DIY: Installing steering wheel audio and phone controls on Camaro !

[CliffjumperRS]

probably either a bad software update or they didn't complete the install. Did the service tech know they had to update the radio for the controls AND the BCM for the PDIM? I'm to understand it's two separate updates, but there seems to be a heck of a lot of instances where folks go in and come out with only 1 of the 2 upgrades working. Someone needs to write a step-by-step for these guys with as many of us that are adding these pieces. Other possibility is that you got a bad unit. The earliest PDIM modules had issues, but if you bought recently it should be all good. 20940641 is the newest kit. There's a huge huge thread on the PDIM issues and which model is which here . I installed my wheel controls last month, should have my PDIM tomorrow (bday-woot) and plan on having the radio/bcm flashed in may. Good luck and i hope you get it sorted out. Keep us posted.

[kobSS]

This DIY helped a bunch for getting me through removing the steering wheel bezel. Thanks! Great walk through.

[nukemustang]

Originally Posted by CliffjumperRS

probably either a bad software update or they didn't complete the install. Did the service tech know they had to update the radio for the controls AND the BCM for the PDIM? I'm to understand it's two separate updates, but there seems to be a heck of a lot of instances where folks go in and come out with only 1 of the 2 upgrades working. Someone needs to write a step-by-step for these guys with as many of us that are adding these pieces. Other possibility is that you got a bad unit. The earliest PDIM modules had issues, but if you bought recently it should be all good. 20940641 is the newest kit. There's a huge huge thread on the PDIM issues and which model is which here . I installed my wheel controls last month, should have my PDIM tomorrow (bday-woot) and plan on having the radio/bcm flashed in may. Good luck and i hope you get it sorted out. Keep us posted.

They (we) finally got it. After going back to the dealer and exchanging some quick PM's with Darth Martel (THANKS a BUNCH!!!!), AND asking the service manager if I could see the program they were using, we figured it out. I am so happy now! It just makes it so much easier to use the radio/steering wheel controls to adjust stuff. Sounds crazy/lazy not to just reach over, but all of my GM cars for the past 15 years have been with steering wheel controls so it was a huge change.

Strangely enough, I figured the radio would have been the "easy" update, especially when they figured out they were going to have to call TCSC to get a new VCI number for the car to update the BCM for the steering wheel controls. I almost thought I was dead in the water at that time.

But between this forum, the smarter (and much more helpful) tech on day three and me asking more questions about selecting options on the GM laptop, it worked!!

[Darth Martel]

Glad I could help brother.

It really burns my ass when they can't figure out something as simple as the PDIM. It's way easier than the steering wheel controls. 1. Update the GM master server, that holds the record of all your vehicle information, to the fact you have a PDIM. (It's checking a box) 2. Update your radio with the new information.

Takes a total of 5-10 minutes. Pathetic they couldn't figure this out.

*sigh* ok relaxing

Glad you got it taken care of. And damn, I just noticed you live in Hawaii. How much for a gallon of premium there? Big ouchie to the wallet I'm sure.

[melody301]

So to sum it up, when I go to my dealer and he looks at me like he's absolutely clueless as to how to activate my radio controls what should I tell him to do?

[nukemustang]

Originally Posted by Darth Martel

Glad I could help brother.

It really burns my ass when they can't figure out something as simple as the PDIM. It's way easier than the steering wheel controls. 1. Update the GM master server, that holds the record of all your vehicle information, to the fact you have a PDIM. (It's checking a box) 2. Update your radio with the new information.

Takes a total of 5-10 minutes. Pathetic they couldn't figure this out.

*sigh* ok relaxing

Glad you got it taken care of. And damn, I just noticed you live in Hawaii. How much for a gallon of premium there? Big ouchie to the wallet I'm sure.

I can get it on base, so it is not bad, but it is running about $4.45 a gallon. Of base it is about 20-40 cents more, just depends on how close you are to the touristy areas....

Originally Posted by melody301

So to sum it up, when I go to my dealer and he looks at me like he's absolutely clueless as to how to activate my radio controls what should I tell him to do?

for the steering wheel controls, they need to call GM's TCSC and get a new VCI# to tell the BCM (body control module) that the steering wheel controls exist and obey their commands. This took them a day since we are so far behind Detroit timewise.

If you installed the PDIM, they need to use the laptop with GDS2 on it and TIS2WEB to update the "options" page to tell the car it now has the option installed for the PDIM.

Just depends on how familiar the tech is with what he can and cannot do with his laptop and how "brave" he is and willing to change things in options menus. It is simple though, you have to check boxes on the screen and select the applicable ones. It is like a yes/no thing.

Good Luck!!

[bigwayne3000]

Just installed the wheel controls thanks to this thread. I was a bit nervous w/ the airbag but by far the worst part was the damn bezel and trying not to manhandle it too much and avoid breaking it. It is a pain to remove the bezel but other than that it was as easy as the thread pointed out. One word of mention though, the OP mentions you get tie downs w/ the new harness, I didnt. If you want to tie it down have some zip ties handy but I didnt tie the new harness down, I dont think its much of a problem.

Another thing with the bezel is to be careful when prying around it as I slipped a few times and it chipped the edge a bit in some places. It sucks and I will notice it now everytime I get in my car but I may paint them anyway. All in all a great thread, thanks!

[melody301]

Originally Posted by bigwayne3000

Just installed the wheel controls thanks to this thread. I was a bit nervous w/ the airbag but by far the worst part was the damn bezel and trying not to manhandle it too much and avoid breaking it. It is a pain to remove the bezel but other than that it was as easy as the thread pointed out. One word of mention though, the OP mentions you get tie downs w/ the new harness, I didnt. If you want to tie it down have some zip ties handy but I didnt tie the new harness down, I dont think its much of a problem.

Another thing with the bezel is to be careful when prying around it as I slipped a few times and it chipped the edge a bit in some places. It sucks and I will notice it now everytime I get in my car but I may paint them anyway. All in all a great thread, thanks!

I slightly bent my bezel and now it doesn't fit flush against the steering wheel. it's driving me crazy every time I get in the car. Oh and like you I chipped it too.

[bigwayne3000]

Originally Posted by melody301

I slightly bent my bezel and now it doesn't fit flush against the steering wheel. it's driving me crazy every time I get in the car. Oh and like you I chipped it too.

Yea, it was a pain. My right side, the corner where the top and middle of the wheel meet and the top left corner of the radio controls it sticks out a bit more than the left side. I played around with it for awhile taking it out and putting it in trying to fix it until I finally gave up. It sucks but its so far up against the airbag part of the wheel that I wont ever have to rub up against it and feel it (even though Ill know its there.) Def a pain but I like the controls, just need to go get them programmed once I install the PDIM.

[CliffjumperRS]

Originally Posted by nukemustang

for the steering wheel controls, they need to call GM's TCSC and get a new VCI# to tell the BCM (body control module) that the steering wheel controls exist and obey their commands.
If you installed the PDIM, they need to use the laptop with GDS2 on it and TIS2WEB to update the "options" page to tell the car it now has the option installed for the PDIM.

Awesome, i think this is the most definitive explanation i've seen so far on exactly what to tell them. I'm super paranoid that i'm going to waltz into the dealer nearest to home (not anywhere near where i bought) and have to battle the same fight everyone else has. And i honestly can't afford to be without my car for days (plural). Fingers crossed the rest of us that haven't hit the service department don't have the headaches you guys did. Thanks again for the update. I still think we need a "how-to" just to hand to the techs that walks 'em through it. Bizarre how it's try and try again.


oh, and i too have one tiny tiny chip on the upper left portion of the control bezel. you have to look for it to know it's there, and it drives me insane to no end.

[melody301]

Originally Posted by nukemustang

for the steering wheel controls, they need to call GM's TCSC and get a new VCI# to tell the BCM (body control module) that the steering wheel controls exist and obey their commands. This took them a day since we are so far behind Detroit timewise.

If you installed the PDIM, they need to use the laptop with GDS2 on it and TIS2WEB to update the "options" page to tell the car it now has the option installed for the PDIM.

Just depends on how familiar the tech is with what he can and cannot do with his laptop and how "brave" he is and willing to change things in options menus. It is simple though, you have to check boxes on the screen and select the applicable ones. It is like a yes/no thing.

Good Luck!!

Thank you very much. I'll be printing this out and giving it to my dealership when I go. Appreciate it.

[nukemustang]

Originally Posted by CliffjumperRS

Awesome, i think this is the most definitive explanation i've seen so far on exactly what to tell them. I'm super paranoid that i'm going to waltz into the dealer nearest to home (not anywhere near where i bought) and have to battle the same fight everyone else has. And i honestly can't afford to be without my car for days (plural). Fingers crossed the rest of us that haven't hit the service department don't have the headaches you guys did. Thanks again for the update. I still think we need a "how-to" just to hand to the techs that walks 'em through it. Bizarre how it's try and try again.

no problem. I ALMOST whipped out my iPhone and started taking screen shots of the laptop, but I though the tech/service manager would have flipped out and me!!! I am not sure how much of that is some sort of GM "secret" that no one is supposed to see.

[BigRed585Lbs]

I want to say I'm quite impressed at how far you in the Camaro fraternity are willing to go to get the redundant audio controls to work in your cars. For me to do this in the Sierra, it was a simple steering wheel swap, plug-and-play all the way with no hassle of re-programming. $65, at the most.

My hat's off to you. Excuse the interruption, please.

[bigwayne3000]

Anyone have a problem with the volume + button sticking whenever you use it? This button ALWAYS gets stuck when I hit it and I have no idea why. Anyone have this problem and fixed it? If so, how?