Steering Wheel Swap?

[NavigatorV8]

I can get a steering wheel from a Explorer from 2017 with heater and paddles for my Explorer (2014 w/o heater and paddles)
My question, what will i need for activate the heater and the paddles (ForScan and UCDS are available) and will my Airbag fit on the new steering wheel?

 

[gns30]

I can get a steering wheel from a Explorer from 2017 with heater and paddles for my Explorer (2014 w/o heater and paddles)
My question, what will i need for activate the heater and the paddles (ForScan and UCDS are available) and will my Airbag fit on the new steering wheel?

Did you ever attempt the swap? I've been curious about steering wheel swaps, I'm not a fan of the thin wheel and was wondering if anyone has attempted it. I'm curious if there are any other wheels out there that would work.

 

[drudis]

Did you ever attempt the swap? I've been curious about steering wheel swaps, I'm not a fan of the thin wheel and was wondering if anyone has attempted it. I'm curious if there are any other wheels out there that would work.

I looked into replacing my F150 steering wheel (my 2016 Explorer Sport has heated), and had to get a Platinum or Raptor wheel. BUT... the biggest issues were all the PCMs and harnesses that needed to be replaced, to recognize this new heating element. Turns out nearly impossible (not just simple turn on option in Forscan).

 

[bill32399]

I realize this last post is almost 2 years old but it still worth having the info here. Recently did this in a 2015 Explorer. Got the steering wheel from a 2017 Platinum. Bolted right up without any problem. I used the old Airbag as the new ones do change the plug type so that was easy. There were 4 pins I have to change in the C218B connector to get it to work. Will not work if you don't do this since one of them is the ground. You could use a newer Airbag but you would have to change the plugs on the Car side to get it to work.

After that used Forscan to change the switch types in the SCCM and has worked great ever since. I did upgrade to SYNC 3 so not sure how the switches would work with SYNC 2/MFT since they were never intended for that.

 

[jordan1168]

I realize this last post is almost 2 years old but it still worth having the info here. Recently did this in a 2015 Explorer. Got the steering wheel from a 2017 Platinum. Bolted right up without any problem. I used the old Airbag as the new ones do change the plug type so that was easy. There were 4 pins I have to change in the C218B connector to get it to work. Will not work if you don't do this since one of them is the ground. You could use a newer Airbag but you would have to change the plugs on the Car side to get it to work.

After that used Forscan to change the switch types in the SCCM and has worked great ever since. I did upgrade to SYNC 3 so not sure how the switches would work with SYNC 2/MFT since they were never intended for that.

I'm looking to do the same thing. Do you have the pinout for the 16/17 C218B connector?

 

[bill32399]

I'm looking to do the same thing. Do you have the pinout for the 16/17 C218B connector?

thats actually not the problem. The SCCM knows what buttons you push by the voltages the control packs send to it. In 2016 they changed the voltages on everything but the upper directional buttons. So in short you would have to be able to solder with SMT to swap the resistors or do a Frankenstein job with the old and new boards to make it work.

Otherwise it’s a direct swap and the airbag will swap also.

 

[jordan1168]

thats actually not the problem. The SCCM knows what buttons you push by the voltages the control packs send to it. In 2016 they changed the voltages on everything but the upper directional buttons. So in short you would have to be able to solder with SMT to swap the resistors or do a Frankenstein job with the old and new boards to make it work.

Otherwise it’s a direct swap and the airbag will swap also.

Ah ok, I have no issues with tearing apart the switches and soldering on new resistors, but your previous post made it seem like I had to move 4 of the pins on the C218B connector. This is the wheel I'm looking at going to from the 2014/15 style.

Do you happen to know what the resistor values are?

On the right side of the newer model though, the buttons are slightly different functions than the older such as the mute or answer/seek buttons. Were you able to get those to function properly or did you just map them to the old wheel functions?

 

[bill32399]

Ah ok, I have no issues with tearing apart the switches and soldering on new resistors, but your previous post made it seem like I had to move 4 of the pins on the C218B connector. This is the wheel I'm looking at going to from the 2014/15 style.

View attachment 429969


Do you happen to know what the resistor values are?

On the right side of the newer model though, the buttons are slightly different functions than the older such as the mute or answer/seek buttons. Were you able to get those to function properly or did you just map them to the old wheel functions?

I don’t know the values on the resistors. They did change a wire on the right pack though. This has picks and discussed in great detail at Fordflex.net

 

[jordan1168]

I don’t know the values on the resistors. They did change a wire on the right pack though. This has picks and discussed in great detail at Fordflex.net

Thanks for pointing that out. I'm reading through it now. On the 2015 explorer you upgraded, did you get the buttons of the 2017 steering wheel to function as intended, or did you get them to map back to the functions of the 15 wheel? As in, were you able to get the Mute and Media/PTT buttons working as intended or do they still have the 2015 functions of PTT/Phone?


2016

2015

The writing on the wall seems to be that without upgrading the SCCM firmware/module, it wouldn't be able to have the new functionality. But with upgrading the SCCM/firmware it may cause other issues because of the CGEA likely changing from 1.2 to 1.3.

 

[bill32399]

Thanks for pointing that out. I'm reading through it now. On the 2015 explorer you upgraded, did you get the buttons of the 2017 steering wheel to function as intended, or did you get them to map back to the functions of the 15 wheel? As in, were you able to get the Mute and Media/PTT buttons working as intended or do they still have the 2015 functions of PTT/Phone?


2016
View attachment 429972
2015
View attachment 429973


The writing on the wall seems to be that without upgrading the SCCM firmware/module, it wouldn't be able to have the new functionality. But with upgrading the SCCM/firmware it may cause other issues because of the CGEA likely changing from 1.2 to 1.3.

You cant upgrade the SCCM as it communicates through the GWM so that won’t work. I left the D pad circuit alone and ran new wires from the new switch pack to the old one which I hot glued in it. It’s kinda confusing but it works.

 

[jordan1168]

Got it. Can you tell me if this picture is an accurate representation of what the buttons actually do (vice what the buttons say they do)?

I'm just trying to understand if it's possible to get the mute button to actually work or if that's not possible without updating the SCCM module (which has other problems such as the GWM).

 

[bill32399]

You can’t get it to work as a mute. You would need to change the AsBuilt settings in the SCCM for that configuration. The CGEA 1.2 SCCM won’t take the correct setting so it won’t send the correct signal to the APIM.

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

The CANbus architecture changed in 2016, so many functions won't work properly, no matter what you do. Pretty cool that you got it to work as well as you did. Kudos.

 

[bill32399]

The CANbus architecture changed in 2016, so many functions won't work properly, no matter what you do. Pretty cool that you got it to work as well as you did. Kudos.

They changed ICAN to HS3 and added a Gateway module. Than they changed all the modules in the car to go through the Gateway Module. They also changed the network several modules lived on. So alot wont work but alot still will work. Most everything on the ICAN network will work in the newer CGEA 1.3 architecture up until 2019.

 

[jordan1168]

They changed ICAN to HS3 and added a Gateway module. Than they changed all the modules in the car to go through the Gateway Module. They also changed the network several modules lived on. So alot wont work but alot still will work. Most everything on the ICAN network will work in the newer CGEA 1.3 architecture up until 2019.

It's interesting. I've attempted to swap the 2014 SCCM for a 2016 SCCM so I can use a 2016 steering wheel. The left D-pad+ok works and the volume +/- buttons work. However, the right d-pad doesn't work and two of the other buttons (mute and cruise control on) change the media input. I'm still trying to work through the best way to proceed. While minor, it will annoy me that there's a mute icon that has a different functionality.

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

They changed ICAN to HS3 and added a Gateway module. Than they changed all the modules in the car to go through the Gateway Module. They also changed the network several modules lived on. So alot wont work but alot still will work. Most everything on the ICAN network will work in the newer CGEA 1.3 architecture up until 2019.

Yes...I'm 100% aware of all of this. I ran into all this back in 2017 when I was attempting to try and put a newer IPC into my 2015.

You essentially just restated what I said....but thank you.

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

It's interesting. I've attempted to swap the 2014 SCCM for a 2016 SCCM so I can use a 2016 steering wheel. The left D-pad+ok works and the volume +/- buttons work. However, the right d-pad doesn't work and two of the other buttons (mute and cruise control on) change the media input. I'm still trying to work through the best way to proceed. While minor, it will annoy me that there's a mute icon that has a different functionality.

Again....because of the change in architecture, you won't get all functions to work properly. I banged my head against this wall for almost a year back in 2017. At the very least the ability to do it exceeded my capabilities...

 

[bill32399]

Yes...I'm 100% aware of all of this. I ran into all this back in 2017 when I was attempting to try and put a newer IPC into my 2015.

You essentially just restated what I said....but thank you.

I assume you ment that is the nicest most respectful way.

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

I assume you ment that is the nicest most respectful way.

Sure?

 

[jordan1168]

It's been a long road, but I was able to get this working. Details are on the fordflex forum for the steering wheel buttons. I upgraded from a 2014 steering wheel without paddles and HSW to a 2016 steering wheel with paddles and heated. You need a new clock spring for the HSW wirings and the HSWM as well. I just bought a used steering column from a totaled 13 explorer that had the clock spring and connectors I needed for $80.