I like the steering wheel on my Mazda6 which is also similar to the RX-8. It has audio control on the left side and cruise control on the right side. Has anyone installed a Mazda6/RX-8 steering wheel on their 7 fully functional?



To do this I imagine I would have to splice in to the existing cruise control wires, which wouldn't be too hard since they are already there. I'm not sure how I would go about the audio control though.

 

I was thinking along the same line when I was driving a Mazda 3. I would say it's really hard since the volume control and what not are internal functions. (unless you want to take the head unit apart and splice into the actual controls)

Another way is to find a unit that has remote control features. I have seen a Sony head unit with a remote control that can be mounted on the steering column. So finding the ping-out diagram and work from there should be straight forward.

 

My pops just put a stereo in his mazda speed 3 aparantly the sterio controls all work off the same wire with a resister on each button with different resistance. The sterio is able to recognize the resistance of a particular function.

This won't be just as simple as splicing wires together.

 

I found an interface that allows the audio controls on the wheel to be connected to an infrared antenna to act as a remote control for the head unit. This would work as long as the head unit has a remote control.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-D5S2wI0....asp?i=127SWIX

Now I just need to take the time to remove the steering wheel from my Mazda6 for a test fit.

 

nice i wouldn't mind a rx8 wheel in the fd

 

I wonder how we would get the airbag to work?

 

Yeah I, put one of those controlers in a friends truck and it worked perfectly. Like you said as long as your head unit has a remote function it will work.

 

Anyone have any ideas on how to get the airbag to work? I hate to be splicing wires for an airbag, but I suppose it could be done if the right molex connectors are used and pinned correctly.

Here are the FD airbag connectors.



And here is the best picture I could find of an RX-8 connector.

 

The rx8 wheel is a bit smaller than the FD wheel. When I had my 8 I swapped damn near everything I could in the interior into my old FD just for fun. I'll try to dig up pics.

 

so does the steering wheel from the 8 go on without modification? if not what would it take to make one work?

 

curious if anyone got this to work?

 

there are alot of post on how to do this. you'll have to drill the two wires. and get the interface for the remote, but Im not sure if you can run the power and the illumination wires.