Has anyone else had any problems with the swi-x unit? I installed mine a year ago and just recently it has begun to work intermittently. I have verified this by using my cell phone camera to check if the ir is sending a signal or not. Turns out the IR led isn't sending a signal when it doesn't work, but it can work a few times within a few mins afterwards. I am going to do some testing with my multimeter tomorrow morning, just wondering if anyone else has come across any problems like this.

I'm really hoping I dont have to take the radio out...im getting too old for this


Now I remember when I installed it, I checked the wires and I remember getting a voltage reading from the steering controls. Is that normal? I dont remember what the reading was though. Also I had bought this on ebay...dunno if that was a mistake for something like this...

 

Use the remote control

Those units are always intermittent and have a delay, Im surprised you are only having this problem a year later.

 

HAHA...remotes are evil

I am aware of the delay, but the IR isn't firing. I verified this by using my camera phone and the ir wasn't lighting up. A couple minutes later, it worked a few times, then quit. So far today it's been good, so that has kept me from checking it.

 

Have you tried re-setting and re-programming it? I've had to do this a couple of times over the years. And sometimes one button in particular won't work for whatever reason but when I park the car and come back it usually works again.

Tony

 

hmmm...I reprogrammed it on saturday morning. Response was incredible, dont think I ever remember it firing as quickly as it did. Monday, Tuesday during rush hour it performed like a champ. Wednesday it decides to **** up again. Just reprogrammed it. This time I hooked up a multimeter and checked the reading on all of my buttons. I'm going to monitor those readings to see if my buttons are messing up or if it is the swi-x itself.

Worse comes to worse, I may end up hard wiring this thing to my multimeter and make a switch (to shut off the pac while reading) so i can tell what is exactly happening when the problem occurs. I'm hoping this pac unit is bad...I'm not in the mood to rip appart my dash to check the wiring and/or replace the steering buttons.

 

damn, just tested buttons again....think there's a wiring or button problem

going to have some fun this saturday


I replaced my dash kit with the gxe kit about a month ago...worked fine for 2 weeks then this came up. I was pretty careful doing the swap.

 

hey guys, I need some urgent help.

I'm reading about 32.10-32.20 M ohms from the steering wheel buttons when they aren't even pressed. These readings are taken directly from the connector. Is this normal?!?

 

Just called the dealer... $79 for a new steering wheel button switch and $89 for an hour of labor to replace it (I would do it, but the air bag is right there).

 

click here for the steering wheel schemantics of the bose system

 

hmm...it might be micro ohms ... im sure that makes a diff.

think I'm going to pick up an extra swi-x and program it. I'll swap it out when one stops working...this way I'll know whats up.

 

Picked up a spare swi-x on saturday. This morning it failed to work. Guess its a problem with the controls

 

I have the SWI-ALP for my Alpine HU and the only button I have trouble with is the volume. Sometimes when pressing "up", the volume goes down, but the "down" never goes up...other than that, I haven't had any problems.

What do the Torx bolts on the side of the steering wheel hold on? I thought I'd be able to remove those and the switches would come right off...you say that's not so? Do/did your buttons ever light up? Mine do not (which is why I was going to take them off).

Good to know, saved me a little frustration.

 

I have 99 SE would I be able to add steering wheel radio control? If so, would I have to rewire the stereo?

Thanks
Max

 

Words of advice..
Its the SWIx thats fukking up..

I thought it was because i programmed my SWI-x to control both my kenwood deck and my xbox. but it appears to be a common problem with the SWI-X

 

Hmm...what did you do special to program it? The only thing out of the ordinary that I am doing is programming combinations of buttons on my steering wheel to have additional functions:
ie vol up and down = mute, and up and down arrows skip to next mp3 folder.

I called up daveb and he said it isn't uncommon these button units to fail.

I had tried with another pac unit and it worked for a day, then it didn't work the next day.

 

You would need to upgrade your steering wheel to mount the buttons, then hope the spiral cable has a bus for the buttons or upgrade that as well and hope the srs system, horn and cruise controls accept it.