soldering the LEDs on one button in the reverse polarity that you have now, and see if they light up. If they do, then you found the problem.

 

[unico13]

View attachment 30290

It's hard to see where you placed the legs of the jumper LED, do you have any closer pictures of it?

Do you have a volt meter to confirm you have the polarities correct? I remember when I posted the polarities for the manual HVAC module, it turned out to be incorrect for some people, because we didn't realize there were 2 different circuit board models for the manual controls at the time. Maybe your polarities are different than the ones posted, and using that jumper is backfeeding voltage into your circuit, that doesn't get there through the contact pads normally.

Edit: For shits and giggles, I'd try re-soldering the LEDs on one button in the reverse polarity that you have now, and see if they light up. If they do, then you found the problem.

so this are my polarity right now..
As I understand to your suggestion sir I have to reverse one of them? or should I reverse them all?

For the jumper Im putting the + of the Extra led to the first pin from the bottom and anywhere for - of the led.

 

[Blckshdw]

I think you should try reversing the polarity of the LEDs in one of the buttons, and then hook that button up to the steering wheel by itself.

If that doesn't work, then a video showing the different ways you use the LED as a jumper would be helpful. I would need to see exactly where the different contact points are, that are making the circuit work properly, to better figure out what's not working right.

 

[Mooseman]

I used these diagrams from the OS to do my LEDs and no problems at all. I think you must have switched one or two and it's buggering up the whole thing.

SS Blue Gauges...DONE - Chevy TrailBlazer, TrailBlazer SS and GMC Envoy Forum

 

[unico13]

I think you should try reversing the polarity of the LEDs in one of the buttons, and then hook that button up to the steering wheel by itself.

If that doesn't work, then a video showing the different ways you use the LED as a jumper would be helpful. I would need to see exactly where the different contact points are, that are making the circuit work properly, to better figure out what's not working right.

Thank you for reply!

Just came from work,.I will post a video of how the jumper thing works,. and I tried flip the LED's but what I noticed are they are not lighting and even Im doing the jumper thing..

 

[unico13]

I used these diagrams from the OS to do my LEDs and no problems at all. I think you must have switched one or two and it's buggering up the whole thing.

SS Blue Gauges...DONE - Chevy TrailBlazer, TrailBlazer SS and GMC Envoy Forum

Thank you for input Sir!

As I said I made this polarity in my steering whell and it doesnt work,.Im hoping that my truck is the same wiring as everyone here,.

 

[kjkim93]

maybe your clockspring went bad? Thats what someone told me since i bought new controls for my steering wheel and it still hasnt lit up.

 

[unico13]

maybe your clockspring went bad? Thats what someone told me since i bought new controls for my steering wheel and it still hasnt lit up.

Thank you for your input sir!

May I know in your case is your buttons working and your lights are not? or both not working?
Cause in my case the buttons are working but not lighting,.

If we have the same problem,In that case I have to change my clockspring, which is I dont know how,and have to dig here on how to..

Thankyou for your help..

 

[kjkim93]

Thank you for your input sir!

May I know in your case is your buttons working and your lights are not? or both not working?
Cause in my case the buttons are working but not lighting,.

If we have the same problem,In that case I have to change my clockspring, which is I dont know how,and have to dig here on how to..

Thankyou for your help..

Buttons function but no lights. I still haven't changed it researching more before I change it out

 

[unico13]

Buttons function but no lights. I still haven't changed it researching more before I change it out

relieved!!! now I know Im not the only one..
maybe we can help each other out!!

 

[The_Roadie]

I'm still confused and shocked how troubleshooting a LED problem EVER involved spinning them around and putting them in backwards. Or using them in some way as a jumper.

LEDs have a positive and negative direction. A voltmeter can locate the positive side of the PC board that they plug into. See the drawing for how to identify the positive side of a naked LED.

View attachment 30317

Unless this steering wheel is special, and the LEDs are in some sort of series string like Christmas tree lamps, and removing one will kill the entire string, then the LEDs are individually powered in parallel like all the other lamps in the vehicle. Remove one and the other ones stay on. This is what parallel circuits DO.

The lamp function and the button function is totally and entirely separate.

If one of the lights worked in the steering wheel, then all of them should be possible to get working and the clockspring is good. If they are ALL now dead, then the clockspring is probably good because unless they're over-spun, they almost never go bad. I bet one of the TBC fuses in the rear fuse block that handles the dimmable lamps has been blown with all the guesswork and fiddling about. This is especially the case if any of the OTHER lamps on the dash, control modules, or switches are also dead.

 

[unico13]

I'm still confused and shocked how troubleshooting a LED problem EVER involved spinning them around and putting them in backwards. Or using them in some way as a jumper.

LEDs have a positive and negative direction. A voltmeter can locate the positive side of the PC board that they plug into. See the drawing for how to identify the positive side of a naked LED.

View attachment 17102

Unless this steering wheel is special, and the LEDs are in some sort of series string like Christmas tree lamps, and removing one will kill the entire string, then the LEDs are individually powered in parallel like all the other lamps in the vehicle. Remove one and the other ones stay on. This is what parallel circuits DO.

The lamp function and the button function is totally and entirely separate.

If one of the lights worked in the steering wheel, then all of them should be possible to get working and the clockspring is good. If they are ALL now dead, then the clockspring is probably good because unless they're over-spun, they almost never go bad. I bet one of the TBC fuses in the rear fuse block that handles the dimmable lamps has been blown with all the guesswork and fiddling about. This is especially the case if any of the OTHER lamps on the dash, control modules, or switches are also dead.

Thanks Sir the roadie

I believed I can tell wheres the anode and cathode of an LED..

I will check my rear fuse box,.

 

[The_Roadie]

I believed I can tell wheres the anode and cathode of an LED..

Didn't these LEDs work in the past? If they did, then why is turning them around something you would try to fix a dead one? I'm still not understanding something, which is why I hesitated to even venture into this thread.

 

[Blckshdw]

Didn't these LEDs work in the past? If they did, then why is turning them around something you would try to fix a dead one? I'm still not understanding something, which is why I hesitated to even venture into this thread.

...

So I decided to put led on my steering wheel control after they burned out.. when i put my led and its not working after following the polarity what Ive seen to our site. I pull out one of the led and reverse the polarity and olah!! it works!

but when I put them together to the original place its not working at all,. and if I put another Led or just ground the positive and the ground the leds are working.

...

A snippet from the first post. The OP claimed that reversing the polarity of 1 LED from caused it to work. I had asked him if he had a meter to confirm his polarities were correct, but I assume not, as that question went unanswered. That's what lead me to believe all of his polarities were backwards.

Here's a video he sent me in a PM. When he jumps the pins on the circuit board, all of the button LEDs light up. I haven't had a chance to look at the wiring diagram to see what pin does what function on each of those boards, so I don't know what power source he's tapping, or where he's sending the current. I don't have steering wheel control buttons myself, so I don't have that modding experience under my belt.

[video=youtube_share;jZ3HtyH5B6U]http://youtu.be/jZ3HtyH5B6U[/video]

 

[Mooseman]

Looking at the diagrams from the TV thread I posted, I think I know what is happening. When the boards are outside of the case, it is possible to reverse the plug into the board. The two pins that he is shorting are not related to the lighting at all but flip the plug and the second one from the bottom is +. He is somehow completing the circuit when he shorts those two pins.

I say stick the boards into their switch cases and plug them in correctly. When in their cases, the plugs are indexed with a clip preventing reversing them.

 

[The_Roadie]

I had asked him if he had a meter to confirm his polarities were correct, but I assume not, as that question went unanswered. That's what lead me to believe all of his polarities were backwards.

Ahhhhh, I saw that went unanswered. I had a policy I just violated of not getting into an electrical troubleshooting process with somebody who can't or won't use a meter. It's an absolutely mandatory tool for this sort of job. Otherwise it's just guessing and shotgunning, and that way is nuts.

When he jumps the pins on the circuit board, all of the button LEDs light up. I haven't had a chance to look at the wiring diagram to see what pin does what function on each of those boards, so I don't know what power source he's tapping, or where he's sending the current.

Ahhhhh, the ol' sneak path issue. When you troubleshoot blindly without knowing WTF is up, this can happen.

There are TWO processes happening in the steering wheel. The lamps are not in series, they are in parallel. All with ground on one side and the Dimmable Lamp Bus on the other. That way the BCM can dim the lights along with the other instrument panel lamps.

The OTHER process is the button command functions, whether they be HVAC, DIC or entertainment system controls. The BCM puts 12V (DC, not dimmable) on one end of a series string of resistors. The eight resistors in the steering wheel form a resistor ladder, and the switches select which tap gets sent back to the BCM, where there is one additional resistor, for measurement. It's like a potentiometer with individual taps instead of a smooth rotational control.

Since the switch function is fed at one end with a 12V reference signal, sending current from this circuit THROUGH a LED to the dimmable light bus will light up all the LEDs even if the dimmable bus is dead or off. Shorting the 12V switch circuit to the dimmable bus by poking LED leads around in there at random could conceivably do damage to the dimmable bus, and we've discussed which fuse that is in other similar threads.

 

[unico13]

Looking at the diagrams from the TV thread I posted, I think I know what is happening. When the boards are outside of the case, it is possible to reverse the plug into the board. The two pins that he is shorting are not related to the lighting at all but flip the plug and the second one from the bottom is +. He is somehow completing the circuit when he shorts those two pins.

I say stick the boards into their switch cases and plug them in correctly. When in their cases, the plugs are indexed with a clip preventing reversing them.

Thank you sir! I did put everything in place the first time I change all the bulbs to LED( using the polarity info from trailvoy) and it didnt worked. So I pull them out again and reverse all the polarity., and put them back again and I got same result., that why I decided to take them from their housing and test them like this.,
And I can say that I put them in the right way, coz every circuit they have special way to put in their cases., for the upper left have 5 pins right 6pins and at the lower buttons, left have 2 holes on the circuit and on the right aswell

 

[unico13]

Thanks Sir the roadie

I believed I can tell wheres the anode and cathode of an LED..

I will check my rear fuse box,.

Good day!

Just double check my rear fuses as well in the front ( thingking theres a fuse connected to the steering wheel).
But they are all good,.
Now Im getting frustrated,. maybe I will just put back my steering wheel control without lights,.
Coz I put the old bulb which is not busted to one of the circuit,. but its not working..

 

[The_Roadie]

Do all your other dimmable lamps work in the dash?

 

[unico13]

Do all your other dimmable lamps work in the dash?

Yes! they are...

 

[zamimj222]

Greetings to all!

Just wanna know If anyone's here experienced what happened to me?

So I decided to put led on my steering wheel control after they burned out..
when i put my led and its not working after following the polarity what Ive seen
to our site. I pull out one of the led and reverse the polarity and olah!! it works!

but when I put them together to the original place its not working at all,. and if I put another Led or just ground the
possitve and the ground the leds are working.
Do the steering wheel control have their own fuse? if yes. where is it?
and Im wondering cause the buttons are working properly,. only the lights are not working..

and after that day I checked all the lights and found out that my passenger switch are out as well( Its already converted to leds last year).
So I removed it from the solder and its working but its constant even my car is off, the light socket feeding 12v.. So I decided to take the led off..
Thank you in advance!

I am trying to find info on how to remove these switches without breaking anything. I have a few lights burned out and want to replace them.
thank you

 

[The_Roadie]

Pull carefully in the slots with tiny tools like dental picks.

 

[zamimj222]

Pull carefully in the slots with tiny tools like dental picks.

Thank you Roadie!!! I will try this and see what I can do. It is only a few lights and they have been burned out since I bought the truck used. Should I wait for a little warmer weather? My truck sits out all the time and we are getting into the Below 0 weather in SW WI.
Just want to make sure I can prevent anything from going wrong that could.....

 

[dmanns67]

Thank you Roadie!!! I will try this and see what I can do. It is only a few lights and they have been burned out since I bought the truck used. Should I wait for a little warmer weather? My truck sits out all the time and we are getting into the Below 0 weather in SW WI.
Just want to make sure I can prevent anything from going wrong that could.....

I find it easier to work on interior items when they are warm. I replaced all my steering wheel controls a couple weeks ago. I decided to do it after my truck was warm and came home from running an errand. They are definitely a pain in the a$$ to get out. The wires that connect to the control button on my TB were not long enough to pull the button completely out of the steering wheel. I had to manipulate the soft rubber on the steering wheel enough to push the locking connector to release the wires. It was even more fun trying to install them.

It took about an hour to remove the air bag, remove/replace all control buttons, and reinstall the air bag. Below is a list of Dorman part numbers for each individual control button. I found them the cheapest brand new on Amazon.com.

-Fuel/Road 901-120
-Vehicle Setting/Reset 901-121
-Source/Program 901-122
-Seek/Volume 901-123

 

[zamimj222]

I find it easier to work on interior items when they are warm. I replaced all my steering wheel controls a couple weeks ago. I decided to do it after my truck was warm and came home from running an errand. They are definitely a pain in the a$$ to get out. The wires that connect to the control button on my TB were not long enough to pull the button completely out of the steering wheel. I had to manipulate the soft rubber on the steering wheel enough to push the locking connector to release the wires. It was even more fun trying to install them.

It took about an hour to remove the air bag, remove/replace all control buttons, and reinstall the air bag. Below is a list of Dorman part numbers for each individual control button. I found them the cheapest brand new on Amazon.com.

-Fuel/Road 901-120
-Vehicle Setting/Reset 901-121
-Source/Program 901-122
-Seek/Volume 901-123

Thank you dmanns!! I have replacement light bulbs so I am planning to replace the two that are out.

 

[dmanns67]

Thank you dmanns!! I have replacement light bulbs so I am planning to replace the two that are out.

Easy enough. Although I did not reuse mine, the only damage my buttons sustained was a little scrapping on the side from the flat head screw driver I was using. The steering wheel would have covered it up when installed since it was only on the side.