PaulW

So I'm looking into the self cancelling ring for the steering wheel to see if it will work for my car. I can see the part I want is:

1J0 959 654

However, the suffix is hard to determine. The guy who used this part on his A6 had a suffix of "M". Tom posted yesterday that his '00 A8 with ESP has a suffix of "Q", I look it up on my ETKA and it appears to be "S", can't find "Q" in the catalog.

Isn't the suffix the latest rev to the part?

Excellr-A8

The suffix can be the latest revision of a particular part or it can be a different part completely. I have seen it used both ways for parts ETKA. It can even be used for colors of some interior parts. More often than not the suffix is for a different part though.

Jeff

A8-911-Odyssey

......the suffix issue makes buying around the dealer very difficult. I'm just hoping Clair Parts takes back the wrong spiral spring I ordered.

PaulW

So I went by the dealer today (okay, I have great things to say about my friends at Laurel Parts department in Westmont) and they let me take a look at:

1J0 959 654 Q

What's your part number and what year/functions is it for?

Here's two pictures the first is the front (wheel side). Note those are electrical plug connectors that plug into the steering wheel components. I believe one is the airbag and I don't know what the other is for.

<img src="http://www.audipages.com/Tech_Articles/auto_transmission/tip7.JPG">

Here's the back side (dash side):

<img src="http://www.audipages.com/Tech_Articles/auto_transmission/tip8.JPG">

It has three places to plug into, the two at the bottom right are the air bag (I believe) and the six pin above the bottom box is for "ESP".

This is called the self canceling ring, it carries the moving contacts across the steering wheel. The "clock springs" are inside which make up the circuit. The one on the 97 has 5 moving contacts (conductors) and this 00 (if I think I'm looking at the 00 with the multifunction steering wheel) has 7 moving contacts (conductors).

If the basic mechanical configuration is the same as mine, then I could use the two additional conductors for my two tip switches. I will use the ground that is already one of the five conductors to complete the circuit for the up and down shift tip buttons (which will be two of the four radio buttons on the wheel).

Here's some pictures from the guy who did the tip mod to his A6:

<img src="https://www.audiworld.com/tech/pics/int38-tip3.jpg">

He got the following:

Self canceling ring, S/N: 1J0 959 654 M

<img src="https://www.audiworld.com/tech/pics/int38-tip9.jpg">

This is how the steering wheel fits over the self cancelling ring, so I'm thinking I will have access to all 7 conductors and if the pin connectors are the same configuration, the airbag will just plug right in.

<img src="https://www.audiworld.com/tech/pics/int38-tip10.jpg">

The rest I can rewire if I need to get the right pin assignments.

I will use the two lower buttons on each side of the wheel to shift the car. I don't use them anyways, they skip to the next station or the next track on a CD. However, I do use the volume controll ALL THE TIME.

<img src="http://www.audipages.com/usedA8/dash1.JPG">

A8-911-Odyssey

The one you have pictured is the one I need.

The one I have is round with several connectors. I really must get a digital camera this weekend. It's like not having a keyboard on this list. When I do, I'll post a shot of the one I have.

My parts list shows the part number 4B0-951-543C is the Spiral Spring for non-ESP cars. The one you show is for ESP cars. Clearly there is more to it than that.

My wheel has heat, radio controls, airbag, and horn. That's it.

One thought about the use for the switches you plan....how would the module in the wheel interfere with your plan, if at all? If it does not and the contacts are just spring contacts like a slot car then what purpose do the modules serve?

Tom

skiracer

Our '97 has 5 conductors across the SW- + Airbag, - airbag, Horn +, horn return, and multiplexed audio/heated wheel signal. The ETKA for MY 2000 shows several part numbers:
1J0 959 653 A; basic model (PR-1MR)
1J0 959 653 C; models w/ EDL (PR-1AH:1MR)
4B0 951 543 C; EDL, elect. height adjust, multi function SW, heated (PR-1AH:2C7, 2ZM)
1J0 959 654 K; ESP, steering sensor, elect. height adjust, heated (PR-1AT:2C7, 2PR)
1J0 959 654 S; ESP, steering sensor (PT-1AT:2ZQ)

For our 1997, the following part numbers are listed:
4D0 951 543 D
4D0 951 543 B
4D0 951 543 C
1J0 959 653
1J0 959 653 A
1J0 959 654 C
4B0 951 543 A - This is the one I would guess is in our A8s (elect height adjust, heatable and/or multifunction)

Paul- I would look at the part in your car first, and see if there is physically any difference due to the electrically adjustable height feature in our cars. I would also go back to Laurel and see if they have a 4B0 951 543 C part to inspect- it is my best GUESS at what you (we?) are looking for.

skiracer

The wires from the lower stereo switches could be cut BEFORE they go into the module and routed across the additional contacts in the newer canceling ring. Once across the canceling ring, the signals can be wired to the TCU.

PaulW

On my car, the computer is set up slightly different. It appears that the radio computer is on the dash side of the spiral spring, see picture, it has two slip rings, the one on the left (track 5) brings in 12 VDC, the one next to it hooks to ground (track 6).

There is a radio computer in the wheel (like yours I believe) that changes the switch signals for the horn, steering wheel heater and radio controls to one signal that goes over the left sprial spring (track 12). Your car has two seperate spiral springs for the horn, it appears the 97 just takes the signal and puts it across the spiral spring.

The air bag igniter is through its own two sprial springs, track 13 and 14.

What I plan to do is to take a self canceling sitch that has 7 connections (like your car) and use it on my car which has 5 connections. I will take the two extra connections to bring the two tip switch wires into the steering wheel from the TCU.

Connect them across the self canceling switch and hardware them into the lower stero controls. They would then be hooked up to ground through track 6 and not effect the radio any longer.

My question is, does the part that you have look like it has the same basic connection (wiring harness at top on steering wheel side) and the same posts and holes sticking out of it as the one I posted? If so, I could probably use it in my car.

Here's the 97 steering wheel controls:


<img src="http://www.audipages.com/Tech_Articles/auto_transmission/tip9.JPG">

Here is the 00 steering wheel controls with the multifuction steering wheel:

<img src="http://www.audipages.com/Tech_Articles/auto_transmission/tip10.JPG">

I will use the two horn spiral springs for the tip wires to come into the steering wheel.

PaulW

I could of done a side by side comparison. I really don't know if the part number I posted is the schematic that I posted......

I need my multimeter when I look at these switches!!!!

pw

PaulW

Exactly!