LS1GTO Forums banner

If your steering wheel controls are acting funky, please read

1 reading
5.7K views 34 replies 26 participants last post by  Abs  
#1 · (Edited)
I sent an email to someone I met that works for GM with the text of a thread I started a few days ago about my steering wheel controls acting funky.

The raise volume button muted the radio, the lower volume button raised the volume. Then the raise station button changed the mode and the lower station button raised the station. Then it worked correctly. Then the volume acted up. Then....

I got this reply today:
Tom
I sent on your note to the person who follows the GTO warranty. He has a
conference call every Monday evening with the Product team who is located
down under. If he has any advice, I will let you know
If you have these symptoms please add your name to the list, and maybe the last few digits of your vin. I will forward a link to this thread, and hopefully a moderator can make this a sticky for a few weeks.

My VIN is 302573 if that helps.
 
#10 ·
Flashpoint said:
No one listens to me:cry:
Are you refering to your post about pulling the stereo out and cleaning the contact where it plugs into the stereo? If that was you, or whomever for that matter, good info, but we shouldn't have to do that all the time to keep them functional. I will mention that info to my dealer when my parts come in. Hopefully, there will be a true, permanent fix for this as it is annoying.
 
#11 ·
WickedGoat said:
Are you refering to your post about pulling the stereo out and cleaning the contact where it plugs into the stereo? If that was you, or whomever for that matter, good info, but we shouldn't have to do that all the time to keep them functional. I will mention that info to my dealer when my parts come in. Hopefully, there will be a true, permanent fix for this as it is annoying.
Yes that was me, and i agree that you shouldn't have to do this to get it to work, but the only perment fix for that problem would be a redesign of the SWC and that isn't going to happen.

There seem to be 2 separate problems however, one is where something is shorted and 1 where it is just increase resistance due to corrosion of the terminal pins.

The first is only fixed by replacing the control buttons or fixing the board if it is accessable. (this could be fixed by adding a resistor that is beefier(for lack of a better term) the other, can't really be fixed without changing the connectors on the radios.

It is a design flaw, that the resistances for each button are too close together. The other side the spread is much father apart, which is why only 1 side is affected.

There is a TSB somewhere stating the SWC problem. I read it on here somewhere awhile ago.
 
#12 ·
2004 GTO M6
Vin 4L232746
My steering wheel controls are acting up also, sometimes.
Press Vol+ and the volume goes down and Press Vol- and it goes up. Shake the steering wheel and it works ok until the next time.
Took it to the dealer and got the famous "can not duplicate problem".
 
#13 ·
Add me, 2004 GTO I'll get the VIN later and edit. Mine freaks out once a month or so.
 
#14 ·
I have the exact same problem, they act up for a while, but then everything goes back to normal...
 
#16 ·
#18 ·
2004
I posted on the thread but will repost here. I had the exact same problem yesterday. I shut the car off and let it sit for about 5 hours. No problems since then. This isn't the first time it has happened. About once a week or so.
 
#19 ·
GM already knows about this issue and may have already resolved this problem. I had my steering wheel buttons replaced a few months ago and they have been working fine ever since. The buttons have a different tactile feel than the originals so it may be a revised part.

Here is a link to a good thread with info on how the buttons work:
http://www.ls1gto.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24571
 
#20 ·
Me too - right side only. :(

.
 
#21 ·
My steering wheel buttons do just as described every so often. Good to see I'm not the only one experiencing this problem!

VIN 270105
 
#22 ·
My buttons just went haywire today and my volume lower no longer works..
crap... I really didnt want to have to go to the dealer ...crap..
 
#25 ·
steering wheel buttons acting funky

GM knows about this problem andsent out a bullitin #--- wil post later i will have to look it back up on dealerworld. it basicly states that deales are replacing the steering wheel control buttons and it is fixing the problems but when gm has recalled the buttons and tested them nothing is wrong or out of spec. they now recommend to try unplugging the buttons and retesting and they say it should fix the problem. i would recommend askig the tech to put dialectric grease in the connector so no corrosion would form. you need a special tool to remove the air bag to unplug the buttons so you will need to take it to the dealer.
 
#26 ·
is it an in and out thing or did you have to leave car there..
I really dont want to leave my car at any dealer..