Steering Wheel Contols On Pre-facelift Cts

[yatesh]

Hi All

I have just installed a Alpine IVA-W202R headunit into my 2003 CTS, will post pics soon, I promise!! Well chuffed with it.

However, Now I'm after getting the steering wheel controls to work. I thought that the Connects2 CTSTY001 and the CTAlpineLead would be all that I would have required. However, according to a previous posting by nim23 (titled: Need Stereo Help, dated 8th August 2008), concludes that it is not possible to use the above items on a pre-facelift model. This was confirmed by my fitters (K&M acoustics of wigan). Apparently the steering wheel plug that would have gone into the back of the original head unit is larger, therefore the connects2 adaptor does not work. Nim23's posting also revealed that some of you who tried to bridge the 3 wires that are needed for the steering controls, aslo did not work.

I am hoping that someone out there has overcome this problem?? If so, I would be most grateful if you could share your know how.

Regards

Yatesh

[nrgizerbunny]

having thought about this a bit more. the voltage pack in the wheel is different to the facelift. its actually the same as the yaris Phase 1. the adaptor for that one should work, alternatively you can fudge it with some comparators.

[yatesh]

Hi All

As Promised, please find links to pics of the installed the Alpine unit below:

http://i377.photobucket.com/albums/oo216/Y...4/IMAGE_094.jpg

http://i377.photobucket.com/albums/oo216/Y...4/IMAGE_096.jpg

Still have not sorted the steering controls out yet, but expecting some news in the next few days from my fitter.

As regards the sound (with Original Speakers):

1. Treble and Mid Range, 100% better. Better seperation. Hearing bits of songs/notes & certain instruments that I never heard with original unit.

2. Volume Range goes up to 35 on unit, I have only cranked it up to around 15, which is well loud enough. Good sound quality at low levels, so distortion kept to a minimum.

3. Not so happy with the bass levels obtained from the unit, although this may just be as a result of:

a. Me not having the head unit set up optimally yet; or

b. The low end that stock Speakers are capable of reproducing being rather poor.

4. The unit is quite power hungry, would not dare go more than 30 mins without starting the car up. Car took a few turns to get started when I did.

All in all, I'm well satisfied. Driving my car to and from work is the highlight of my day.

Yats