I'm going nuts, or rather my 95 is.

A while back my 95 riv's radio started to change stations all by it's self. Just when you first started it and about the first 5 min. that you were driving. I could live with that, but now the climate control is dropping to 60 by itself and wants to stay there. That would be OK if it was nice and warm outside, but it's not. I should also mention that steering wheel controls went out about a year ago, I got a set off E-bay, but they never worked so I thought they were just bad and took the lose. Has anyone else had this problem, or should I get out the matches? She'e been a great car, has 203,000 on her and besides the crank sensor no other problems. Everything original.(except normal maintenance). I've read a lot in the few days I've been here and this sounds like the place to ask this.Very knowledgable people. I also have a 72 with 110,000 and I would like to fuel inject it next spring. Thanks for looking Frank

ive never tried to replace steering wheel controls, but have you checked the fuses to make sure thats not what made them go out?
also, pac swi-x is a controler you can use with aftermarket radios. that may be the way to go. you can get a nice cd player for under $100.

Fuses are all good. I've never looked at any aftermarket radios because Crutchfield says they don't have one to fit her. So am/fm/cass is all she ever had. I thought the pac swi-x was for remote? Thats what I get for thinking. I should read more. Thanks

have you checked the wiring to the steering wheel controls?

did you spill liquid onto the steering wheel & maybe it got ino the switches (even some time ago)?

do you have a wiring diagram?

* you can use the wiring diagram to make some good guesses about what sort (short, open or stuck switch) and where (in the wiring) is the problem.


Please answer those for the rest of us.

Albertj

i would say its defintly in the sterring wheel controlls do to the fact they controll the two issues. Im pretty sure the wiring is on a spacing ring maybe its time you checked the wiring from the controlls to the area or better yet just dissconect the wiring to check to see if the radio and heater controlls still do it on there own.

Try unhooking the wheel controls. If that fixes it, then you can rule out other items like ground busses, water and corrosion.

What year is your car?

Last night I took out steering wheel switches and drove around the block. Everything is still the same. Could it be that both units are bad? The car is a 1995. I really dislike problems with no logical answer. Also yesterday I noticed my air ride compressor didn't com on when I got to work. So after work I jacked it up and checked out sensor, compressor, lines, wiring. did not work.Got home and the damn thing started running. I know it has a problem, like the climate control and radio, just can't fix it.

ad for your radio problems did the fuse low or did the bulbs just burn out, in the steering wheel, as for the radio go to a junk yard and get on or maybe just upgrade to a aftermarket

fuse good, bulbs good, changes stations by itself. aftermarket might be the way to go.

I'm guessing it's not the switches themselves but rather the ring inside (under the airbag) that's bad.

there's a ring under the air bag? is it under steering wheel? the switches are bolted to air bag, the only thing i remember are the wires going from one side to the other and connecting in the middle at a central point to hook to wires running down steering col. to parts unknown. i changed the switches out a year ago, did i forget to switch another part?

I think you need a (factory) manual. I do not have one for your year.

Derek's point was that there is a connector ring under the airbag so that the wheel can be turned round without flexing the wires back and forth and back and forth.

unhooking the switches means to find the plug in the harness by the steering column, not to remove the switches themselves. Althoug since youhae them out it would not hurt to use a multimeter and test them.

If you do not have a multimeter, that is a more serious problem because that lack leaves you basically unable to follow the advice you might get here.

Albertj

you mean that the wiring goes through the clock spring? that makes sense because switches checked out ok on ohm meter. wasn't sure how to check wiring on radio to switches. but my main problem is climate control doing same thing. always wants to go back to 60.0. i'll check out clock spring tonite. thanks

The switches actually are four different resistors feeding down 1 wire. The radio sees the resistance and decides which button you pressed, then either raises/lowers the volume or sends a signal on to the HVAC to raise/lower the temp. It sounds like you've got a ground or other wiring issue.

do i check resistance after the clock spring or before?

I don't know what a clock spring is. The ring is actually called a reluctor wheel.

You should probably check with an ohmmeter for continuity from the wire at the button to the wire coming off the steering column (I don't know which wire this is). It may show you the resistance of one of the switches instead of continuity.

whatever its called i'll give it a shot. Thanks
I work on school buses, and in this world the clock spring is the round piece under the steering wheel which will rotate and all switches in steering wheel make contacts enabling wirerless connection. Did I say that right?