Multifunction steering wheel retrofit
 

I've been asked for some info on this, and its been a long time, but I though I'd post publically what I've looked up for any future reference.

Specifically, I'm dealing with retrofitting the MFSW to a car that has the tiptronic wheel in place already.

There are a number of wiring circuits that connect the existing tiptronuc steering wheel:

1) Horn + ground
2) Airbag ignitor + ground
3) illumination for the buttons
4) tiptronic up / down
5) ground for the above 2

So, there are actually 8 connections:

green - Airbag ignitor
white - Airbag ignitor
brown - horn ground
brown/grey - horn contact
grey/blue - illumination
brown/black - common for gearchange and illumination
yellow/green - tip function
yellow/blue - tip function

Now, the multifunction wheel uses *less* connections.... This is because they cant just keep adding tracks to the slip ring, so instead they take all the comfort functions and put them on a single bus line. The Horn and airbag still stay seperate, but the rest combines:

green - Airbag ignitor
white - Airbag ignitor
brown - horn ground
brown/grey - horn contact
black/red - power +12v
brown - ground
black - bus

So, more function, 1 less wire.

You therefore need a multifunction steering wheel controller module. The MFSW bus is unique, and doesnt simply plug into the canbus or anything useful so the MFSW controller is needed for:

a) sending audio commands across CAN to the radio/telephone
b) taking illumination brightness and sending it to the wheel
c) taking tiptronic gearchanges and sending them to the gearbox ECU
d) (where fitted) taking the drivers seat heating level and sending it to the MFSW wheel

So, the MFSW officially lives behind the glovebox and is physically the size of 2 relay units. It has a number of connectors underneath, which could go on an official Audi base, or you could simply use spade connectors.

Here is my approximation (no warranties!) of where the pins on the MFSW should go:

pin 13: black/red - +12 constant
pin 18: black - bus from steering wheel
pin 15: grey/blue illumination (steal from back of any switch, NOT the triptronic wheel, thats the wrong illumination)
pin 6: green/red Kline (can take from back of audio unit)
pin 12: black/red +12 ignition
pin 1: orange/brown - Canbus Low (take from back of instrument cluster)
pin 3: orange/purple - Canbus High (from back of instrument cluster)
pin 2: brown/black -> gearbox ecu pin 13 (could be taken from old tiptronic s/w connections)
pin 7: yellow/green -> gearbox ecu pin 46 (could be taken from old tiptronic s/w connections)
pin 11: yellow/blue -> gearbox ecu pin 47 (could be taken from old tiptronic s/w connections)

So, it is a bit of a job on. Glovebox out, steering wheel off, instrument cluster out, and string bits of wires all the way down the old steering wheel connections via the back of the dash from the instrument cluster via the radio/nav (and drivers heated seat switch if needs be) and onto the back of the glovebox.

Note as well, that if you are lucky enough to have a heated steering wheel, that it has a different slip ring. The current needed to heat the wheel cant pass through the ring, so it has a brushes arrangement where a much bigger contact is made. This basically just needs a +12 and ground which can be found easily in the vacinity of the ignition barrel...

Voila.... +++

Ian,

Only just seen this and many thanks for posting. +++

I will read, digest and see if I have the courage to try it myself. ;)

Only had the MFSW for 2 years now... :rolleyes:

You mention illumination on the MFSW...does the original/standard 3-spoke tiptronic wheel have illumination because mine never has? :Confused:

BTW the Hybrid TV Tuner works well...thanks.

I believe you originally said you had the harness for it as well...not that I need it for the S8 but it would make my analogue TV tuner a more attractive buy for someone...

I did have to take off the plastic housing around the four antenna connectors...don't suppose you might know the part numbers to suit the hybrid antenna sockets do you?

Maybe I should ask Carl if he has any kicking around...

Thanks & kind regards,
-=Glyn=-

Ive got the original tiptronic SW and it illuminates the 2 buttons when you put it into tiptronic mode and they go off at other times

Thanks for the heads-up...I have never noticed them illuminate but maybe I haven't tried tip in the dark? :D

Also does anyone with the MFSW have the part number of the steering wheel module from a VagCom/VCDS scan please?

Looking at Paul Waterloo's MFSW retrofit I see he uses MFSW Tip/CAN Control Module 4B0907487J but when I checked it looks like the 'J' is marked as a supercede and the current number is 4B0907487H which looks like a step backwards to me? :Confused:

Not sure if that is just the difference between the US & UK market or whether I have been given incorrect information.

The Dual Relay Base I am told is 4A0937503 but I can't be sure if this is indeed the dual relay base or a single one and I need to order two!

If some kind soul could advise it would be very much appreciated.

Thanks & kind regards,
-=Glyn=-

I have a multifonction steering whell on my S8. Do you think it is possible to retrofit the tiptronic steering wheel or better, the new R8 / TT tiptronic pad steering wheel?

Thanks for excellent writeup, Ian

Question:

I have FL 2002 D2 with sport tiptronic steering wheel, with RNS-D --> RNS-E upgrade and with OEM bluetooth module married with RNS-E.

Now I want to upgrade my sport tiptronic steering wheel to the one from more modern Audis where RNS-E was standard. Say from 2008 A6. Or something like this with "formula 1" tiptronic buttons.

The reason behind the upgrade is to be able to control RNS-E and bluetooth stuff from steering wheel.

Now the question: Can such upgrade be accomplished successfully? I specifically worry about tiptronic buttons, since new wheel comes with new control module I guess and the signal from output of that new control module can be different from what gearbox expects to hear. Also, not sure about airbag electrical connection (plug compatibility).

Can someone please advise?

Cheers.

This has been looked at before, although getting the multifunction steering wheel to work and tiptronic etc should be pretty easy, the later cars have dual stage airbags I believe and from what I've read on other forums its a total no-no to hook up a dual stage airbag to a single stage one......

Didn't know about dual stage airbags!

Does it mean the only option for me is traditional MFSW from 2002 FL? But can it control RNS-E with bluetooth then?

Cheers.

OK, Since I've accomplished retrofitting OEM A8 D2 MFSW and several folks have asked about it during annual meet:

1. You can control RNS-D and RNS-E with steering wheel buttons. Previous, Next track/station, volume up/down
2. You can control RNS-E bluetooth telephone unit with steering wheel buttons, i.e. browse phone book which is displayed on DIS (both names and phone numbers), initiate and end the call
3. You can initiate voice commands for RNS-E (push-to-talk button).
4. Steering wheel heating feature can be connected to driver seat heating switch.
5. There are tiptronic buttons on the wheel too.

Very detailed instruction how to accomplish this retrofit is here in PDF format:

http://www.motor-talk.de/forum/aktio...hmentId=695282

Document is about A6, but everything matched my car, including all part numbers, and I've checked all my steps with ETKA and ELSA wiring diagrams.

(tried to upload PDF file directly to this post, but it is 1.2 MB and is just too large)

Thats good info Sergey +++ Im sure Mike can get it uploaded and into a sticky