[Rdkendrick]

Hi, I am fairly new to the mini-van forum. I am a regular over on Jeepforum.com. My wife is the minivan driver.
She liked the RDS capability I have on the radio in my Jeep GC, so I thought I would upgrade her radio.
I bought a radio from Factory Radios on eBay exactly like this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2002-2006-Jeep-Chrysler-Dodge-RDS-Radio-AM-FM-CD-CS-iPod-Aux-In-P05064042AB-RAZ-/150927033917
With the 3.5 mm headphone jack.
Then I bought the wiring adapter, twin 10 pin to 22 pin adapter with steering wheel control like this:
http://replacementradios.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_258_268&products_id=57
On her 2000 Town & Country, the steering wheel wire has two wires going into a connector with two pins. The adapter has a connector with two pins, but only one wire going into it.
I hooked up the "new" radio, trimmed the bezel to fit the oval radio, and everything works okay, EXCEPT the steering wheel control. I seemed to have lost that function.
I emailed Factory Radios and Replacementradios.com, but they are pointing the fingers at each other with me in the middle.
I just want the steering wheel function to work with this upgraded factory radio. I tried pulling the IOD fuse to reset the BCM, to no avail. I am stuck.
Has anyone upgraded their factory radio to a newer J1850 factory radio (non-CANBUS)? If so, did you have the steering wheel control? How do I fix this problem?
I think it is because they don't have both steering wheel wires going into the radio, like it did the old one. On the adapter, there is only one wire in the steering wherl control connector.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[Rdkendrick]

Anyone?

 

[peterjon1]

The mp3 plug is an aftermarket add on. Now, I think I remember reading a long time ago something about the mp3 using the connection for the steering wheel controls, but I could be way off.

 

[ImperialCrown]

Welcome to Allpar. This may be problematic. If you can find a way to adapt a LIN (local interconnect network) bus to feed the radio's single wire CAN (controller area network) steering wheel control input, it could work.
The steering column contains a SCCM (steering column control module) on newer cars to convert the LIN to CAN.
Discussions here:
http://www.justanswer.com/chrysler/6r7yd-thanks-answers-does-mean-it-s-possible.html
http://www.sequentialtaillights.com/dodge/Tip89_DodgeCANBUS.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_bus
A possible solution. I'm not saying that this is the answer. Research this some more:
http://gridconnect.com/can-lin-adapters-pcan-lin.html

 

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Two possibilities:

1 - the deck uses a version of the PCI bus not compatible with the 2000 T&C. The steering wheel controls work over the bus via the BCM... if the two aren't speaking the same language, it won't work.
2 - the new deck is defective

#1 is probably the one tripping you up. I personally would have gone with the RBU - a better sounding RDS enabled deck with rear seat audio capability via RF headphones. No idea if the steering wheel controls would work with one.

 

[Rdkendrick]

Two possibilities:

1 - the deck uses a version of the PCI bus not compatible with the 2000 T&C. The steering wheel controls work over the bus via the BCM... if the two aren't speaking the same language, it won't work.
2 - the new deck is defective

#1 is probably the one tripping you up. I personally would have gone with the RBU - a better sounding RDS enabled deck with rear seat audio capability via RF headphones. No idea if the steering wheel controls would work with one.

The old radio worked fine with the steering wheel controls, though, because of the clock-spring, sometimes they would not work correctly. Both the 2000 and 2002 radios are the J1850 style and, you are correct, they speak through the BCM through the PCI bus, so they should be talking to each other, though, according to the wiring schematic, they go through the audio mux, (in the amp?) which might be the problem. I am wondering if the radio needs to turn on something in the amp. I have never heard of different versions of PCI, I mean, PCI is PCI, no disrespect intended.
I put a known, good radio, exactly like the replacement (from out of my Jeep) and still no luck.
My wife, though she wanted the RDS, and I thought having the iPod jack would help, would rather have the steering wheel control, so I might just put her old radio back in.
I, myself, think it's the wiring adapter.
Is the RBU a twin 10 plug or a 22 pin? I was looking for a twin 10 plug with RDS capability, but couldn't find any.

 

[Rdkendrick]

Welcome to Allpar. This may be problematic. If you can find a way to adapt a LIN (local interconnect network) bus to feed the radio's single wire CAN (controller area network) steering wheel control input, it could work.
The steering column contains a SCCM (steering column control module) on newer cars to convert the LIN to CAN.
Discussions here:
http://www.justanswer.com/chrysler/6r7yd-thanks-answers-does-mean-it-s-possible.html
http://www.sequentialtaillights.com/dodge/Tip89_DodgeCANBUS.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_bus
A possible solution. I'm not saying that this is the answer. Research this some more:
http://gridconnect.com/can-lin-adapters-pcan-lin.html

I appreciate your research into this, but this is a 2000 T & C, it doesn't have CANBUS, it is still using PCI, as are both radios.
CANBUS came along in 2004-2005. There are adapters that program radios to use the SWC, but I should not have to do that, as these radios are both PCI radios and should be communicating with each other, if the wiring adapter is correct.

 

[Oklahoma Wolf]

I am wondering if the radio needs to turn on something in the amp.

The 2000 Infinity system uses four amps bolted to the back of each rear quarter panel speaker and door speaker - they have no connection with the PCI bus.

The RBU uses the newer connectors. You will not find an RDS enabled factory deck with the old 7 pin black and grey connectors unless you go to the European ones, which will not have FM tuning compatible with US/Canadian frequencies.