Has anyone come up with a way to use the "dead" center left switch on the back of the steering wheel? I'd love to use that button to mute my Valentine 1... although using it for a garage door opener would be cool too. I've been searching the forums for the better part of an hour, and I see some discussion of this, but haven't found a conclusive answer as to if it's doable and if so how. So at the risk of getting scorched for asking a dumb question, I'm askin'.

 

I haven't investigated it because I use my dead switch as anger management! It's my imaginary "DIE, DIE, DIE!" button that launches imaginary anti-tank missles at every Escalade ESV with 28's that won't get out of the fast lane

 

There are buttons on the back of the steering wheel?

 

Mine engages and fires the passenger ejector seat, just like James Bond's Aston Martin DB5.

 

only if you bought a multi function steering wheel with stereo controls on the backside

 

(the older two spoke steering wheels with MFSW have three buttons on each side of the back to control the stereo - except one does nothing; the newer three spoke has only four stereo control buttons on the front, so no spares; non-MFSW wheels have no buttons anywhere)


I built a one-off circuit for MikeyTheMini that produces a switch output that mimics the unused switch. But I have done no more because (a) expertise is needed to install such a circuit and solder it to whatever needs to be controlled and (b) the spare button is no more, with the loss of the two spoke wheel.

On my MINI, I have an aftermarket head unit and the PAC SWI-X converts the steering wheel buttons to IR codes to control it ... you can use all six switches this way (on my head unit the middle left button changes disc/tuner group/whatever, and the middle right button changes source).

So yes it is theoretically possible to use that switch.

(PS: the "Audio" forum might have info related to this, too)

 

Was that an option? My 2004 MCS has the 3 spoke MFSW with the controls on the front. Didn't know there was another option (aside from the S style wheel)

 

See my post above - on the '04 you could have ordered the 2 spoke or 3 spoke, but now with the '05 the 2 spoke has been dropped :(

 

This is a sore spot for me. I was told that this button was "reserved" for use as the phone-answer button for the bluetooth handsfree kit (when I ordered this as a DIO on my MINI). Lo and behold, when the MINI showed up the button still had no function, but there was a very aftermarket-looking button clamped to my downtube!

 

The "dead" middle button on the left back of the steering wheel is for changing discs on those MINIs that have the optional CD changer. That's it.

 

It is? This is the first I've heard of that. Can someone with the factory CD-Changer confirm this?

 

I have a factory changer, and that button is as dead as ever. I use it as a 'fidgit' button when sitting in traffic. Tap... tap... tap... tap...

 

i hooked up a gizmo (SWIX) to send out IR codes for the various buttons. Supposedly, anything that uses an IR remote could be made to work. I use it to control my Alpine headunit with the steering wheel buttons. I'm about to try out the Navipod which will accept remote codes to control the Ipod, currently my fav music source, plugged into the Alpine CD changer (AUX) input.

 

Alright John, that was your allocated total tangent of the day

 

shades of yesteryear...

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16539

 

The "dead" center left switch on the back of my steering wheel does mute my V1.

I have the "StealthOne" installed. My Nav display now acts as the remote display for the V1, and the useless middle left button mutes the V1. StealthOne also clears the lawyer nag screen on my Nav system.

I'm not related to them in any way; just a happy customer.

 

Sadly I don't believe this is true ...
I have considered making a circuit that would do this. But I don't have a CD changer so cannot analyze the iBus messages ... if someone close to me wanted to investigate ...

 

I have the CD Changer and no it doesn't do this. The right middle button changes modes from Radio to CD Changer to Indash CD, but the left middle button is dead.

 

Anyone ever have any luck chasing down this elusive switch??? I am guessing somewhere down buy the head unit this wire terminates no where. I would like to mount a garage door opener custom modified so it would fit in the little round hole in the center of the dash. Seams it should be pretty easy to find the wire that switch energizes and run it directly into the garage door opener. Might have to convert 12V to 9V. Lets bring this thread back to life

 

Oooohhh!!! I like this! From now on that's why my dead button does. "oh that? it's the DIE BUTTON!" I think it will also serve to launch the electrodes that send a surge through the car nearby whose radio is so loud it's rattling their trunk off, this surge will disable all electrical components in the vehicle and they'll ALL have to be replaced.

AND, it will also force the headlights on of all passing vehicles when it's raining!!

yeah, i've got a pretty vivid imagination.

 

The steering wheels switches are all multplexed together into a single wire which is part of the cars iBus - there is no "terminated wire" to find.
Search for iBus on my weblog for more info, including this circuit which monitors the iBus and closes/opens a relay to mimic closing/opening the switch. That is as close as you will get to being able to use the switch.

BTW, you might also like to read about garage openers here

 

Looks like you have had some success. if you can open and close a realay should be able to operate a garage door opener would need it to close the circuit while depressed and open when relaeased

 

That is exactly what that circuit does.

 

I'm not 100% certain on this (no signal in the garage to verify and no I'm not pullin out right now) but I believe it changes the 3 satellite channels on the XM radio (if you have one that is)

 

I was told when I bought my car that it was for the optional bluetooth phone.