Last Ditch Effort

[Wanderer23]

Smart wheel still dead even after performing diagnostic checks proposed by Spartan.

Now going to a install new controller, clock spring and steering wheel switch pad assembly. If that doesn't work then rewire for individual switches for horns, wipers, washers, etc. I'll just have to do without the cruise control feature.

Wiring all checks OK with MM. Same with fuses. Can't find any burnt or pinched wires either.


Out of ideas...…………………….hours and hours and hours of my time invested and no clue why it won't work. Ground connections all check OK too.

[SuperGewl]

Sounds like Smart Steering Wheel is NOT so Smart.
Now I have to ask, where did you check the ground to? Was it the same place the steering wheel is grounded or did you have your meter grounded to some place else? Let's just say that I have seen in my 1980 VW rabbit that the ground where the key was grounded to was not always grounded, but when trouble shooting it because I ground to a different point all looked good.
Do yourself a favor and check the actual grounding point or spider to another one or place of ground or even the battery. When in doubt, run a jumper from the steering wheel directly to the battery or a different ground lug and see if things change.
Did you do an ohm check from the various circuits to ground and see if they are open or shorted directly to ground? Take into account if these circuits are normally hot and then grounded when activated or low then go high when activated. You will only know this if you have the schematics.