Chrysler 200 Forum banner

Steering Wheel Controls - Not Working

44K views 20 replies 9 participants last post by  fltru103 
#1 ·
This is the second time since I've picked up my 2011 "200" that the "Steering Wheel Controls" for the radio, cruise control, EVIC, etc, quit working!
The first time it happened, it was only for a few days, and by the time I booked the car into the dealership, they started working again!

When this happens (it happened again this morning) only the controls on the steering wheel are affected. Obviously I don't have any cruise control ability, nor the ability to "change" the EVIC settings, BUT, I can still change the radio with the manual volume control, and either the "Voice Activation", or screen buttons to change stations. (Using the "Touch Screen" on the radio, or the Voice Activation)

With the long weekend here in Ontario, I can't get the car even booked in to the dealership until next Tuesday at the earliest.

Has anyone else experienced this at all? Because it's so intermittent (after all it's only the 2nd time now in 10 months) I'm beginning to think they won't be able to find anything wrong when they check it. I've even tried moving the "tilt" steering "up & down" + "in & out" to see if it's a loose connection. Nothing seems to be working to bring the function back to life!

I also looked last time in the Owners Manual to see if there is a "fuse" on this, and could not locate one. (It did "fix itself" last time)

Just want to get this on record again before my Warranty expires!

"ChryslerCares" ....................any comments? Post reply here, but, please PM me as well so I know.

Thanks
 
See less See more
#3 · (Edited)
^^ OK, "What the heck is a 'clockspring'"?

and, BTW, I'm thinking its a connection issue with regard to the "tilt/telescopic" steering wheel. I was just out, and played with the "tilt/telescope" a few times "HARD", and lo and behold, everything started working OK again! WTF is with that? If it's a bad connection somewhere, and intermittent like that, I hope they can find the problem & rectify it before my Warranty runs out next month!
 
#7 ·
Uhg, these have a clock spring too?! Get it fixed ASAP Dadillac, my Jeep needs one so I have horn, cruise control, and airbags again and on that it will likely be $400 to have done, not including the turn signal self cancellation ring......which would probably push that upwards of $600 with labor. If it's like my Jeep, the clock spring us buried in the column under the steering wheel and behind the airbag. It will be an expensive PITA to fix without a warranty of any kind:(
 
#9 ·
Any job where there is a risk of getting suckerpunched by an airbag is just that bad, especially like in my Jeep where the airbags are the older, "dumb" one that were known for killing and maiming people who were a little.on the small and light side of things.
 
#11 ·
just disconnect the battery and wait a half hour for the DERM (diagnostic & energy reserve modulle) to drain. You just about bet that results from failure to follow procedure, and /or old schooler myth.
 
#12 ·
My 200 is currently in the shop. This is one of the issues they are looking at. Mine hasnt ever gone completely inoperable, but there are times when a button is unresponsive and takes several pushes to do anything. Also, every once in a while if I hit the Menu button, Uconnect will come on, or if i hit the compass button it wants to make a phone call. Very annoying.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Simply guessing I would think the problem must originate either in the clockspring area (as mentioned above) or in the totally integrated power module "TIPM".

Remote radio control switches are rocker-type switch units are mounted in the upper spoke covers of the rear (instrument panel side) steering wheel trim cover. The switch unit on the left side is the seek switch and has seek up, seek down, and preset station advance switch functions. The switch unit on the right side is the volume control switch and has volume up, volume down, and mode advance switch functions.

The two remote radio switch units are each retained in a mounting hole located on opposite sides of the rear steering wheel trim cover by four integral snap features. A plastic bracket on the back of each switch unit provides additional support for the unit by extending towards the center of the steering wheel where it is clamped between the steering wheel armature and the steering wheel rear trim cover mounting boss by the trim cover mounting screw.

The two remote radio switch units share a common steering wheel wire harness with the vehicle speed control switches. The steering wheel wire harness is connected to the instrument panel wire harness through the clockspring.

The six switches in the two remote radio switch units are normally open, resistor multiplexed momentary switches that are hard wired to the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) through the clockspring. The TIPM sends a five volt reference signal to both switch units on one circuit, and senses the status of all of the switches by reading the voltage drop on a second circuit.
When the TIPM senses an input (voltage drop) from any one of the remote radio switches, it sends the proper switch status messages on the Controller Area Network (CAN) data bus network to the radio receiver. The electronic circuitry within the radio receiver is programmed to respond to these remote radio switch status messages by adjusting the radio settings as requested.

If any of these items become inoperative the symptoms listed above could potentially occur.
 
#18 ·
I'd be interested to hear what your dealer has to say. I noticed a few kinks in the controls but I attributed to me not pressing the buttons correctly.
^^
I seem to have to press them a few times too on occasion in order for them to do anything. Especially the EVIC ones on the left front of the wheel.

Like you, I was thinking I wasn't pressing them right, to hit the 'sweet spot'.

Related issue?? We'll see. I'll post a followup after I hear back
 
#19 ·
Well, just got back from the dealership, and they replaced the "clockspring", so we'll see if that fixes it! They had checked with Chrysler, and had ordered in the part, so I'm assuming there have possibly been other issues regarding this.

If it changes, I'll let you know.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top