On my daughters 08 reg 2008 POP, on the steering wheel non of control buttons work, this includes the Blue and Me windows button as well as
the radio volume and memory buttons, non of these work.

Is there a fuse that could be blown? I checked in the Haynes manual and the steering wheel controls are not listed........after doing a search, someone said that disconnecting the battery may solve the problem, but I am worried
about the radio as we don't have the radio code. but I also read that you only need the code if you change the radio.

Do I need a radio code if I disconnect the battery? and any ideas on the steering wheel buttons not working please

You don't need a radio code. Disconnecting the battery will not lose the code. The code is only there so you can't take a stereo out of one car and put it in another.

There is no fuse under the airbag, but there may well be one somewhere else. Try the battery disconnect first.

Is it definitely a pop? I didn't think that model had steering wheel controls.

intel131 said:

On my daughters 08 reg 2008 POP, on the steering wheel non of control buttons work, this includes the Blue and Me windows button as well

Do I need a radio code if I disconnect the battery? and any ideas on the steering wheel buttons not working please

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Hi,
the cars body computer will recognise it's own radio unit,

letting the battery fed power tail off to nothing, and then restoring it may well reset the steering wheel buttons functionality..,

(otherwise a switching on and off of the function through software would be the next logical step.)

I've got to ask..- they did work previously..??

Charlie

FloJo said:

Is it definitely a pop? I didn't think that model had steering wheel controls.

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Hi Flojo
It says POP on the logbook, it doesn't have a sunroof (window) like the lounge

varesecrazy said:

I've got to ask..- they did work previously..??
Charlie

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Hi Charlie
We have only had the car for 3 weeks and no they have never worked since we brought the car, could this be a lounge steering wheel that's been added?

Also it has air con button that doesn't work and I cant see the compressor or condenser anywhere in the engine bay, maybe it had a fascia change?

It may well have done. If it's got air con you will see the silver pipes running from back to front. The condenser is in front of the radiator. Easy enough to see if the pipes are there. As for the stereo, if you take the stereo our if it it has steering controls that are wired in then all the sockets on the back will have plugs in them. I have seen other Pops advertised which also had the steering controls though. I guess it was an option. As maybe was AC.

you can get software plugged in to see what the ECU is connected to..,

nice and simple.. if it's not there it will try and communicate - but fail

I've done all this with my quest for cruise control..,

Charlie - Oxford

I notice it also has a sport gear knob too? Another added extra by the previous owner?

If you only purchased it 3 weeks ago Id ask the previous owner or who you bought it off why its not working or if it is add on's Something seems defiantly wrong here to me !! Check it out or did you buy it at an auction ? Is it classified as a CAT D or C repair ?
Regards
Ian

The leather covered steering wheel with the push buttons came as part of the Blue & Me package. At the time your car was built, this was standard on the Lounge & Sport models, and optional on the Pop.

If it was a factory fitted option, then you'll also have Blue&Me and there will be a single USB port with a Windows logo in the centre console tray. If you don't have that USB port, then the steering wheel has been added as a non-standard modification by a previous owner.

So the million dollar question for the OP is: "Do you have a USB port in the console tray"?

The fascia panel is non-standard, too - it should be colour keyed to the bodywork.

There is indeed an A/C symbol on your fan control knob. A/C was an option on the Pop, though one that was quite commonly specified. A momentary glance under the bonnet should be sufficient to confirm the presence or absence of an A/C compressor and associated pipework.

Retrofitting a different steering wheel, fascia panel and gear lever knob are all straightforward modifications which several folks here have done. But if your car does not have A/C, then that little symbol on the fan control knob is perhaps the most sinister of the obvious discrepancies and I'd suggest you get this car critically examined by a competent engineer who's fully familiar with the type.

We need to know more about this car's history to comment further.

Where are you based?

"Has the car been modified in any way?" Have the car checked out just to ensure its all good many places like the AA and RAC do it at a price ?

I don't really see why it being a Cat C or D would be relevant. None of those parts are likely to have been damaged in an accident.

Does the little light on the AC switch illuminate when you press it. You would also hear the AC kick in as well as my previous comment about the AC pipes under the bonnet.

I did hear a story of someone who bought a repaired Cat C and then found out that the steering airbag centre had just been glued back on without a new airbag. He wondered why there was an airbag light on. Apparently there were no airbags in the car at all.

I disconnected the battery for 3 hours this morning, and it made no difference, the only thing that works on the steering wheel is the horn.

We got it via BCA and it's had a AA check done and it's not Cat C or D

I think its a case of the car being souped up to make it look like a go faster car, even the spoiler on the back has the same carbon style as the front dashboard fascia.

BTW jrkitching, you are correct it has no USB port and as you say its another pointer that the car has had extras fitted at some stage in its life, my only concern is the
drivers air bag. is it part of the new steering wheel and would any warning lights come
up if hadn't been re-connected?

All in all even without the steering wheel controls, its a great little car in good nick, only done 40k.............Thanks to everyone for all your help

typecastboy said:

I don't really see why it being a Cat C or D would be relevant.

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All that a Cat C or D tag will tell you is that a previous insurance claim has been settled as a total loss. You may be able to infer something from the age of the car at the time the claim was settled; in general, the newer the car at the time of the claim, the greater the likelihood of significant damage. Older cars can be flagged as Cat D for something as minor as a cracked bumper.

Absence of a Cat tag doesn't necessarily mean the car hasn't previously been involved in a serious accident and then subsequently repaired. There've been some notable examples here on this forum.

Back to this car. The real anomaly is that fan control knob with the A/C symbol (if the car doesn't have A/C - have you checked under the bonnet yet?). I've attached a picture of what that part of a 500 pop of similar vintage should look like. If yours is different, and A/C wasn't fitted as an option, then someone has replaced that part of the dash at some time; it's hard to understand why anyone would do that just for the fun of it.

The steering wheel has been replaced at some time, and obviously that means the airbag and its connections will have been disturbed. You'd like to think the car's onboard diagnostics would flag an error if it hadn't been properly reconnected. Putting the car on an external diagnostic machine could provide further reassurance. There was a VOSA airbag recall on RHD cars made around this time; if you are paranoid, then having a franchised dealer check out the system will also confirm the recall has been carried out properly*.

*Edit - just noticed yours is a 2008 car, so should not be affected by this recall.

I wonder whether the car had white trim and someone changed it to black! That would be explain the steering wheel and heater controls.

If the airbag was missing or not wired in, it would bring up a light on the dash. If you can connect the car to multiECUscan it will tell you whether there is an airbag present or not. It will at least put your mind at rest.

typecastboy said:

I wonder whether the car had white trim and someone changed it to black! That would be explain the steering wheel and heater controls.

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That's a good theory and would explain a lot. What else would be a giveaway that the car originally had the white trim option?

jrkitching said:

That's a good theory and would explain a lot. What else would be a giveaway that the car originally had the white trim option?

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Stereo and air vents, but maybe they were changed too.

The 500 is Silver in colour, I think the strips down the side are original? but it looks to have after market black wheels fitted.

I double checked and there is no air con, no silver pipes that should lead from the condenser, the car differently doesn't have air con. also removed the fascia panel from where the air con button is, this exposed the air con switch and its not the type that you can push in to switch the air con on, also I cant see any light that should come on when the air con is switched on.

If you buy a Silver 500 then would the standard trim be black? the seats are back half leather and the fascia on the dashboard looks like the carbon fibre and the rear spoiler is the same design.

I don't have a multiECUscan unit, but was thinking of buying the D900, if these are any good (and under £20)? I wouldn't use it enough to warrant buying the more expensive Snap-On kit.

typecastboy said:

If the airbag was missing or not wired in, it would bring up a light on the dash. If you can connect the car to multiECUscan it will tell you whether there is an airbag present or not. It will at least put your mind at rest.

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certainly worth checking the viability of the airbag,
as there is obviously potential here for a non-standard fitment being somewhat compromised.

intel131 said:

I don't have a multiECUscan unit, but was thinking of buying the D900, if these are any good (and under £20)? I wouldn't use it enough to warrant buying the more expensive Snap-On kit.

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where is the car based..?
plenty of MES users on here who could connect to the cars ECU's and discover exactly what spec of car you do have..,

Charlie - Oxford