2011-12 steering wheel upgrade
11-05-2011, 06:32 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: AZ
Posts: 39
2011-12 steering wheel upgrade
Hi,
I know a lot of Base Mustang owners have replaced their steering wheel or plan to.
I put a Boss 302 wheel in mine.
This is to let owners know that the audio controls on a Boss 302, GT500, Premium or 18R wheel can be activated for a Base car. All the hardware needed is already in the car. All that's required is to update the ACM (Audio Control Module) to tell it what steering wheel is installed.
A dealer or independent shop with IDS can do the update. Its not a "normal" procedure for dealers and most are reluctant to try. The ones who will usually quote a high price either because they think they can or because they have no idea how long it will take or what unintended consequences could happen. The dealers do not know how to do this because its not documented by Ford and Ford doesn't want people doing it.
To get my ACM updated, I contacted EVERY Ford dealer in Central Arizona. Only one would do the update for the 1/2 hour labor that it takes.
That is Robert Horne Ford in Apache Junction. If you want to activate your steering wheel audio controls, ask for Service Adviser David Duvall. They know the procedure and have the ACM data but here it is just in case:
727-01-01 0044 908B 64F3
727-01-02 0435
727-02-01 2E5F
727-03-01 1446
727-04-01 0033
727-05-01 0007 2F57 5B1C
727-05-02 765B 572F 0793
727-06-01 000A 3335 5C03
727-06-02 645C 3533 0A68
727-07-01 000A 3335 5C04
727-07-02 645C 3533 0A69
That is the ENTIRE ACM as-built data. Only the first line (steering wheel) is changed but the procedure calls for all the data to be loaded.
I am in no way affiliated with or had any prior contact with Robert Horne Ford. It is 2 hour round trip for me, but as I said, they are the only dealer who would try (for under $150) and are now the ONLY dealer who has done this update in Central Arizona.
I know a lot of Base Mustang owners have replaced their steering wheel or plan to.
I put a Boss 302 wheel in mine.
This is to let owners know that the audio controls on a Boss 302, GT500, Premium or 18R wheel can be activated for a Base car. All the hardware needed is already in the car. All that's required is to update the ACM (Audio Control Module) to tell it what steering wheel is installed.
A dealer or independent shop with IDS can do the update. Its not a "normal" procedure for dealers and most are reluctant to try. The ones who will usually quote a high price either because they think they can or because they have no idea how long it will take or what unintended consequences could happen. The dealers do not know how to do this because its not documented by Ford and Ford doesn't want people doing it.
To get my ACM updated, I contacted EVERY Ford dealer in Central Arizona. Only one would do the update for the 1/2 hour labor that it takes.
That is Robert Horne Ford in Apache Junction. If you want to activate your steering wheel audio controls, ask for Service Adviser David Duvall. They know the procedure and have the ACM data but here it is just in case:
727-01-01 0044 908B 64F3
727-01-02 0435
727-02-01 2E5F
727-03-01 1446
727-04-01 0033
727-05-01 0007 2F57 5B1C
727-05-02 765B 572F 0793
727-06-01 000A 3335 5C03
727-06-02 645C 3533 0A68
727-07-01 000A 3335 5C04
727-07-02 645C 3533 0A69
That is the ENTIRE ACM as-built data. Only the first line (steering wheel) is changed but the procedure calls for all the data to be loaded.
I am in no way affiliated with or had any prior contact with Robert Horne Ford. It is 2 hour round trip for me, but as I said, they are the only dealer who would try (for under $150) and are now the ONLY dealer who has done this update in Central Arizona.
11-05-2011, 09:33 PM
#3
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: AZ
Posts: 39
Most of the people who are changing the wheel are doing it for the Alcantara (man-made suede) or leather because the base wheel is so hard (and hot in AZ). The Alcantara on the Boss wheel never gets hot. The stereo controls are just a bonus.
If you want some color, you can get the Premium wheels in various color leather and stitching.
The Premium and GT500 wheels will have non-functioning Sync buttons. On the Boss and 18R wheels those buttons are just non-moving blanks.
Supposedly one dealer's on-line parts depart has sold hundreds Boss and GT500 wheels. They were selling the Boss 302 Alcantara wheels for around $150 until a few weeks ago. It may have been a price mistake by Ford because that was less than the hard rubber base wheel sold for. Anyway, the price doubled recently.
Anyone shopping wheels, make sure you get a complete assembly. Ford sells complete wheels but also sells the parts of the wheel. A few people ended up with just the bare wheel and had to buy the spoke covers, buttons, etc, separately and put them all together.
Another option if you want leather but don't care about stereo controls is the leather Bullitt wheel from a few years ago. It looks just like the 2011-12 Base wheel except it's leather. The cruise buttons are physically the same but the connector is different than the 2011-12s so you have to either swap the buttons from the 2011-12 wheel or splice on a different connector.
If you want some color, you can get the Premium wheels in various color leather and stitching.
The Premium and GT500 wheels will have non-functioning Sync buttons. On the Boss and 18R wheels those buttons are just non-moving blanks.
Supposedly one dealer's on-line parts depart has sold hundreds Boss and GT500 wheels. They were selling the Boss 302 Alcantara wheels for around $150 until a few weeks ago. It may have been a price mistake by Ford because that was less than the hard rubber base wheel sold for. Anyway, the price doubled recently.
Anyone shopping wheels, make sure you get a complete assembly. Ford sells complete wheels but also sells the parts of the wheel. A few people ended up with just the bare wheel and had to buy the spoke covers, buttons, etc, separately and put them all together.
Another option if you want leather but don't care about stereo controls is the leather Bullitt wheel from a few years ago. It looks just like the 2011-12 Base wheel except it's leather. The cruise buttons are physically the same but the connector is different than the 2011-12s so you have to either swap the buttons from the 2011-12 wheel or splice on a different connector.
11-05-2011, 09:48 PM
#5
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: AZ
Posts: 39
But I've seen some amazing fabrications, so I won't say it can't be done.
But If someone could mount those other button panels on the base wheel, they would work after updating the ACM.
11-05-2011, 09:55 PM
#6
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: AZ
Posts: 39
In case anyone was wondering, the cruise buttons will work regardless of the 2011-12 wheel installed because all wheels have those and they all speak the same language. No ACM update needed for working cruise buttons.
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