Introduction
I recently rewrapped my steering wheel in leather and at the same time installed a set of cruise control switches so that I could control my aftermarket stereo. This will work with any year TJ, although it’s most useful for TJs that never came with cruise control installed. These instructions are specifically for a 1999 TJ, so please take note the wire color for newer models will be different and you’ll have to reference your specific year’s service manual to confirm.
Here’s what you’ll need:
I recently rewrapped my steering wheel in leather and at the same time installed a set of cruise control switches so that I could control my aftermarket stereo. This will work with any year TJ, although it’s most useful for TJs that never came with cruise control installed. These instructions are specifically for a 1999 TJ, so please take note the wire color for newer models will be different and you’ll have to reference your specific year’s service manual to confirm.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- A clock-spring with the green cruise control electrical connector. For me this was 56047105AA. They are no longer in production from MOPAR, but they are available aftermarket for $40. Newer model TJs will likely include the correct clock-spring, older models your mileage may vary.
- A set of left and right cruise control switches, 56009437, 56007531. Available on eBay for about $100. These are the same switches that came with XJ models. I bought mine a few years back and I've noticed the price on these has been ticking up for some time now.
- An aftermarket radio that accepts a remote in line. I have a Sony XAVAX1000, but any modern unit will have this input.
- An Axxess Metra AXWC-1 steering wheel control interface. That will run you about $65. There are alternatives to this model available, but I’ve generally had good luck with these in my other vehicles.
- 1a. If you don’t already have the correct clock-spring installed, you’ll want to ensure you swap your current one out. I’m not going to run through a full explanation of how this is done as there are already a number of good tutorials out there, but all you’ll really need is a steering wheel puller. I used OEMTOOLS 25200. Loosen up the nut on the steering shaft with an impact gun but don’t remove it completely, center the puller on top of that nut, and then back the wheel off slowly. If it’s never been removed before use some penetrating oil.
- 1b. If you're removing your wheel to install a new clock-spring, use that opportunity to remove the 2 blank faceplates and swap in the cruise control switches you purchased. If you already have the correct clock-spring, you can do this in-vehicle by remove the two bolts securing the airbag to gain access to connect the switches to the previously unused green cruise control pigtail that should be sitting inside the wheel.
- 2. This is where there will be year-specific differences. The clockspring connector, regardless of whether your TJ came with cruise control, will have a single cruise control wire coming off the pigtail and running into the wiring harness under the dash. In my case, this was RD/LG (Red/Light-Green). In some models this wire will go all the way to C108 or C107, in my model it never made it that far and terminated inside the harness somewhere. This is the wire you'll be splicing into, and the only splice you'll need to make in the factory harness. I choose to remove the bottom portion of the steering wheel column shroud and splice in directly behind the clock-spring pigtail.
- 3. On the ASWC-1 side, you'll need to use 4 different wires.
- The Green/Orange wire, you'll run and tap into the Red/Light-Green wire. In models that never came with cruise control, you technically don't even need to splice, you can just cut the Red/Light-Green wire entirely since it doesn't actually go anywhere, but I'd recommend splicing and preserving the line.
- The Black wire, you'll ground on the frame. I choose to ground where a few other wires were already grounded in the driver side footwell near your left foot and the clutch.
- The Red wire you'll splice into the red wire already going into your stereo.
- The 3.5mm jack will go into the REMOTE IN port on your stereo.
- 4. Once you've spliced in those wires correctly, cut and tape off the remaining unused wires on the ASWC-1, you wont need them.
- 5a. Turn your key to accessory and your stereo should boot up as normal. The ASWC-1 should auto-detect and map the volume, track, and source buttons to the cruise control buttons and they should all work fine, but they'll likely be in a funky order. In order to optimize your install further, you'll need to manually map them. I choose the following sequence:
- RESUME / ACCEL → Volume +
- COAST → Volume −
- ON / OFF → Track +
- SET → Track −
- CANCEL → Source
- 5b. The manual mapping process is a little finicky, but easy. Follow the instructions below. Once you map the 5 cruise control buttons with the first 5 functions on the chart below, press and hold the Volume + (RESUME/ACCEL) button until the light on the ASWC-1 flashes Red/Green. Then, hold the Volume - button (COAST) until the light rapidly flashes Red/Green. Then hold the Volume - button again until the light goes solid Red.
- 6. Turn the key to the off position, and then back on to accessory, and your cruise controls will now be mapped correctly and everything should be working. Screw everything back together, ensuring you've cleaned up any wiring you tapped into and zip-tie off the ground you ran into the footwell.
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