Electrical Modifications for 00 QX4
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LuvmyQ
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2003 5:26 pm
- Car: Auto Detailing, Excercise & Fitness, Lawn & Gardening, Cars
Electrical Modifications for 00 QX4
Hello all: I need to know how difficult it would be to add steering wheel mounted radio controls to my 2000 Qx4 which did not come with them. Also how difficult would it be to change my standard halogen headlights to the Xenon HID lights including the headlight assembly and dashboard instrument panel i.e gauges, tach, spedo etc from the 2001 and up model. Are these very expensive projects? I ask about the 2001 and up factory HIDs because I don't want to lose my highbeams with a aftermarket kit.
dont know too much about the QX,but here goes.
If steering mounted controls were ever a factory option for your year:
shouldnt be hard at all, would involve ripping apart a lot of trim and some basic wiring skills with a wiring diagram and all the factory parts. should check first to see if radios are interchangeable between those w/ and w/o the extra controls. worst case might involve getting a different head unit if they arent identical.
If this was never a factory option:
then you would assumedly be using an aftermarket stereo with its own steering wheel mounted controller. You would need to find a heli-wound cable to use to get the controls on the wheel, and more custom work would be obviously needed. If there are cruise control buttons on the steering wheel and you are willing to sacrafice the CC buttons to another location, you could use those to control a few functions of the radio too. All depends on how you want to do it and how comfortable you are with splicing into things.
last case: controls were offered on newer-than-your version of the QX:
here someone else would need to chime in and tell us if the head units are the same for both years, where the controls plug in, etc.
you could do a quick check yourself and see if there is another input on the back of the stock stereo (if thats the case) for another set of controls.
check to make sure the basic steering wheel and airbag system is the same between models, otherwise you will have a lot of trim pieces to scavenge.
If steering mounted controls were ever a factory option for your year:
shouldnt be hard at all, would involve ripping apart a lot of trim and some basic wiring skills with a wiring diagram and all the factory parts. should check first to see if radios are interchangeable between those w/ and w/o the extra controls. worst case might involve getting a different head unit if they arent identical.
If this was never a factory option:
then you would assumedly be using an aftermarket stereo with its own steering wheel mounted controller. You would need to find a heli-wound cable to use to get the controls on the wheel, and more custom work would be obviously needed. If there are cruise control buttons on the steering wheel and you are willing to sacrafice the CC buttons to another location, you could use those to control a few functions of the radio too. All depends on how you want to do it and how comfortable you are with splicing into things.
last case: controls were offered on newer-than-your version of the QX:
here someone else would need to chime in and tell us if the head units are the same for both years, where the controls plug in, etc.
you could do a quick check yourself and see if there is another input on the back of the stock stereo (if thats the case) for another set of controls.
check to make sure the basic steering wheel and airbag system is the same between models, otherwise you will have a lot of trim pieces to scavenge.
OK here's a couple of possibilities...
First, as what's been stated. Try to find a steering wheel, and column collar that has volume controls that will fit your car.
Second, have yourself or someone custom build you a steering volume control module. I have done this for a few customers, it's a bit complicated. If you would like an explanation on how to do this let me know.
Chris
First, as what's been stated. Try to find a steering wheel, and column collar that has volume controls that will fit your car.
Second, have yourself or someone custom build you a steering volume control module. I have done this for a few customers, it's a bit complicated. If you would like an explanation on how to do this let me know.
Chris
I will be honest, both are not cheap. It's much easier to purchace an aftermarket headunit with remote. I have sold that job for as little as 250.00, up to 700.00, but you will spend 2-6 hundred on a good aftermarket head unit. To tap into your OEM head unit is a different animal. That job starts at 500.00.
Price really is affected by what it actually takes to complete the job.
Here's a link to a similiar project were I modified an Alpine CVA-1005 to use the OEM Steering wheel controls and OEM headunit buttons in a BMW. The head unit was completely re-designed to fit the dash of the BMW.
http://www.sounddomain.com/id/chris_hill
It is expensive to do these types of modifications, this is why I always suggest trying to find a wheel that will work.
Price really is affected by what it actually takes to complete the job.
Here's a link to a similiar project were I modified an Alpine CVA-1005 to use the OEM Steering wheel controls and OEM headunit buttons in a BMW. The head unit was completely re-designed to fit the dash of the BMW.
http://www.sounddomain.com/id/chris_hill
It is expensive to do these types of modifications, this is why I always suggest trying to find a wheel that will work.
I agree...
I always look for the easy way out. If there is a wheel or collar that will work use it. I would never over-complicate this sort of modification if there is an OEM alternative. Some times people want the feature, and convience that was never a thought on some models of vehicles.
This is the only reason I mentioned it.
I always look for the easy way out. If there is a wheel or collar that will work use it. I would never over-complicate this sort of modification if there is an OEM alternative. Some times people want the feature, and convience that was never a thought on some models of vehicles.
This is the only reason I mentioned it.