HOW TO: Install Steeringwheel radio controls on your Liberty

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~Mark

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Thank you Renegade04 for the write-up ! (and to Corwyyn for pointing me in this direction ;) )

I've had to replace the '02 KJ Limited (totalled) so we got an '05 Sport, which doesn't have the buttons on the steering wheel. I miss them.

I know where the '02 is and can get parts from it. Now... do you guys think I could simply swap steering wheels, instead of modifying the '05' ?

This brings up another question : can I or should I keep the airbag from the '02 If I do this ? I'm in Canada and don't know if there is a law that covers this or not...

Thanks.
 

beartard

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Aftermarket control from steering wheel
As for the interface module that allows factory radio controls to work with an aftermarket headunit, see the following (and make sure your headunit has a wired remote input port on it, or you'll be limited to infrared):

Peripheral Electronics' PESWIAKJC module for Alpine, Kenwood, JVC, and Clarion
On the same site you'll find:
PESWIECL2 - Eclipse
PESWIPS - Pioneer, Sony, Jensen, Dual, Advent, and Visteon
PESWIX - Universal infrared learning interface

Peripheral Electronics was bought out by http://pac-audio.com.
The new part numbers are as follows:
SWI-JACK - Alpine, Kenwood, JVC, and Clarion
SWI-ECL2 - Eclipse
SWI-PS - Pioneer, Sony, Advent, Jensen, Visteon, and Dual
SWI-X - Infrared

Though pac-audio is the new supplier, you can still find new and used peripheral electronics modules on eBay and amazon significantly cheaper than the identical hardware in an updated case.

Clockspring
Latest clockspring part number: 56010688AA (doublecheck with your dealer)
Can run as much as $100 to $200 these days, depending on dealer and location.

Reposting this from another thread to keep the HOWTO current:
One word about the clockspring. Well, several words about the clockspring. Don't buy them from eBay or a junkyard unless the seller can guarantee it's either new or was pulled properly from a junked KJ.

The clockspring is pretty much a ribbon cable that winds around several times inside a housing on blue and white rollers. If it's not immobilized as it's removed (like when the whole steering column assembly is removed as one piece) it can rip one end of the ribbon cable from the contacts if the wheel is allowed to spin freely. After that, of course, the clockspring is either totally worthless or dangerous (since airbag contacts may now be swiping over cruise control and radio control contacts). If the steering wheel is removed properly, in the right position, a button pops up on the clockspring, immobilizing it.

I bought a whole steering column on eBay in the hopes that the seller knew what he was doing. He didn't. I got a steering wheel in better condition than my own, with radio controls attached, for a great price. But I still had to make myself find a dealership around here that a) was still in business, b) would answer the phone or return e-mails, and c) would sell a part to a normal person, so I could get a new clockspring. It was a nightmare, but it finally worked out.

If you give them the make/model/year and tell them you have radio controls, they'll match it, as most of the part numbers listed in howto write-ups have been superseded a few times since.
 

ThunderbirdJunkie

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I love my controls also. I put in a pioneer headunit and lost them for a while until i found alittle box on crutchfield that makes them work again. Cost $70 but it was worth it, and was heck to get it working.

JJ, stupid question since this is an old post...but do you happen to have a PN for this box?
 

S1Loki

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caution old thread revival alert

I finally got this little job done with my '06 Sport. Glad it is complete.

Just a couple notes about the '06. Be aware that a steering wheel from an '04 is not compatible physically or electrically. By that I mean the wheel('04) itself is not compatible with the '06 clock spring. The connectors on the clock spring are also different. The good news about this. I stripped the radio wires from the the '04 harness and added them to the stock '06 harness in the wheel. Another plus is the '06 clock spring did need to be changed.
 

Jarochlitz

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Audio control

Does any one in the Denver area know how to do the audio controls? I have a jeep liberty 06 limited I was thinking of buying a used steering wheel with controls
 

04Liberty

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Does any one in the Denver area know how to do the audio controls? I have a jeep liberty 06 limited I was thinking of buying a used steering wheel with controls

How did you find a Limited that doesn't have factory steering wheel audio controls? (Aeh)
 

Rennagade

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It's been 10 months and no replies here. I just found the radio control buttons and will start researching to do this mod. I hope I don't need to change clock spring.
 

Rennagade

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I did this mod and love it. Works perfect and didn't need to change the clock spring. I also didn't need to pull the wheel off. It was easy to drill the opening with a dremel. Highly recommended mod.
 

teckman02

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I did this mod and love it. Works perfect and didn't need to change the clock spring. I also didn't need to pull the wheel off. It was easy to drill the opening with a dremel. Highly recommended mod.

was that with the kit that i sold you?
 

Bill chase

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So to see if I have the correct clock spring I have to pull the wheel? There is no other way to verify this? I have a 2006 renegade
 

04Liberty

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So to see if I have the correct clock spring I have to pull the wheel? There is no other way to verify this? I have a 2006 renegade

You may be able to see them just pulling the airbag and moving the wheel around. If not then you'll have to pull the wheel.
 

GA05KJ

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Pulling the airbag from the steering wheel will be required to see the audio buttons connector on the clockspring.

If you already have your buttons and wiring it will be super easy to check your clock-spring connector and verify that it has the necessary connector with the correct number of wiring terminals.

Good Luck
 

Bill chase

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What wiring could I get from a Cherokee or others that is plug and play with my 2006 liberty renegade??? All the stuff you guys have shown pictures of looks different than my 2006. When I pull the airbag there's a plug to the cruise wires and it has 2 exposed pins there which leads me to believe I just need the buttons and wires.. mine was built mid 2006 so it may have 2007 spec stuff??,
 
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