2001 VIP Steering wheel cover removal. Backlights not functional…. Maybe older VIP do not have that feature??

[jillandjackie]

Moderator EDIT and Title revision.  

Appears the earlier models did NOT have lighted controls.  See followup posts discussing the issue for details.

END of EDIT

We have an 01 Dynasty 38 Jack that has the controls on the steering wheel (cruise/lights/wipers/horn). All controls work properly but at night they do not light up which makes it hard to see what button is what. We have been told there is a way to remove this center cover and to check the "circuit board". But are unsure how to remove this center square cover. Any suggestions on how to remove are welcome and how we can get those buttons to light up again! Thanks!

[gdroberson]

should be a couple of screws on the bottom

[Tom Cherry]

Go to this post.  It has the complete VIP wheel troubleshooting guide in a post.  You can download it and see if it addresses the issues.  If not, then contact VIP and ask their tech support.

There is a common issue with the unit as in an internal part often needs replacement.  That part is called “the clock spring”.

if you use Clock Spring as the key words and use the search function at the top, you will find that many have done this and posted.  Not sure if they went into details of the first srep….REMOVE COVER.  Make sure you click on EVERYWHERE….when the drop down box pops up….choose TOPICS.

Start to read or skim or scroll.  If a poster (member) discusses removal…..chick on his ICON on the left.  There is a popup and use the MESSAGE or “mail letter”.  That will be a private email (or PM) to him offline.  He will get an email from the site.  Then you can mail back and forth or exchange phone numbers and talk,

YOU can also google “VIP STEERING WHEEL COVER REMOVAL….there are many posts…odds are a YouTube video.   Alternatively, try VIP STEERING WHEEL INDICATOR LIGHTS NOT WORKING.

I highly suspect you’ll be overwhelmed with good info.

Keep us posted and such.  This is an issue that my memory can recall.

[Ivan K]

Your 2001 may not have the backlight function. Ours doesn't and doesn’t have the often troublesome clock spring either. There just isn't enough leads from the VIP controller to supply power for it but on the positive side, no clock spring to fail...

[Tom Cherry]

10 minutes ago, Ivan K said:

Your 2001 may not have the backlight function. Ours doesn't and doesn’t have the often troublesome clock spring either. There just isn't enough leads from the VIP controller to supply power for it but on the positive side, no clock spring to fail...

BINGO….IVAN to the rescue.

To corroborate his comments ….read the following.  

https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=41023.0

it explains it in the opening….but folks drifted….and it, the lack of backlighting, was clarifed a few posts down…

NOW, WE ALL KNOW!!! If KNOWLEDGE is POWER…..I and others will rule the world with the abundance of “seemingly trivia” stuff that is posted and we absorb….LOL

[StephenW]

To confirm what Ivan and Tom stated, I do not have lighted VIP buttons on my ’01 Dynasty, also no clock spring to fail! I have replaced the VIP control module in the FRB twice, but since I put in a relay for the headlights I have not had a problem with the VIP system.  The people I talked to at “VIP” (IMMI) were very helpful when I called to get a new control module (twice).

[Dr4Film]

Those buttons on the VIP Smart-wheel never lit up on my previous Windsor and now my Dynasty.

[David Pratt]

Sometime in 2001, Monaco went from the slip ring in the steering column to the clock spring in the column. Look at the VIP controller and on the bottom of  the VIP Master is a four wire connector J1 almost in the center bottom. J1 is the connector that feeds the information from the steering wheel switch module to the VIP module. it is a four wire connector. Pins 1 and 2 are the MPX signal wires from the steering wheel module to the VIP module. Pin 3 is the ground for the steering wheel module Backlights and Pin 4 is the power for the backlighting. If the steering column has a slip ring instead of a clock spring, which prior to 2001 they did you will not be able to have the backlighting as the slip ring has the provision for only two wires. If your column has a clock spring it has a four wire connector PL5 and PL6. At the bottom of the steering column the wiring harness has PL3 and PL4. PL4 connects to PL5. PL3 goes to the VIP module connector J1.

There will be four wires connected to the connector J1 and those four wires will connect to PL3/PL4 and continue to PL5/PL6-the clock spring. 

If there is only two wires connected to J1, Pin 1 and Pin 2, those two wires will connect to connector P21/P22 in the bottom of the steering column and continue up to the the slip ring and to connector P7/P8 and P9/P10, which will be spade connectors and no provision to allow backlighting to the switch module.

If you have four wires coming out of J1 they will go to connector PL3 in the bottom of the steering column. PL3 plugs into PL4 and continues up the column and plugs into PL5 on the Clock Spring. The harness connected to the switch module will have four wires going to Connector PL6 that plugs into the clock spring.

If the coach is a 2001 or newer and has a Clock Spring but only has two wires connected to J1 you would be able to add the backlighting by just adding the other two wires to Pin 3 and 4 on J1 and running them up the column to the clock spring.

[Hockeydiesel]

5 mm allen wrench, hole on back side of steering wheel.

[rustykramermetalfab]

On 4/28/2024 at 5:30 PM, Dr4Film said:

Those buttons on the VIP Smart-wheel never lit up on my previous Windsor and now my Dynasty.

Are you saying your 06 Dynasty is not back lit or they are?  Just wondering My 06 Dynasty is.   

[David Pratt]

11 minutes ago, rustykramermetalfab said:

Are you saying your 06 Dynasty is not back lit or they are?  Just wondering My 06 Dynasty is.   

Have you read my post-Three Posts Back-; I explain in simple terms how to check if you have backlighting available to your Smart Wheel. It was not standard on the Dynasty, only on the Executive, Signature and Navigator. If a Dynasty has the backlighting feature it was an option provided by the Factory when the coach was built or it was added by the dealer or PO.

[rustykramermetalfab]

1 minute ago, David Pratt said:

Have you read my post-Three Posts Back-; I explain in simple terms how to check if you have backlighting available to your Smart Wheel. It was not standard on the Dynasty, only on the Executive, Signature and Navigator. If a Dynasty has the backlighting feature it was an option provided by the Factory when the coach was built or it was added by the dealer or PO.

Got it Dave Thanks.

[Dr4Film]

Mine are NOT backlit on my VIP Smart Wheel.