I have bench tested installing a heated wheel in my Gen1 Diesel Cruze, 2014. I HAVE NOT as of this writing actually installed anything in my car. I am convinced that this is workable. Maybe not worth it cost wise to some, but I am keeping my Cruze forever, so depreciation doesn't matter, and so on... I'll answer questions as needed, and provide pictures if you want. But the guy that I referenced from YouTube pretty much covers the whole thing (on a Volt). The process is almost the same for Cruze, but a few more things are required to make it work.
Required parts:
- Steering wheel with UVD RPO (this is the heated wheel)
- Can be from a Verano, but you need a new airbag or airbag cover. Comes in brown or black leather
- Sonic steering wheel with UVD will also work; GM P/N 42587908
- Clock spring from a Verano. This is used to pass the extra circuits (3-4 total depending on what you want to do); GM P/N 23425376
- Some wire to run from the steering column down to the under dash area. I am using 16AWG for the 7.5A circuit, 22AWG for the signal/LED indicator
- 2 Terminals to add to the 10 terminal connector on the IP side (plugs into the clock spring); GM P/N SAIT-A03T-M064
- You'll need 4 if using a Sonic wheel
- You only need one, the second one illuminates an LED when the heated wheel is on
- Terminal 9 is for LED, terminal 10 is for switch
- A momentary switch (LED optional)
- Add-a-circuit fuse piggyback adapter capable of at least 7.5A circuit
I am not responsible for you being dumb. This is a no dumb area. Before you do anything, disconnect the battery entirely from the vehicle, and wait at least 10 minutes before you remove the airbag. If you are not comfortable doing any of the following work, do not attempt. This mod is not difficult, but the airbag is an explosive, and you must proceed with caution. Wiring SHOULD NOT under any circumstances be hacked together. I recommend heat shrink tubing and GOOD crimps using proper crimping pliers. All wires should be strain relieved, and avoid kinks/pinches. Vehicle fires due to improper wiring are a real thing, and EXTREME CAUTION should be practiced.
If you use a Verano wheel, you need to get a new airbag, or disassemble and swap over an airbag skin at your own risk. This guy does it here, he's doing it on a Volt, which is similar:
He also shows how to do the install in general here:
The Verano wheel will plug into the new clock spring directly:
- main 10 terminal connector
- 2 terminal power and ground for the 7.5A circuit
- Verano airbag has 2 connectors, so if you get a new airbag, it should work, this is the easiest thing to do if using a Verano wheel
On the IP side:
- Connectors should plug in. You'll need to run 1 or 2 circuits for switching (1) and LED (optional)
- The 7.5A circuit needs to be wired into ignition switched power, and a ground (black is ground)
- Terminal #10 on the 10 terminal connector needs a TEMPORARY ground to activate the heated steering wheel module. That is what your momentary switch is for
- If you want an LED to come on when the heat is on, then Terminal #9 can be wired to the - side of a 12V LED, apply 12V ign/accy switched to the + side of the LED
If you use a Sonic wheel:
- The cruise control buttons WILL NOT WORK. THEY are incompatible with the Cruze BCM. You will have to swap out your Cruze cruise button module. I would recommend swapping in the radio control buttons, as well as the little wiring harness that is there as well. You'll need to add 1 or two circuits to the ten terminal connector on both sides of the clock spring (as the wiring is different on the Sonic).
- The Sonic buttons are white back-lit BTW
- Look at the two clock springs. There are two connectors on the new clock spring for the airbag, and only one on the Cruze. Neither of the new ones will connect to a Cruze airbag. Match up the connector with the similar colors, and swap the electrical connector from the Cruze clock spring to the Verano clock spring.
- Alternatively, you could modify the keyway so that it will fit
- The rest is the same as stated above.
- This dude ends up using a Sonic wheel on his Volt. The Sonic/Volt cruise control modules are compatible, so it's a little easier:
You can skip running extra terminals and wires through the clock spring (except the 7.5A circuit) if you install a momentary button ON the steering wheel. There's probably someplace to make this work, I haven't looked into it, but there's no reason it shouldn't work. The steering wheel heating control module (inside the steering wheel) works on analog signals. Simply temporarily grounding terminal 10 will turn it on, temporarily grounding a second time will turn it off. The module self regulates to 90F.
