[robertrod]

My previous car was a 2004 9-3 with the old style radios in it. (Love this car still, sold it to my dad.) I just bought a 2008 9-3 with this new Kenwood already installed - DVD, Nav, working bluetooth via a-pillar mic, ipod control via glove box cable, touch screen, super slick setup. BUT... I didn't realize the steering wheel controls (SWC) didn't work with this HU. Now without the SWC I'm surprised how much it takes away from the feel of the car.

So I hear one has to have an Ibus or GMLAN converter or something of that nature to use the steering wheel mounted factory controls.

The Kenwood unit apparently supports a new cable/harness: CAW-CANSA1. The site says it solves the problem straight forward.

http://www.kenwood.eu/support/swrc/saab/

Has anyone used the CAW-CANSA1 ? Has anyone successfully used anything to get the SWC working on a 2008 9-3?

I wish, I wish I knew some install history about the audio in this car. (My 2004 9-3 sounded better due to 13 speakers - MILES better bass. Getting that 04 sound on my 08 is another question for another thread i think.)

Any help on this is appreciated, thanks!

 

[robertrod]

Well for any who are interested the local Dallas independent Saab shop told me they refer all their work to this other A/V shop here in town.

These guys said they get Saabs all the time from them and would have no problem enabling the SWC with a PAC SWI-JACK (new version). They claimed they installed it before on 08s and it definitely worked! Also they will install a pair of Kenwood 6x9 dual cones into factory blank spots. These will be drawing power and sub control from Kenwood HU using its dedicated sub outs. The HU has a built-in 200w amp. This will give me full digital control of equalizer and digital crossover functions, I think .

Well this sounds great! I talked to Car-toys, Best Buy, and other run of the mill places and they would not even touch my car. They "don't want to be responsible" if they screw anything up. HA! Dealer also told me just under $2k to replace all components with Saab factory premium system.

So I guess a hundred for the SWC and speaker installation all will cost just under $300 total. The parts are ordered and will be installed next week .

Well I guess I answered my own post. Hope this helps any other people trying to upgrade from 7 speaker basic system to after market HU and 6x9 speakers in a 2008 9-3.

I'll post back the results...

 

[loochy]

Oh hey I must have missed your original post, but several on here, including myself, have enabled the steering wheel controls on '07s with a PAC jack/harness.

 

[robertrod]

Well the verdict from the shop was the Saab is sending a digital signal, and the PAC was unable to communicate with the car. As far as they know all other interfaces send an analog signal. They got this setup to work on an '07, but not an '08. They said they'd call me if they found something that worked.

This probably explains why the SWC was never active.

Does anyone know how to get steering wheel controls to work on a 2008 9-3? I really want this feature and feel my HU is being wasted without it.

 

[skyeagle]

Well the verdict from the shop was the Saab is sending a digital signal, and the PAC was unable to communicate with the car. As far as they know all other interfaces send an analog signal. They got this setup to work on an '07, but not an '08. They said they'd call me if they found something that worked.

This probably explains why the SWC was never active.

Does anyone know how to get steering wheel controls to work on a 2008 9-3? I really want this feature and feel my HU is being wasted without it.

I am having the same issue and I can't get my steering wheel controls to work. What someone has told me is ordering it from the uk which costs about 160$ but i think thats gonna be my only choice.

 

[spartan1984]

Hey all,

Had the same issue with our Turbo X and did the UK thing which worked perfectly. When I went back to the audio shop a few weeks later, the owner told me there is a distributor here in California which has the same parts available from the company in the UK. If interested, I can put you in touch with the audio shop and you can go from there...may be there is a cost savings.

spartan

 

[robertrod]

So just to get this straight, you did get the swc to work on a '08 9-3?

Yes, please give me the info for the shop in Cali, although I'd have to ship it to Dallas. I'm so glad someone has found a solution to this.

So the part is from Kenwood UK? Or a 3rd party? It doesn't really matter actually as long as it works.

 

[skyeagle]

Hey all,

Had the same issue with our Turbo X and did the UK thing which worked perfectly. When I went back to the audio shop a few weeks later, the owner told me there is a distributor here in California which has the same parts available from the company in the UK. If interested, I can put you in touch with the audio shop and you can go from there...may be there is a cost savings.

spartan

Yes can you please let me know about the distributor in California because I don't really want to pay so much for the UK parts if its the same here. I know for sure the UK parts work perfectly on any years after 2003+. The pac works 2003 and under.

 

[spartan1984]

So just to get this straight, you did get the swc to work on a '08 9-3?

Yes, please give me the info for the shop in Cali, although I'd have to ship it to Dallas. I'm so glad someone has found a solution to this.

So the part is from Kenwood UK? Or a 3rd party? It doesn't really matter actually as long as it works.

Yes can you please let me know about the distributor in California because I don't really want to pay so much for the UK parts if its the same here. I know for sure the UK parts work perfectly on any years after 2003+. The pac works 2003 and under.

robertrod and skyeagle,

I did get the steering wheel controls (stereo buttons not the phone) to work and it was from a 3rd-party company called Incartec (http://www.incartech.co.uk/products.html, select the "Car Audio Steering Wheel controls 2010" link). Quite a few folks on here have purchased from them with excellent results. Talk to John (owner) at Al & Ed's Autosound (760) 758-9494 and tell him Barry with the Turbo X Saab recommended you call to get info on the California dealer who has the steering wheel parts.

Good luck,

Spartan

 

[gecko213]

Hey Spartan,
Can you also send me a pm about the shop in San Diego.
Also, do they do after market radio/HU installation for Saab?
Edit:Just saw your post after I posted.
Is there a way to have the phone buttons to work also?
TIA
Gecko213

 

[loochy]

robertrod and skyeagle,

I did get the steering wheel controls (stereo buttons not the phone) to work and it was from a 3rd-party company called Incartec (http://www.incartech.co.uk/products.html, select the "Car Audio Steering Wheel controls 2010" link). Quite a few folks on here have purchased from them with excellent results. Talk to John (owner) at Al & Ed's Autosound (760) 758-9494 and tell him Barry with the Turbo X Saab recommended you call to get info on the California dealer who has the steering wheel parts.

Good luck,

Spartan

Man, I used incartec. They set me up nicely, but it was expensive and shipping cost me a lot with the extra brokerage fees that UPS charged on international delivery. I wish I would have known about their US distributor...

 

[spartan1984]

Man, I used incartec. They set me up nicely, but it was expensive and shipping cost me a lot with the extra brokerage fees that UPS charged on international delivery. I wish I would have known about their US distributor...

I feel your pain...went down the same road. Had good dealings with Incartec. Didn't find out about the distributor of course until after I went the UK route.

 

[spartan1984]

Hey Spartan,
Can you also send me a pm about the shop in San Diego.
Also, do they do after market radio/HU installation for Saab?
Edit:Just saw your post after I posted.
Is there a way to have the phone buttons to work also?
TIA
Gecko213

Hey Gecko,

They sure do aftermarket installs on Saabs...our Turbo X (manual) came with the basic radio and the only other Turbo X cars in the area were automatics...where's the fun in that...lol...so went to Al & Ed's to have the Kenwood intalled. LOVE it and they did an awesome job...you'd think the HU came straight out of the factory like that. Give them a ring to see if they can "hook you up."

Regarding the phone buttons, nope. Haven't found anyone on here who has been able to do that unless the vehicle came bluetooth ready. But who knows, things may have changed since we brought the car in, so it doesn't hurt to ask John.

 

[gecko213]

Hey Gecko,

They sure do aftermarket installs on Saabs...our Turbo X (manual) came with the basic radio and the only other Turbo X cars in the area were automatics...where's the fun in that...lol...so went to Al & Ed's to have the Kenwood intalled. LOVE it and they did an awesome job...you'd think the HU came straight out of the factory like that. Give them a ring to see if they can "hook you up."

Regarding the phone buttons, nope. Haven't found anyone on here who has been able to do that unless the vehicle came bluetooth ready. But who knows, things may have changed since we brought the car in, so it doesn't hurt to ask John.

Spartan,
Man, Turbo X is sexy as h3ll and being 6sp makes it sexier. What model Kenwood did you get, do u have bluetooth,Navigation, XM,Ipod adaptor???
Did you purchase the HU separately or did u buy it from Al & Eds?
Finally, what was the end price when said and done.

Also, my car came with stock 7 speaker stereo with Bluetooth.
So does that mean I have a chance to use my SWC for my phone?

TIA
Gecko213

 

[spartan1984]

Spartan,
Man, Turbo X is sexy as h3ll and being 6sp makes it sexier. What model Kenwood did you get, do u have bluetooth,Navigation, XM,Ipod adaptor???
Did you purchase the HU separately or did u buy it from Al & Eds?
Finally, what was the end price when said and done.

Also, my car came with stock 7 speaker stereo with Bluetooth.
So does that mean I have a chance to use my SWC for my phone?

TIA
Gecko213

Gecko,

We love the Turbo X, totally awesome!!! We have the Kenwood DNX7140 In-Dash Navigation System with Bluetooth, XM/SIRIUS and iPod (with the adaptor in the glovebox)...Al & Ed's even set it up where we could run DVD's . We bought everything from Al & Ed's and all told was about $1500 (but we had other things done). As for using the SWC with your phone, not sure but you can ask them is it can be done.

spartan