Why so many buttons on the steering wheel?
- Thread starter FungusAmongUs
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Originally Posted By: dogememe
... The only thing I want on my steering wheel is the horn.
Yeah! When I need to hit a button, I don't like having to hunt for a moving one.
The real reason for steering-wheel controls is to give dealers more business repairing "clock springs" when they break.
... The only thing I want on my steering wheel is the horn.
Yeah! When I need to hit a button, I don't like having to hunt for a moving one.
The real reason for steering-wheel controls is to give dealers more business repairing "clock springs" when they break.
OVERKILL
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Originally Posted By: CR94
Originally Posted By: dogememe
... The only thing I want on my steering wheel is the horn.
Yeah! When I need to hit a button, I don't like having to hunt for a moving one.
The real reason for steering-wheel controls is to give dealers more business repairing "clock springs" when they break.
Boy, that must be a stupid business practice. The ones on my M5 worked perfectly its entire lifetime, all the ones on my wife's former 328i worked at close to 200,000 miles and the ones on our recently departed Expedition with just under 200,000 miles on it also worked perfectly. Heck, the ones on my '87 Mustang GT and my '89 Town Car also worked perfectly and the Town Car had well over 200,000 miles on it when I gave it away.
I'll actually add that every time I'm in at my dealer to do IT work or have my vehicle serviced, I've never seen one in for clockspring work. Plenty of other stuff, but never that
I've also never had to hunt for a button on any wheel I've had, as the wheel has a pretty intuitive feel to it; you learn pretty quickly where your hands are in relation to the buttons relative to wheel feel. This sounds like another excuse just to hate modern technology and creature comforts.
Originally Posted By: dogememe
... The only thing I want on my steering wheel is the horn.
Yeah! When I need to hit a button, I don't like having to hunt for a moving one.
The real reason for steering-wheel controls is to give dealers more business repairing "clock springs" when they break.
Boy, that must be a stupid business practice. The ones on my M5 worked perfectly its entire lifetime, all the ones on my wife's former 328i worked at close to 200,000 miles and the ones on our recently departed Expedition with just under 200,000 miles on it also worked perfectly. Heck, the ones on my '87 Mustang GT and my '89 Town Car also worked perfectly and the Town Car had well over 200,000 miles on it when I gave it away.
I'll actually add that every time I'm in at my dealer to do IT work or have my vehicle serviced, I've never seen one in for clockspring work. Plenty of other stuff, but never that
I've also never had to hunt for a button on any wheel I've had, as the wheel has a pretty intuitive feel to it; you learn pretty quickly where your hands are in relation to the buttons relative to wheel feel. This sounds like another excuse just to hate modern technology and creature comforts.
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: CR94
Originally Posted By: dogememe
... The only thing I want on my steering wheel is the horn.
Yeah! When I need to hit a button, I don't like having to hunt for a moving one.
The real reason for steering-wheel controls is to give dealers more business repairing "clock springs" when they break.
Boy, that must be a stupid business practice. The ones on my M5 worked perfectly its entire lifetime, all the ones on my wife's former 328i worked at close to 200,000 miles and the ones on our recently departed Expedition with just under 200,000 miles on it also worked perfectly. Heck, the ones on my '87 Mustang GT and my '89 Town Car also worked perfectly and the Town Car had well over 200,000 miles on it when I gave it away.
I'll actually add that every time I'm in at my dealer to do IT work or have my vehicle serviced, I've never seen one in for clockspring work. Plenty of other stuff, but never that
I've also never had to hunt for a button on any wheel I've had, as the wheel has a pretty intuitive feel to it; you learn pretty quickly where your hands are in relation to the buttons relative to wheel feel. This sounds like another excuse just to hate modern technology and creature comforts.
I did have to take apart the steering wheel on my Mercedes. Had to replace the steering angle sensor which clips in right next to the clock spring. The way mine is setup, the buttons and airbag is one piece, two screws takes it off and you just unclip the airbag wires and the wires for the buttons. It's not part of the clockspring. Then you remove the nut holding the steering wheel and then the steering wheel comes off. Once that's off, the steering angle sensor/clockspring and all the other levels come out as one unit and it's a few more screws to replace the steering angle sensor. Took a little over an hour to take it apart and put it back together. I like my older style steering wheel, the buttons are right by your thumbs so you can easily select them without looking at the wheel. The newer models have 2 sets of 4-5 way buttons where you kinda have to look at the wheel to pick a button. It's still fun to play with though. Something to do when stuck in traffic or waiting for a light.
Originally Posted By: CR94
Originally Posted By: dogememe
... The only thing I want on my steering wheel is the horn.
Yeah! When I need to hit a button, I don't like having to hunt for a moving one.
The real reason for steering-wheel controls is to give dealers more business repairing "clock springs" when they break.
Boy, that must be a stupid business practice. The ones on my M5 worked perfectly its entire lifetime, all the ones on my wife's former 328i worked at close to 200,000 miles and the ones on our recently departed Expedition with just under 200,000 miles on it also worked perfectly. Heck, the ones on my '87 Mustang GT and my '89 Town Car also worked perfectly and the Town Car had well over 200,000 miles on it when I gave it away.
I'll actually add that every time I'm in at my dealer to do IT work or have my vehicle serviced, I've never seen one in for clockspring work. Plenty of other stuff, but never that
I've also never had to hunt for a button on any wheel I've had, as the wheel has a pretty intuitive feel to it; you learn pretty quickly where your hands are in relation to the buttons relative to wheel feel. This sounds like another excuse just to hate modern technology and creature comforts.
I did have to take apart the steering wheel on my Mercedes. Had to replace the steering angle sensor which clips in right next to the clock spring. The way mine is setup, the buttons and airbag is one piece, two screws takes it off and you just unclip the airbag wires and the wires for the buttons. It's not part of the clockspring. Then you remove the nut holding the steering wheel and then the steering wheel comes off. Once that's off, the steering angle sensor/clockspring and all the other levels come out as one unit and it's a few more screws to replace the steering angle sensor. Took a little over an hour to take it apart and put it back together. I like my older style steering wheel, the buttons are right by your thumbs so you can easily select them without looking at the wheel. The newer models have 2 sets of 4-5 way buttons where you kinda have to look at the wheel to pick a button. It's still fun to play with though. Something to do when stuck in traffic or waiting for a light.
Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Originally Posted By: funflyer
Originally Posted By: FungusAmongUs
There has to be a better place to put control buttons than on the steering wheel. Yup, it's supposed to be convenient, but, as an example, how convenient is it when you turn a corner and the radio comes on? Or if the radio is already on, you drive around a corner and it shuts off. What is your least favorite button on the steering wheel?
When the steering wheel buttons start doing funny things then it's time to replace the spiral cable aka clock spring. Look it up.
Pretty sure the OP means because of where he holds the wheel he's touching the buttons when he turns...not a mechanical failure..
Might be time to go back to the basics.... 10 & 2
Oh, the nut behind the wheel. Thanks, I got it now. Maybe it's time for a suicide knob.
Originally Posted By: funflyer
Originally Posted By: FungusAmongUs
There has to be a better place to put control buttons than on the steering wheel. Yup, it's supposed to be convenient, but, as an example, how convenient is it when you turn a corner and the radio comes on? Or if the radio is already on, you drive around a corner and it shuts off. What is your least favorite button on the steering wheel?
When the steering wheel buttons start doing funny things then it's time to replace the spiral cable aka clock spring. Look it up.
Pretty sure the OP means because of where he holds the wheel he's touching the buttons when he turns...not a mechanical failure..
Might be time to go back to the basics.... 10 & 2
Oh, the nut behind the wheel. Thanks, I got it now. Maybe it's time for a suicide knob.
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: funflyer
Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Originally Posted By: funflyer
Originally Posted By: FungusAmongUs
There has to be a better place to put control buttons than on the steering wheel. Yup, it's supposed to be convenient, but, as an example, how convenient is it when you turn a corner and the radio comes on? Or if the radio is already on, you drive around a corner and it shuts off. What is your least favorite button on the steering wheel?
When the steering wheel buttons start doing funny things then it's time to replace the spiral cable aka clock spring. Look it up.
Pretty sure the OP means because of where he holds the wheel he's touching the buttons when he turns...not a mechanical failure..
Might be time to go back to the basics.... 10 & 2
Oh, the nut behind the wheel. Thanks, I got it now. Maybe it's time for a suicide knob.
It's usually the loose nut behind the wheel. The regular nut is fine.
While you're at it, get a car with some suicide doors too, the more suicide options the better.
Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Originally Posted By: funflyer
Originally Posted By: FungusAmongUs
There has to be a better place to put control buttons than on the steering wheel. Yup, it's supposed to be convenient, but, as an example, how convenient is it when you turn a corner and the radio comes on? Or if the radio is already on, you drive around a corner and it shuts off. What is your least favorite button on the steering wheel?
When the steering wheel buttons start doing funny things then it's time to replace the spiral cable aka clock spring. Look it up.
Pretty sure the OP means because of where he holds the wheel he's touching the buttons when he turns...not a mechanical failure..
Might be time to go back to the basics.... 10 & 2
Oh, the nut behind the wheel. Thanks, I got it now. Maybe it's time for a suicide knob.
It's usually the loose nut behind the wheel. The regular nut is fine.
While you're at it, get a car with some suicide doors too, the more suicide options the better.
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
I'll actually add that every time I'm in at my dealer to do IT work or have my vehicle serviced, I've never seen one in for clockspring work. Plenty of other stuff, but never that
I've also never had to hunt for a button on any wheel I've had, as the wheel has a pretty intuitive feel to it; you learn pretty quickly where your hands are in relation to the buttons relative to wheel feel. This sounds like another excuse just to hate modern technology and creature comforts.
I agree 100%. All of my cars save the Club Sport have at least a few buttons on the wheel. The only "issue" I've had is adjusting to button placement when switching from the 2er or i3 to the Clubman or Wrangler. I use the buttons and scroll wheels frequently on the 2er and i3 because they allow me to adjust and/or access several functions without taking my eyes off the road- or my hands off the wheel.
I'll actually add that every time I'm in at my dealer to do IT work or have my vehicle serviced, I've never seen one in for clockspring work. Plenty of other stuff, but never that
I've also never had to hunt for a button on any wheel I've had, as the wheel has a pretty intuitive feel to it; you learn pretty quickly where your hands are in relation to the buttons relative to wheel feel. This sounds like another excuse just to hate modern technology and creature comforts.
I agree 100%. All of my cars save the Club Sport have at least a few buttons on the wheel. The only "issue" I've had is adjusting to button placement when switching from the 2er or i3 to the Clubman or Wrangler. I use the buttons and scroll wheels frequently on the 2er and i3 because they allow me to adjust and/or access several functions without taking my eyes off the road- or my hands off the wheel.
Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Might be time to go back to the basics.... 10 & 2
You mean 9 and 3, this isn’t the sixties anymore.
Might be time to go back to the basics.... 10 & 2
You mean 9 and 3, this isn’t the sixties anymore.
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