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SW controls addable to Prius II?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by MrPete, Oct 27, 2011.

  1. MrPete

    MrPete Active Member

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    Hi all,
    New here, about to buy our first Prius.
    Don't need Nav (have nice 'droid phone). Would love to have good BT connection for phone calls and music, plus my wife's iPod music when she uses the car, all controllable (to the extent possible) through a HU and ideally steering wheel controls.

    I think my main confusion: the Prius II comes with a more basic sound system and I don't recall seeing steering wheel controls at all. Am I remembering wrongly, or is it possible to actually add those controls in the aftermarket???

    Thanks,
    pete
     
    #1 MrPete, Oct 27, 2011
  2. Sabby

    Sabby Active Member

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    #2 Sabby, Oct 27, 2011
  3. UoD

    UoD Junior Member

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    If I read that correctly, you are thinking that the II doesn't have ANY steering wheel controls. This is incorrect. The standard set of steering wheel controls is present on the II. The left side controls volume up/down, station/track up/down, and mode for the head unit. The right side controls the MFD, AC temp up/down, etc. What is missing from the II is the bluetooth controls ... and I do not know for sure whether you could add those to the wheel. Someone with more knowledge on that subject will have to chime in. As was stated above, you can easily add the blulogic controls to the dash though.
     
    #3 UoD, Oct 27, 2011
  4. prius2010II

    prius2010II Member

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    A poster actually figured out what steering wheel parts are needed to add the factory BT controls to the steering wheel and priced them. I don't remember the cost but it was far more then the value.
     
    #4 prius2010II, Oct 27, 2011
  5. MrPete

    MrPete Active Member

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    Thanks for the info. Sad but it sounds like the non-adjustable difference between II and III is BT buttons on the steering wheel. Depending on my preference there, I have various ways to put this together... but none of them sound "perfect"(steering wheel buttons, wonderful on-screen control of iPod and/or Android, and everything integrated, at a reasonable price.) ... in essence:
    - Buy a II, add all the aftermarket stuff, and get close. Can't reasonably do the call buttons on the steering wheel.
    - Buy a III, build everything on top of the JBL. Would have to throw away / eBay the JBL to get a nicer display.

    So (other than throwing money out the window) my tradeoff appears to be:
    - II with a nice head unit, BLU Logic style mic and no steering wheel phone buttons
    - III with steering wheel phone buttons, built-in mic, add-on iPod/Android sound/music control integrated to the limited screen on the JBL.

    Am I thinking clearly?
     
    #5 MrPete, Oct 27, 2011
  6. prius2010II

    prius2010II Member

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    I'm, not sure about the "factory look" units but other aftermarket units require a steering wheel control adapter such as the Metra ASWC. That adapter will let you assign one of the steering wheel buttons as BT pickup.
     
    #6 prius2010II, Oct 28, 2011
    1 person likes this.
  7. MrPete

    MrPete Active Member

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    Interesting... thanks, prius2010II! Hadn't considered the idea of reassigning buttons. Obviously you give something up each time you "take" a button, but that may be ok...
     
    #7 MrPete, Oct 28, 2011
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