SWI-X Install Pictures and Instructions

[Davbret]

Ok, so I finally got around to installing this thing. For those who don't know, the PAC SWI-X is an interface gadget that allows you to retain use of your steering wheel controls with aftermarket headunit.

It's really pretty easy. I’ve taken the manufacturer’s instructions and slimmed them down to be Cooper specific.

Step One: Cut off all wires on SWI-X harnes except the YELLOW, BLACK and RED. That's right, it's just 3 wires to connect. Tape off the cut wires.

Step Two: Connect RED to switched 12v. The red wire in the stock harness will work.

Step Three: Connect BLACK to ground. All solid brown wires in the Cooper are ground.

Step Four: Connect YELLOW to white with red stripe and yellow dots. The white/red w/yellow dots wire can be found in the main wire leads coming from behind the steering wheel, on the left side). This is perhaps the hardest part. You can remove the steering wheel shroud, but it requires the removal of two 3.5 torx screws on top (behind tach) and two on the bottom. I didn't have that size in my torx set so I just cut the protective black cloth tape from around the wire lead and fished out the white/red w/yellow dots wire. Attach the SWI-X YELLOW wire to the steering wheel side of the wire you just cut. Word of caution: Don’t connect YELLOW SWI-X wire to Cooper white/red w/yellow dots wire at the harness, behind stereo. Between the steering column and the headunit is a module for the controls. If you access the cooper wire after the module the SWI-X will not work. The wire must be tapped from behind the steering wheel.

Step Five: Time to program! The MINI Cooper uses program #5. Hold down the "mode" button on SWI-X and turn ignition to accessory 2. Both LEDs should light up. Release the “mode” button, both LEDs turn off. Then the LEDs will light up again for 3 seconds, just wait for them to go out again. Once they are out press the “mode” button 5 times. The LEDs will light up each time you press the button to confirm the input (do not hesitate more than 3 seconds between pressing or it will think you are done). After pressing the button 5 times, wait 3 seconds and it will flash the right LED 5 times to confirm your entry. It is now ready for your steering wheel button programming.

Step 6: Setting up your buttons. If ignition is still on from step 5, turn off and then back to accessory 2. The SWI-X right LED will flash 5 times confirming your setting of program #5. Now press and hold the “mode” button until the left LED lights up. Release “mode” button. Now select a button to program on the steering wheel. Press and hold the SWB (steering wheel button) until left LED goes out. The right LED will then light. Press and hold the corresponding button on your headunit remote (while aiming at the SWI-X) until the right LED goes out. At this point the left LED goes back on. Select your next SWB to program. Press and hold the SWB until left LED goes out and right LED comes on. Again, press the corresponding button on headunit remote until right LED goes out. Continue until all buttons are programmed. Do not hesitate between programming more than 7 seconds or it will think you are done. Do not turn off ignition during programming or it will lose your input. When done programming, wait 7 seconds and both LEDs blink 3 times, confirming that the SWB programming is done and retained.

Step 7: Test it out. Place the IR lead (black wire with blue LED at end, coming from right side of SWI-X) near your headunit and test the SWB. Find the best spot and install. I chose to drill a small hole and mount it south east of the ignition keyhole, in the steering column. Works pretty good. Occasionally I’ve noticed it can be kinda slow to respond (mainly while under fluorescent lighting), but it always does.

Pictures of some of the install can be found at the bottom of this page.

Feel free to email me with any questions you might have. This is really a fairly straight forward install. If you follow my directions you should have no problems.

R

[jlm]

i found the control module, on the firewall to the left; a white/red yellow dots wire goes from the harness bundle at the left to the module.

i spliced to that one as i didn't find another white/red yellow dots wire.

programming the five blinks works. re-powering, i get the five confirming blinks, but then when pressing the mode button, the left led will blink, but not stay lit, then the right led stays lit, and it will go out when given an IR command from the hu remote...then the left led blinks, etc. no way to get the left led to stay lit for acccepting a swb command.

[jlm]

bump

[Davbret]

If this is happening, that means you've tapped the wire AFTER the control module. Only reason I'm dead sure, is that I tried the install the first time by splicing into the white/red w/ yellow dot wire at the harness clip behind the head unit. I got the same result you did. I then tapped the wire at the main wire bundle lead coming out of the steering column. Kinda a pain, but it works from there. If you take off the steering column plastic surround the wire bundle will be underneath on the left side (if looking at from driver's seat). Here's a picture:
I just pulled the bundle out, didn't remove the steering column surround piece. Of course the white/red w/ yellow dot wire was in the very middle of the bundle, but if you remove enough of the black tape around the bundle you can get to it.

Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions. You are close, don't give up!! Just have to move one wire tap, that's all. Then program the buttons.

R

[jlm]

finally got around to trying your advice:

found the red/white with yellow dots in the bundle just to the left of the steering column, sliced in and am getting exactly the same result as before: when i press the program button, the left led blinks once and then the right stays lit...with no ability to take a sw command

[pjmedlam]

When i fitted my SWI-X i took off the steering wheel shroud top and rev counter (4 screw in all) and connected into the white/red w/yellow dots wire just below the wheel. If you follow the instruction to the letter the SWI-X can be programmed, though you have to be precise and sometimes act quickly. You can even program a control for the centre left button that doesn't actually do anything with the standard controls.


jlm, it sounds to me that the nodule could be faulty. From above you wiil see i have no experience of tapping into the wire nearer the headunit, but it seems Davbret has got it to work with a connection there.

Its just a thought but is the type of IR controller with your headunit compatible with the SWI-X? Some aren't, there is a list on the PAC web site, i'm assuming you would already have checked this before trying to fit the SWI-X.

[Davbret]

There should be no issues if you are tapping from under the steering wheel. Perhaps you do have a bad SWI-X?

As for the stereo not accepting it, I would think it wouldn't allow the right button to go out if it didn't work. The left button is for the steering wheel button programing, the right for the stereo function. Hmmmm....

Did you call PAC?

R

[jlm]

called PAC and got some new info:

make sure the key is in acc position not ign, then wait 10 sec or so to rogram; aparantly the system might be sending out initializing pulses that could interfere.

and this bit: CUT the red/white-yelow dots wire and connect to the sw side. tapping will cause problems.

will try this tomorrow.

[MiniShuttle]

Bummer, I was hoping that you could use both the stock radio and an IR controlled assy like mp3 player. Then you could change albums with the unused left button and change track like normal with the up/down track buttons.

Then, I wish ipod had an IR interface

[jlm]

i cut the wire as above; works perfectly! now in addition to vol+/-, next/prev, I have mute and band buttons.

one tip about programming: each programming session erases any previous settings, so to change just one button, you need to program them all, start to finish...no big deal. is is only sensitive to the "lets program" function by pushing the programming button for a brief time at each acc or ign on sequence.

[Davbret]

Glad to hear you got it up and running! Isn't it the coolest? I love the look on my friend's faces when they are in the car with me and I "magically" change tracks or turn up/down the volume.

R

[bluemcs]

Thanks to you all for making a tricky install VERY easy. Took about 1/2 hour. Works great!

Now, waiting for jlm to solve the coilover issues. (:

[soopacoopa]

Hi to all you SWI-Xer's out there,

I'm really stuck. I've spent the best part of a day trying to get my SWI-X to work without success

I have wired up the SWI-X wires as follows:

1. Red to Accessory +ve on radio harness
2. Black to -ve on radio harness
3. Yellow to White/Red with Yellow dots at Pin 2 on the MFSW connector immediately behind the steering wheel.

I have no problem in setting to version number 5. I have tried both standard and extended modes. It's when I come to program the buttons that I have problems. This is the sequence I have gone through.

1. Ignition to Accessory 1 (also tried Acc 2)
2. SWI-X begins to flash right LED 5 times ( to show version 5)
3. Immediately after 5th flash, press program button
4. Left LED flashes, release program button
5. Wait (tried anything from 0 to 15 seconds here)
5. Press a button on the MFSW and hold (tried for upto 15 seconds)
6. Left LED should illuminate, but doesn't, this is as far as I have got.

I have a couple of things that I am unsure about with the SWI-X

1. Should I leave the violet and brown 'loops' on the connector block, or do I remove them? (They are connected at the moment)

2. Is it possible to blow a fuse on the MFSW?

The SWI-X instructions say that the MFSW signal wire should output +12v and then fluctuate by 2v when any button is pressed on the MFSW. I don't get any voltage here. However, it does say that this may only occur if the factory radio is installed.

I'm out of ideas now. All advice gratefully received.

Thanks, Soopacoopa