2017 vs 2018 BRZ Limited steering wheel controls
 

Has anyone switched out these steering wheel controls?

I've got a 2018 BRZ Limited and noticed 2017 BRZ Limited have a pause/ play button. Thought it would be plug and play but the volume +/- skips to the next song and the pause/ play button changes source. I've tried factory resetting the head unit but still run into the same problem.

Any thoughts on why this happens?

I'm thinking it might be the harness or the controls just aren't compatible with the head unit.

https://i.imgur.com/AebR8zb.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/Y1sYHns.jpeg

They aren't compatible with stock unit. You can swap them only if you have an aftermarket HU.

different resistances within the circuit boards. most steering wheel buttons work on a resistor ladder.

https://atomic-cactus.com/2013/03/29...using-arduino/


would need to rebuild the circuit boards to get the resistances needed, though the button still likely won't work until you 'downgrade' to a '17 head unit, or aftermarket.

Took apart each steering wheel button to check out the circuit boards. Even though it's just a one button difference between the 2 years, the circuit boards are different. I'm not too well versed in circuit boards but just from looking at them both side by side I can tell it wouldn't work.

So in conclusion:
Steering wheel buttons on the left side (audio controls) are not plug and play as well as the right side (dashboard controls).
The wiring harnesses were the same.
In the end no pause/ play button but peace of mind that I tried it out.

https://i.imgur.com/S99FN1t.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/M3P9j31.jpg

yep, ain't gonna work

Swap out to a 2017radio and it will work just fine. When changing out electrical parts pull up the wire diagrams first. This will generally show you if they are compatible.

Swap the different resistors

Look at the pcb. Same resistors. Would require rerouting the pcb traces.

Yes and the big issue is you are trying to add a feature that is not programmed into the radio. It is like installing a ejection seat button thinking the seat will miraculously become an ejection seat.

You aren't also known as "Q" by any chance? :thumbsup:

nah, you need to install some half-empty bottles of NOS for it to work!

https://c.tenor.com/Kur4falA5C8AAAAC...d-furious2.gif

50% of the time, works every time!

I'd rather keep the android auto/ carplay over a pause/ play button. Just odd that the BRZ 2017 Limited trim and 2018-2019 Premium trim had it. Even the 22's don't have it.

Anyways here's a list that have it/ dont have it (U.S. version):
✔️
2017-2019 BRZ Premium
2017 BRZ Limited
2017 BRZ Limited with PP (Performance Package)
2017 BRZ Series.Yellow


❌
2018 - 2020 BRZ Limited
2018 - 2020 BRZ Limited with PP (Performance Package)
2018 BRZ tS
2019 BRZ Series.Gray
2020 BRZ tS
2017 - 2020 Toyota 86 Base
2018 - 2020 Toyota 86 GT
2017 Toyota 86 860 Edition
2018 Toyota 86 GT Black
2019 Toyota 86 TRD Edition
2020 Toyota 86 Hakone Edition

From your photos, the right-side MID controls are identical (some resistors are flipped but that's unimportant). They swapped okay, correct?

Do you still have the 2017 controls, and if so, could you take a photo of the reverse side of the circuit boards? I'd like to work out the button-to-resistance mapping for the controls. If I can guess what the reverse side of your 2018 controls looks like (or better yet, if you could take pictures of those too), I should be able to figure out what exactly is different between the years.

This wouldn't help your goal of getting a working pause/play button on your '18 head unit, but can suggest what resistor changes can be made to otherwise use early buttons on a late head or vice/versa.

https://www.ft86club.com/forums/show...21&postcount=6

This has photos of one control, which appears to have the same button arrangement as the 2017 control, and with identical locations for the readable resistors but is a different revision with differences in some of the traces at the top. Unfortunately, it appears all the readable resistors are current-limiting resistors for the backlight LEDs. The resistors that the actual switches affect do not have readable labels, so even being able to trace out the entire schematic of the control, I don't think I can get where I'd hoped.