Tail-chasing with Cruise Control retrofit

[heeman10]

Hello to you all. Having been given a 2010 A4 S-Line 2.0 TDI as a courtesy car yesterday while Audi changed the cambelt on my A3 (and left an oil-filled latex glove dangling perilously close to my alternator - good job I checked before leaving! ), I am now looking to fit cruise control to my own car. I was going to go for a MFSW at the same time, but am a little dubious about the airbag (single stage/dual stage) issue at the moment. I'd like to prep for it at a later date (correct module and slip ring), but for now, will just go for cruise control.

I hastily bought a 2008 A3 MFSW slip ring off eBay this morning (1KO 959 653 D), and have just checked this matrix (combined with a chat with Audi) to see what I need. Apparently I can only check my steering module number once I've removed it (under the centre console, was it?), and the guy said I need module numer 8PO 953 549 F, even though the matrix says I need (or already have?) suffix C, since my car was built in Feb/Mar 2005

The switch itself is £52 from Audi, the lower cowl is £24, both of which seem okay to me. I'm surprised there is no photo-enhanced step-by-step guide on here for fitting cruise control yet, this forum's great for photo guides! (NHN certainly is!)

So, I'm a bit stuck at the moment. Is my new slip ring right for what I want? Can I really only check my control module number by gaining physical access to it? And do I need the module the Audi man said? Thanks for any help!

Edit: I have searched this topic a fair bit. I have seen khufu saying that 8PO 953 549 F will work for MFSW and cruise control, but don't want to assume that's right, because our build dates may differ. I suspect my 2008 slip ring may be worthless now!

 

[Ash187]

Hello mate,

I am doing the exact same mod myself, and yes the part numbers you have are correct. :icon_thumright:
The steering ECU you will need is 8PO 953 549 F and the Slip ring is 1KO 959 653 D
Mind if i were you i would go to Audi and double check what is fitted in your car.... i went in and gave my chassis number to the parts guy who told me i already have both of those installed as standard in my 2005 A3 Sportback
other than those two you need to get yourself a MFSW that fits your car, and that may depend on what you already have in there. As my car already had the 'newer' style 3 spoke steering wheel i managed (with help) to find a MFSW from an S-Line that will fit directly onto my car and use my existing airbag.
Also when getting the steering wheel you need the loom that connects the airbag and MF buttons to the car.
you already know about the cruise part and lower cowl so thats fine.
once all has been sourced you need to install the parts and then finish off with the coding using a VCDS...

i dug up this guide which is really good for explaining how to do the mod: (post 7)
http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showth...se-ESP-problem&p=765712&highlight=#post765712

the last thing you need to consider is if you already have the control wire that makes the cruise control work.... now haven't completed my mod as i am awaiting the cruise control parts to turn up from Stoke Audi who had said they should be here today but haven't turned up
but from what i know i already have this wire in my car... also in the Matrix it shows roughly what you should have in your car and if i remember correctly then Audi started putting the wire in all A3's from June 2005...
If you dont have this wire your job just got longer by another hour or so...

 

[heeman10]

Great response, thank you

 

[Ash187]

I finished my install and it works great, i did already have the cruise control wire so i was lucky there. The parts from Audi finally turned up and in the end i managed to fit and code the car by following the above guide.
Its actually quite easy to do once you know what you are doing.
one last thing... when ordering in the MFSW and airbag harness make sure you get the part number with a Q on the end not a P like they gave me... two totally different wires. but got there in the end... now onto my next mod... the spoiler

 

[scottie123]

Why are you worried about your airbag?

You car, if it is the one in your aviator, is dual stage, so will be a straight and fully working swap to mfsw/fbmfsw.

 

[heeman10]

scottie123 - It is my car in my avatar. I'd only got part-way into researching the airbag operation, I wasn't sure when they changed over to dual stage

itwasntme187 - I'm glad you're all done and dusted!

 

[mike foster]

Hi guys - mind if I ask what is probably a stupid question but can not see it addressed anywhere. I have the cruise control kit from Audi for my car and have read, and am happy with the fitting procedures.

However, the question is how do you turn the steering wheel to the required positions to remove the airbag bolts without having the engine running ! I have no means of lifting both front wheels off the ground and it seems impossible to turn the wheel without the power steering !!

Also, Elsawin says to always replace the centre steering wheel bolt with a new one after removal. Does anyone actually do this ?

Sorry to be so thick but any and all help much appreciated.

Cheers

 

[Ash187]

I had been told that the battery does not need disconnecting but i did so anyway.
after the battery is disconnected i put the key in the ignition and unlock the steering wheel and then just force it left and right to take out the bolts.
As for the centre bolt i didnt replace it and have been driving with it since and its working fine.

 

[mike foster]

Hi - many thanks for your reply.

I suspected that the bolt didn't really need replacing but as far as the wheel is concerned I cannot move it at all when the lock is off and the engine not running.

Do you know if it is safe to undo the bolts with the engine running then switch off and disconnect the battery before removing the air bag ?

Thanks again

 

[Ash187]

Put some elbow greese into it! its not hard at all mate... sounds like you have never driven a car that didnt have power steering in it!

I cannot comment on the method of using the power steering to help turn the wheel and then later turn off the battery, but NHN says that he does not disconnect the battery at all so maybe drop him a message and ask how he gets his off?

 

[mike foster]

Cheers mate !

Being in my mid 60s most cars I've had didn't have power steering !!
Still can't move the ****** ! Suppose I could always buy a small trolley jack.

Don't fancy messing about with the airbag without disconnecting the battery - being inexperienced at this mod (i.e. never having done it ) I could do something, or not do something that is serious !

Cheers again

Just cracked it ! Drive the front wheels onto two folded up supermarket bags (Asda) which reduces the friction enough to move the steering wheel. Wouldn't budge at all on York stone flags.
Thanks again for your help

 

[Ash187]

haha sorry, i didnt realise you were so much older than me
the only other thing i could suggest is that maybe try it whilst parked on pebbles/gravel? could help turning the wheel??
sorry i cannot help, i know it was hard to turn the steering whilst the car was on my drive but i managed it in the end with some elbow greese.

then again if you are careful and undo the 2 torx screws in the back of your steering wheel and then disconnect the battery i suppose you could get away with it ok. i have read somewhere to wait 30 mins after disconnecting the battery before taking off the air bag... but i did the whole steering wheel swap in 15mins flat!

 

[mike foster]

Thanks again - whilst you are on - do I have to get a special tool for the centre bolt or am I likely to have something in my (fairly extensive) toolbox ?

 

[Ash187]

its called a M16 Spline tool... not too expensive. i got a set with most common spline adapters for my rachet for under £10
the other tool you need is a torx 25 for the steering wheel bolts. that should get the steering wheel off for you. you can find most info from the guide in my first post

 

[mike foster]

Cheers again mate. I've got the airbag off, just need to get the M16 spline tool.

 

[lincoln_dj]

if struggling to move steering wheel with engine off just park the front wheels on grass...?

 

[mike foster]

Thanks all for your helpful comments.

I have just completed the successful installation of CC and am very pleased.

I parked the front wheels on two Asda carrier bags to reduce the friction and it worked perfectly. My problem was trying to turn the wheels on dry York stone flags which was a definite no-no !!

 

[heeman10]

Nice one Mike, I was hoping to have it installed for my up-coming 700 mile weekend this weekend, but am still waiting for a steering module to pop up on eBay. I'm jealous! Cruise control is great on the motorways.

 

[mike foster]

Cheers heeman

You have exactly the same car as me and in the same colour. Depending on your model year (mine is 2006) I bought the kit from Dave at Stoke Audi and it cost £86.95 delivered. Are you sure you need a new module ? Might be worth trying your local stealer to see if you can get one in time. I just gave my chassis number and Dave sorted it and it didn't need the module.

Good luck !

 

[heeman10]

I see you have a great taste in cars then Mike! What did you get in your kit then? I will call Audi again and supply my chassis number rather than my number plate, and hopefully they'll tell me what I have. Mine is a Feb/March 2005 car. Do you have VCDS already? I don't!

 

[mike foster]

Ah - mine's a July 2005 model and things did change in the period between the two dates. The parts I got were :-8P0 054 690 (combined CC and indicator stalks ) and 8P0 953 512 A ( the new lower trim ).

If you give me your chassis number I can give you a clue as to what numbers and how much. PM me if you want

 

[heeman10]

Just got off the phone to Taunton Audi, and the cruise control switch has gone up from £51.91 to £64.93, in the space of two weeks!!! The cowling has gone up £3 too. The whole kit would be £399 inc. fitting if I were to take it in

He couldn't tell me what steering module I have, so it was pretty inconclusive to say the least. I'm tempted just to modify my own cowl and fit it back on too to be honest. I've read somewhere that July 2005 cars and later had the control wire, so mine probably won't. Can you see the steering module to check the part number just by removing the steering wheel?

 

[mike foster]

Someones talking ******! Stoke Audi price to Audi-Sport forum members is (21/05/10) :-

Bottom trim - £23.37 less 9% =£21.27 +vat = £ 25.00
Stalk - £51.91 less 10% = £46.72 + vat = £ 54.90

carriage inc vat £ 7.04

TOTAL £86.94

You need to remove the lower trim to read the part number of the ecu. To do this you need to remove airbag and steering wheel and the ecu number is on the underside of the ecu casing. Just send your chassis number and I'll give you a clue