TB 02 steering wheel swap

OOge

Original poster
Member
Apr 2, 2012
3
Hi all,

I'm looking into buying an 02 TB LT, but it doesn't have steering wheel controls. I WANT steering wheel controls. Could I just replace an ebay steeringwheel with controls in the LT. And will it work.

thanks
 

ItsOnVoy

Member
Nov 21, 2011
2,401
OOge said:
Hi all,

I'm looking into buying an 02 TB LT, but it doesn't have steering wheel controls. I WANT steering wheel controls. Could I just replace an ebay steeringwheel with controls in the LT. And will it work.

thanks

Your saying to replace the boring ones with no controls with one of these with them?

[EBAY]200733192881[/EBAY]

If you do, I know that you will need a harness for the Head Unit for the controls to work. I am not 100% sure how much it cost or what kind on the harness. everything should work as long as you run the right wires. Now for our factory Head Units I am not sure if they support those controls to plug that harness in with the ones that do not have it factory stock. Hopefully someone can help on that part to clear it up!
 

The_Roadie

Lifetime VIP Donor
Member
Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR
1) The harness in the trucks without steering wheel controls won't have enough wires or connectors.

2) The clockspring assembly is very expensive that brings the steering wheel button signals to the harness, like another $100-$200 unless you get it from the junkyard

[EBAY]230732248037[/EBAY]

3) GM probably (can't say for sure because nobody's ever done this mod in my [long] memory) locked out the steering wheel button features from the radio and the HVAC controller so there's another $95 or so to spend at the dealer's for a reprogramming.

Added: I see you got an unhelpful answer on the Other Site by a wannabe tech resource guy.
 

OOge

Original poster
Member
Apr 2, 2012
3
the roadie said:
1) The harness in the trucks without steering wheel controls won't have enough wires or connectors.

2) The clockspring assembly is very expensive that brings the steering wheel button signals to the harness, like another $100-$200 unless you get it from the junkyard

[EBAY]230732248037[/EBAY]

3) GM probably (can't say for sure because nobody's ever done this mod in my [long] memory) locked out the steering wheel button features from the radio and the HVAC controller so there's another $95 or so to spend at the dealer's for a reprogramming.

Added: I see you got an unhelpful answer on the Other Site by a wannabe tech resource guy.



Guess I need to spend a bit more on a "button version" traiblazer. Anyone some buying tip where to look at for a 02 TB LTZ/LT
I want to take my OBD with me but besides codes are there any OBD values to take in mind. And last but not least, any common issues on the car. Like the venture has a big issue with the intake gasket. Is there something similar on the TB.
 

fishguy1123

Member
Dec 5, 2011
310
As far as common issues go there are many. Not unlike any other vehicle. Is your's and export model? There are some differences that come into play. I believe mostly electically though. I'm sure a scan through the threads can help if you have a specific concern. Best of luck with the controls!
 

OOge

Original poster
Member
Apr 2, 2012
3
As I live in the Netherlands it will be an european version.
I'm not asking about any common small issues like buttons that fail, but more like expensive stuff like a tranny, intake etc etc.
 

fishguy1123

Member
Dec 5, 2011
310
Yes, there are several common issues. Trans, t case, throttle body, and others. If you have specific issues I'm sure we can help. Kinda hard to sum up an entire forum in one thread though. We are all here to help and gain knowledge. The search funtion at the top may be helpfull if you are looking for something specific.
 

Voymom

Member
Feb 3, 2012
2,523
Transfer case, Thermostat, Water pump, Serp belts, fan clutch, air bags on the air ride suspension, sway bar links, electrical, wheel bearings, the list goes on and on....a lot of the issues are common and sometimes frequent. But remember...it's a vehicle and like any vehicle in the world ANYTHING can break or be a reoccurring issue. Check for the wear and tear, how many owners it has had, where it came from(wet or cold climate) as in those areas rust can be a big problem. I'm not sure of the resources in the Netherlands, but we get a carfax of any reported history on owners, maintenance and issues it has had fixed. Check to see if it has decent tread on the tires...I have found here in the States(Iowa) that dealerships will put on new or lightly used tires which can mask any uneven tire wear...which could be caused by alignment issues or much bigger problems over-all.

Take your time test driving it all all speeds, dont let the radio run or the ac/heat to run while your test driving as they can tend to hide any slight engine noises, check for a ticking sound under the hood. After driving take your time to fully look the truck over, make a list of EVERYTHING you find wrong with the truck and either negotiate them to be fixed or lower the asking price. If you can get an extended warranty...do so. In most cases the extended warranties on vehicles are a waste of money, but a lot of TB owners and Envoy owners have had these extended warranties pay for themselves in the end.

Have a set price in mind, KNOW what you want to pay going in, KNOW exactly what you want from the color of the truck to what the carpet in the interior looks like. Check to make sure anything that is power operated works and works well enough to your liking. And as always be prepared to WALK AWAY if you do not get what you want. If they want to sell it bad enough, they will either chase you as you walk out the door or call you and tell you a deal can be worked out. And don't be scared to be firm, you don't have to be an a-hole but being firm in everything that involves buying a vehicle will help you not get screwed so easily(If your at a dealership) IF trading in another vehicle, GET YOUR KEYS back as soon as they are done test driving it...they can "Lose" your keys as a way to keep you in the dealership and keep you from walking out.

I hope this helps, like I said it's probably different in the Netherlands buying a vehicle than it is here in the U.S.

If you fall absolutely head over heels for a truck(like I did) decide what issues you can and cannot deal with. And get ready to learn how to DIY with maintenance on these vehicles, because I can almost be certain your going to need it lol I bought my 03 Envoy 2 1/2 months ago, and we have already fixed several issues with it and put some big $$ into fixing a lot of those problems ourselves, but again doing it ourselves with the wonderful help of this forum, we have saved a butt load of money not needing to take it to a dealership to fix it.

Oh and one more thing, if you have several TB's you can test drive do it...I test drove my first Envoy which was in a horrid accident, and then test drove a dozen more that wasn't destroyed at some point, and the difference was HUGE!! The first truck I drove was nice, but not what I was looking for over-all but it also taught me what it was like to drive a truck with major frame issues, as the frame was bent. Even if it doesn't have what you want, drive it...as you can learn a lot from each vehicle you drive. I love my truck more than I have loved any vehicle in my life...and even though it's a pain in the rear most of the time, I couldn't imagine owning anything else. My husband and I are looking at adding 2 more to our family a TBSS and a TB LTZ, one for him and one as an emergency back up vehicle in case our daily drivers are out of commission for an extended period of time.
 

groundshock

Member
Dec 4, 2011
248
Personally, I'm happier than a squirrel in a nuthouse that I have 'just an LS' without all that extraneous trouble-prone bullshit.
 

NighTblazer

Member
Jan 23, 2012
71
OOge,
I have an 02 LTZ with the buttons in the steering wheel. first, thing I will say if you want some thing like an aux input in the stereo make sure it has it in the stocker...If you want to replace the stereo in the future you will have to buy separate harnesses for the button controls and for door chimes pretty pricey in the States probably more across the pond! I have had most of the common issues in the past year and a half since I purchased her: wheel bearing, rust, crack in manifold, Power Steering lines. With that said there is probably something I have forgotten but I will add and probably have a few members on here that will agree the Gm360 is a great platform for customization and for the most part a great vehicle!
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
the roadie said:
And as we all know, that's Chevy-talk for "Less Stuff" :biggrin:

Unless you have a previous gen Impala, then the LS was the "luxury sport" that had all the bells and whistles the normal Impala did not :crazy:
 

Forum Statistics

Threads
23,273
Posts
637,488
Members
18,472
Latest member
MissCrutcher

Members Online