Technical Steering wheel lights?

[gsalini]

I have an 08 Mjet dynamic and was just wondering, on the controls on my steering wheel, are they meant to light up?
Thanks

 

[willeywilson]

...yes

 

[gsalini]

Dam! Really? well mine dont, what could be the reason?

 

[willeywilson]

probably broke led or wire. I aren't sure but I believe they do light up. I know mine do, it would be silly of fiat to use different controls per different spec.

 

[gsalini]

Mhmmm. Yea i had a hunch they were ment to, as the symbols on the controls seem slightly transparent so i thought they probably light up! Ok so broken led or wire.... how do i get my hands behind there with out pissing the airbag off ha

 

[cameronwhyte89]

I had heard that Fiat stopped putting the lights in the steering wheel and the electric window switches. Dunno when, mines an '07 and they light up.

 

[gsalini]

Well that cant be true because my window switches do light up and mines an 08 plate, so anybody got an idea how to get my steering wheel lights on?

 

[peter7889]

I been looking at getting the cover off the stering wheel for a differnant reason than you and apparently you need plug into the car and talk to the air bag other wise it might go off in your face. I think it will be a garage job m8, i decided to put up with my problem not worth the hassel.

 

[gsalini]

Well i just checked the fuse and its fine. Yea looks like it, my car is under 3rd year dealer warranty, i wonder if they would cover it?

 

[bladecs_04]

mines 08 the light switches light up the steering wheel never has they stopped doing it early on mine is a s1 aswell

 

[gsalini]

so i poped into my local fiat garage to ask about the steering wheel lights and they said.... ill need to replace the whole wheel..... which would cost me £250....
There must be away to fix these lights with out doing that!

 

[willeywilson]

yes, if yours are meant to light up in the first place, and both of the leds have gone (which would be rather strange) you could pop the covers off of them and solder new smd's into place. Although the fact that neither of them lights up leads me to believe yours were never meant too.

 

[bladecs_04]

do you ever remember them lighting up if they didnt DONT waste your money

 

[gsalini]

Well i asked the garage if they should and he said yes. And i honestly cant remember if they ever did, it just caught my attention recently when i was driving in the night that they wernt on. What im thinking of doing is taking of the black plastic around the controls, have a look if theres bulbs there for a start and if there is check if there is any voltage.

 

[bladecs_04]

thinking about it the steering wheel probably has a different part code between ones that light and ones that dont. fiat should be able to use your reg/vin number to find out which one you need

 

[gsalini]

Mhmm your probably right. But id rather get this sorted with out fiat really involved. And ive had a bash to take the black plastic off and it does not want to! i can pull it out about 7mm from is resting place buy pulling it pretty hard but it doesnt want to go any further. Any body taken these controls off?

 

[willeywilson]

James1989 has, pm him. Also you know you want find bulbs but TINY SMD LEDs

 

[gsalini]

Cheers Willey!

 

[gsalini]

Well i took the controls off and this is what i found....
This is with the rubber on

and the rubber off

so can anybody tell me if there's even meant to be lights there?
Thanks

 

[James1989]

Glad to see you got the surrounds free,

im fairly sure that the led lights were in the rubber bit fed by a wire at the top if i remember rightly :S

and the board behind not only fed the lights but also had the pressure controls for the volume etc.

sorry i cant help more i had mine off so i could pick out the buttons and get the surround sprayed not to do any maintanance/fixing im afraid.