2012 Steering wheel work
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2012 Steering wheel work
I've got a 2012 A7 with a three-spoke steering wheel. The rotary dial on the right-side control cluster (i.e., the volume/mute controller) has cracked and is starting to break apart. The dealership quoted $700 to replace it, so naturally I've been very motivated to find a less expensive fix.
I recently got a good deal on a complete wheel (minus the air bag assembly), and judging from some videos I've found online it looks like replacing the control cluster assembly shouldn't be too difficult. (I've already removed the replacement part from the new wheel and am assuming that installing it should basically be the same procedure in reverse.) But before I dive in, I want to make sure that there are no unforeseen issues lurking in the shadows. So, a couple of questions for anyone with experience in this process:
I recently got a good deal on a complete wheel (minus the air bag assembly), and judging from some videos I've found online it looks like replacing the control cluster assembly shouldn't be too difficult. (I've already removed the replacement part from the new wheel and am assuming that installing it should basically be the same procedure in reverse.) But before I dive in, I want to make sure that there are no unforeseen issues lurking in the shadows. So, a couple of questions for anyone with experience in this process:
1. The wheel from which I'm taking the replacement control assembly is a 4-spoke wheel, whereas mine is a 3-spoke. That shouldn't matter, should it? The parts appear to be the same for both.
2. Because (as far as I can tell) I'm replacing the original control assembly with the exact same part, it should be a simple plug-and-play swap out, right? No VAG-related complications that would prevent the car from "recognizing" the new part? I don't have a VAG-COM cable, so I'd be out of luck if there's any kind of registration/activation involved.
3. Similar issue with re-attaching the air bag: just disconnecting and reconnecting the original unit shouldn't cause anything to stop working or require any type of re-activation, should it?
4. Anything else that I'm not thinking of?
Thanks!
2. Because (as far as I can tell) I'm replacing the original control assembly with the exact same part, it should be a simple plug-and-play swap out, right? No VAG-related complications that would prevent the car from "recognizing" the new part? I don't have a VAG-COM cable, so I'd be out of luck if there's any kind of registration/activation involved.
3. Similar issue with re-attaching the air bag: just disconnecting and reconnecting the original unit shouldn't cause anything to stop working or require any type of re-activation, should it?
4. Anything else that I'm not thinking of?
Last edited by tcoble33; Jan 6, 2017 at 06:52 PM.
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From: Honeoye New York USA
1. I don't think it should matter.
2. Sounds like plug and play. You can revert back to stock if there's a problem or use the console dials for radio control.
3. Air bag - disconnect the battery and wait for all the electrons to die off. I haven't done much with airbags and I would treat them with the utmost respect.
4. Hard to answer without knowing what you are thinking of...
While you're in messing with controls, do you think it is possible to turn one of those thumbwheels 180*? I'm constantly turning the left side wheel in the wrong direction and was going to look into spinning it around if possible.
edit: nevermind - I took my wheel apart and saw that turning the thumbwheel around is not possible and even if it was, it would not change the direction of travel. The left side thumbwheel turns a spoked inner wheel that breaks a light beam. There are two photocells catching the light and the direction depends on which one sees the light first. To change the direction would involve deep Vagcom coding or mechanically changing the wiring.
2. Sounds like plug and play. You can revert back to stock if there's a problem or use the console dials for radio control.
3. Air bag - disconnect the battery and wait for all the electrons to die off. I haven't done much with airbags and I would treat them with the utmost respect.
4. Hard to answer without knowing what you are thinking of...
While you're in messing with controls, do you think it is possible to turn one of those thumbwheels 180*? I'm constantly turning the left side wheel in the wrong direction and was going to look into spinning it around if possible.
edit: nevermind - I took my wheel apart and saw that turning the thumbwheel around is not possible and even if it was, it would not change the direction of travel. The left side thumbwheel turns a spoked inner wheel that breaks a light beam. There are two photocells catching the light and the direction depends on which one sees the light first. To change the direction would involve deep Vagcom coding or mechanically changing the wiring.
Last edited by tenspeed; Jan 6, 2017 at 06:00 PM.
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Thanks for the quick response. I assume that I should be good to go, but want to be sure that I'm not running the risk of making things worse. I'll probably hold off for a bit to give a chance for additional feedback, just to be completely safe.
Your findings on the inner workings of the encoder are very interesting. I figured it wouldn't be a simple as switching the wheel orientation, but didn't expect it to be an optical mechanism. Makes sense, though, when you think about it.
So, did you run into any issues upon putting everything back together? It looks like you pulled the airbag module out, so I'm guessing everything was fine when you reconnected the leads? That would seem to bode well for my fix.
Thanks again!
Your findings on the inner workings of the encoder are very interesting. I figured it wouldn't be a simple as switching the wheel orientation, but didn't expect it to be an optical mechanism. Makes sense, though, when you think about it.
So, did you run into any issues upon putting everything back together? It looks like you pulled the airbag module out, so I'm guessing everything was fine when you reconnected the leads? That would seem to bode well for my fix.
Thanks again!
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Looking further at the image that you posted - it doesn't look like you removed the control module from the wheel in order to open it up. How did you manage that? Did you get the impression that the thumb wheel would snap out of the housing pretty easily, or did it appear to be permanently mounted in there? If I could pop off that face plate like you appear to have done, then swap out just the thumb wheel, that could save me a lot of trouble and should eliminate any need to worry about my original questions. You, sir, would be my hero!
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I gently pried on the button plate with a jewelers screwdriver until I got it to rise a bit then I stuck a tooth pick in the gap and moved on. Don't pry on the "List" or "*" buttons. I did and the face started to pop off. The wheel appears to be held in a "U" shaped piece of plastic that is squeezed together at the top. You should be able to pop the button plate off and take it somewhere warm to change the knurled wheel.
I happen to have a heated Euro Pref three spoke wheel that I haven't installed yet. I need to change out the clock spring first and I'm not too sure if that will involve coding.
I happen to have a heated Euro Pref three spoke wheel that I haven't installed yet. I need to change out the clock spring first and I'm not too sure if that will involve coding.
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Success! Prying off the control cluster cover, as you did, gave me easy access to the broken ****. Popping it out and replacing it took all of five minutes and didn't involve disconnecting anything. I dinged up the chrome accent paint ever so slightly, but I can live with that for now.
Thanks again for all your help. If you're ever in the Nashville area, drinks are on me!
Thanks again for all your help. If you're ever in the Nashville area, drinks are on me!
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Actually, it turns out that the **** has two pieces: the axle, which sits in the U-shaped mount, and the rotating barrel itself - which is what was broken on mine. I ended up just lifting up the outer end of the axle (i.e., not the end that interfaces with the optical encoder), sliding the old barrel off, sliding the new one on and popping the axle back into place. Surprisingly easy.
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Actually, it turns out that the **** has two pieces: the axle, which sits in the U-shaped mount, and the rotating barrel itself - which is what was broken on mine. I ended up just lifting up the outer end of the axle (i.e., not the end that interfaces with the optical encoder), sliding the old barrel off, sliding the new one on and popping the axle back into place. Surprisingly easy.