Let's say you love your aftermarket stereo but miss your steering wheel controls...Have no fear, Ng is here! :lol:

I installed the PAC SWI-X on my HHR to regain my steering wheel controls that I missed for the couple of days after installing my Alpine 56. I've taken all the guess work out and the average wrencher should be able to install the contraption.

The SWI-X is a universal type adapter that can be programmed to control whatever you want...head unit, sirius, etc...anything that has a remote. Some head units like the high end Alpine and Pioneer have an adapter in the back of head unit to directly hook up the PAC. Those will use a different type of PAC but the wiring hook up should be the same.

So here we go...
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First remove this panel. It has two 7mm screws on the bottom. Remove those and the panel pops out.

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Next remove the four 10mm screws holding this cover. Also remove the three 7mm screws holding the steering collar on the bottom. Then work the two halves loose and remove the steering collar.

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Once you have all the panels removed look for the horn/steering wheel connector on the top of the column. It's the one with blue. The two wires you need to splice into are the dark blue and the large white with black wire.

There are two wires that are colored black & white! Once is a thin wire and the other is thicker. Splice into the thicker black and white wire. I removed the connector for working room. Pick your favorite splicing tool and add enough wire to reach the center console.

CONT...

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Blurry pic but you can see how I spliced into the dark blue wire. The white with black wire is under the dark blue wire.

The white with black wire will need to be hooked up to a switched +12 volt source. It seems that our steering wheel controls got power from the OEM stereo. I used everyone's favorite fuse 21 on the center console.

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Here is another pic of my splicing job. I used blue wire for the blue wire I spliced into and red wire for the black & white wire.

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This is the PAC SWI-X. You will only need three wires to hook this bad boy up! The black wire to a ground. The red wire to a switched +12v (once againg I spliced into Fuse 21) and the green wire which will need to be hooked upto the blue wire from the steering column. And that's it! That's all the wiring you'll need to do.

Route your wires and look for a hiding place for your PAC. I placed mine in a slot in the center console. There is space underneath your window controls and you can access it by pulling the center console panel on the drivers side. The wires can be tucked away under the center console.

Now follow the instructions on the PAC manual and program the adapter with your remote(s). My Alpine didn't come with a remote (I had to order it, and I'm waiting for it) so in the mean time I programmed it to control my Sirius S-50. My S-50 can control volume, mute, and channels so that's what I programmed my steering wheel controls.

Once my Alpine remote comes in, I'll program the PAC to control the Alpine Volume and mute but leave the up and down buttons to control my S-50.

Make sure you pic an area that the IR signal can reach your programmed hardware. Do a test run before you start drilling holes in your vehicle. This is where I picked to put my IR. It controls my S-50 with no problems and is in line of sight of my Alpine's IR input.
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If you have the head unit with the PAC hook up you don't have to worry about placing the IR in line of sight. But make sure you buy the correct one that fits your model of head unit.

Late
Ng

Freaking AWESOME! Thanks for the post.

That's cool...where did you get the PAC SWI-X?

That's cool...where did you get the PAC SWI-X?

I ordered it with all my other stuff (except amps and door speakers) at crutchfield. Free shipping. No taxes.

Ng

Freaking AWESOME! Thanks for the post.

It sux when you're first and run into problems and there is no thread for reference. So hopefully this post will make it easier for those who plan on doing a similar install. But my stereo install was done with the assistance of all those other install threads floating around the forum...

Ng

It sux when you're first and run into problems and there is no thread for reference. So hopefully this post will make it easier for those who plan on doing a similar install. But my stereo install was done with the assistance of all those other install threads floating around the forum...

Ng

I am still saving up to buy my system at the moment, but I remember seeing that adapter on a few different sites and wondered if it worked well. At least I have somewhere to go to and see some real reviews of products for the HHR.

I am still saving up to buy my system at the moment, but I remember seeing that adapter on a few different sites and wondered if it worked well. At least I have somewhere to go to and see some real reviews of products for the HHR.

First real review:

I've been using the PAC for two days now and it works great. I'm thinking of leaving it alone and using it to control my Sirius S-50 instead of my head unit.

Pretty neat device, it must have some type of memory since it's voltage is coming from a switched source and it doesn't loose it's programming functions. The only thing I wish now is that our HHR steering wheel would've had more buttons that way I could've programmed the PAC to control more options.

Ng

My mind is already spinning about how to use the PAC to control my sirius starmate tuner. :thumb:

My mind is already spinning about how to use the PAC to control my sirius starmate tuner. :thumb:

At first I programmed my up and down arrows to control my Sirius S-50 radio station search. But I listen to my saved sirius songs (I'm at 300+ songs and counting) more so than live Sirius. So I changed my up and down arrows to control FWD & RVS to seek through my saved songs.

Ng

I am still saving up to buy my system at the moment, but I remember seeing that adapter on a few different sites and wondered if it worked well. At least I have somewhere to go to and see some real reviews of products for the HHR.
I`ve got one on my Sierra. No problems here. Works as advertised. Did have trouble figuring out which wire to tap into on the colum. Crutchfield helped.!!!!