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PAC SWI-JACK

Steering wheel control interface for Alpine, Clarion, JVC, and Kenwood

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Item# 127SWIJACK offer details

Item# 127SWIJACK

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Our take on the PAC SWI-JACK

Installation Note: Some newer vehicles require a special interface for this installation. Click here or call an Advisor at 1-888-955-6000 to see if you need an interface to install this steering wheel control adapter in your vehicle.

You want to install a brand-name stereo in your vehicle, but you hate to give up the convenience of your factory steering wheel radio controls? No problem. The SWI-JACK interface from PAC allows you to use the steering wheel controls in a wide variety of vehicles to command select brand-name radios.

Installation is straightforward — connect a few wires, then program the adapter for your particular car and your stereo, and you'll retain the convenience of your steering wheel controls. The direct connection to the stereo eliminates the need for an infrared emitter, allowing the interface to function even in bright sunlight. Step-by-step LED confirmation makes programming easy. Once connected, the SWI-JACK's failsafe memory will learn up to 12 stereo functions, retaining them even if battery power is interrupted. Dimensions: 3-5/8"W x 1"H x 1-9/16"D. Warranty: 1 year.

Important Note: On some vehicles, you may need a voltmeter to locate the correct wires to connect to the SWI-JACK. If you have no car audio installation experience, you should consider professional installation. The SWI-JACK works with most Alpine, Clarion, JVC, and Kenwood stereos that have a wired remote control input port or a dedicated steering wheel input, but please call or email us to confirm compatibility with your radio.

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What's in the box?

Download owner's manual

  • Steering wheel radio control interface with attached 10" blue/yellow wire and 34" cable (with 3.5mm miniplug)
  • 24" Wiring harness
  • Packet of 8 resistors (includes 47 ohms/100 ohms/150 ohms/560 ohms/1000 ohms/1500 ohms/3900 ohms/5100 ohms)
  • Installation Instructions
  • Vehicle Application Guide
  • Vehicle Connector Chart
  • On-line vehicle specific instructions note

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Features

Product Overview: The SWI-JACK interface allows you to retain the use of your steering wheel and/or rear seat radio controls when replacing the factory head unit in select vehicles with an Alpine, JVC, Kenwood, or Clarion head unit with wired remote capability. In some GM vehicles, you can retain the use of heater control buttons as well.

Vehicle Compatibility: The SWI-JACK is compatible with over 95% of the vehicles made from 1986 to the present. Compatible vehicles include many Acura, Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Harley Davidson, Honda, Hummer, Hyundai, Infiniti, Isuzu, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury, Mini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Oldsmobile, Plymouth, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Scion, Suzuki, Toyota, and Volkswagen vehicles. Please consult "Outfit My Car" to see if your vehicle is compatible.

Known Incompatible Vehicles: The following list includes the vehicles that are known to not be compatible:

  • BMW:
    • All with factory-activated cellular phones
    • All with 5-volt SWC data wire at the steering column
  • Toyota: 1998-2003 Sienna vans
  • Volvo: All Volvo models

Head Unit Compatibility: The SWI-JACK works with Alpine, Clarion, and JVC radios with the 1/8" steering wheel input jack, and Kenwood radios with the blue/yellow remote input wire. It is also compatible with Blaupunkt radios having the input for an optional wireless remote, but the adapter plug necessary to interface with the Blaupunkt is not included.

Easily Programmable: The SWI-JACK can be easily programmed. You can assign the buttons on the steering wheel to any of these specific functions:

  • Alpine: Volume Up, Volume Down, Mute, Preset Up, Preset Down, Source, Track Up, Track Down, Power, Ent/Play and Band/Program
  • JVC: Volume Up, Volume Down, Mute/Power, Preset Up, Source, Seek Up, Seek Down, Select, and Band
  • Kenwood: Volume Up, Volume Down, Mute, Source, Seek Up, Track Up, Track Down, Disc Up/FM, and Disc Down/AM
  • Clarion: Volume Up, Volume Down, Mute, Track Up, Track Down, Band, and Source
  • Blaupunkt: Volume Up, Volume Down, Mute, Source, Track Up, Track Down, Disc Up, Disc Down, and OK

Note: The SWI-JACK has a non-volatile memory which keeps all programming in memory, even if the vehicle's battery is disconnected.

Resistor Kit: Some vehicles have a separate wire for each of the steering wheel buttons. Use the resistor kit for steering wheel push buttons that do not already have a resistor network connected to them. The resistor kit includes the following resistors:

  • 47 Ohms (yellow, purple, black, and gold bands)
  • 100 Ohms (brown, black, brown, and gold bands)
  • 150 Ohms (brown, green, brown, and gold bands)
  • 560 Ohms (green, blue, brown, and gold bands)
  • 1000 Ohms (brown, black, red, and gold bands)
  • 1500 Ohms (brown, green, red, and gold bands)
  • 3900 Ohms (orange, white, red, and gold bands)
  • 5100 Ohms (green, brown, red, and gold bands)
 

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1-10 of 171 items >> Sort Results By: Date Reviewed | Rating | Helpfulness
 
5 out of 5

Works great 07 Dodge Ram 2500

Written By bhoth, Utah on Friday, February 10, 2012
 
Works great in 07 Dodge Ram 2500. using with alpine cde-133bt all 6 buttons are working as desired. Instructions were not that clear, i had to call PAC support twice but once i got the correct info, i was able to get the programming done.
Pros:
works good once it's programmed.
Cons:
instructions could be better
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
4 out of 5

If you have a 04+ Ram, you need this!

Written By Brian, Tucson, AZ on Thursday, February 09, 2012
 
If you take your time with this, its not difficult. Crutchfield offered to help me over the phone but was able to program it myself. Tried the Metra unit before, doesn't work with the Ram's databus. Got blinking lights, door chimes, killed my gauges. Spliced three wires with this kit, did the programming, bam. Done. Slight delay on commands sent but may be more my old switches.
Pros:
Works where Metra SWC did not.
Cons:
Little complicated but if you take your time, read the directions, its easy.
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
1 out of 5

In '06 Passat

Written By MarkK, Osceola, WI on Saturday, February 04, 2012
 
Non functional with the PAC C2R-VW2
Pros:
None
Cons:
Haven't gotten around to returning it yet.
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
4 out of 5

This is the one for me!

Written By First Time DIYer, Waldorf, Md on Saturday, February 04, 2012
 
PAC SWC - This one worked for me. Returned METRA and switched interfaces over a week ago and no mysterious goings-on's. I'd give this 5 stars but it's true what I'd heard, the response to button presses requires deliberate timing. It seems to go into sleep-mode between uses. But it does WORK!!!
Pros:
It works!!!
Cons:
Needs auto programming. Needs better/quicker response to steering wheel controls.
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
5 out of 5

Don't take away my steering wheel controls!

Written By R-L, Los Angeles, CA. on Wednesday, February 01, 2012
 
I was a little dissapointed to learn that my new car stereo would not work directly with my car's controls. This little jem solved that problem. Translates the resistor network controls in the steering wheel to digital remote commmands that your car stereo will understand. I'm using mine in a Mazda with a Kenwood KDC-x395. In my application I had to move a pin in the harness adapter to make this work (that's an issue with the harness). The internet is very useful when working with this product.
Pros:
Works as advertised.
Cons:
Programming can be frustrating but stick with it, It will work. The response will not be quick as the controls with the old OEM stereo (you may have no alternatives).
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4 out of 5

Steering Wheel Controls Adapter

Written By Robert, Lee's Summit, MO on Thursday, January 26, 2012
 
Fairly easy to install. I had a little trouble with the programming of the unit for my '03 Chevy Silverado. It works great once I got it all programmed. I just zip tied it in place under the dash once I finished the programming.
Pros:
Reasonable way to keep about 80% of steering wheel controls function!
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4 out of 5

Works ok on '02 Ford

Written By Dan, Austin, TX on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
 
I'm glad I could replace my old factory stereo with a shiny new one, and still use my steering wheel buttons. I believe it makes for safer driving.

Getting this unit installed was easier than I expected. I was alarmed to find all the wires in the package, but in the end only 3 wires were required. I was glad to see it doesn't forget its settings when the battery is disconnected.

Programming it was the hardest part. I really had to plan my steps to get through all the button presses in the right order. I think the instructions could be improved a bit here -- it would have been nicer to just have separate groups of steps, like for "version 4" or not, rather than mixing if-then-else stuff into one list.

The worst thing about it for me is that the volume up/down are not very fast for a single press, and I have to hold the button for almost a second. But if I hold the volume button it blasts through the volume range way too fast.
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1 out of 5

06 Dodge? Don't bother.

Written By Kris H, Shreveport, LA on Saturday, November 19, 2011
 
I recently had to replace my OEM radio for a new sat nav unit, and wanted to keep the functionality of the steering wheel controls. The answer from Crutchfield was the PAC SWI-JACK, which was easy to install and fairly easy to program (although the 7 sec timeout for programming new buttons was frustrating at first). The major issue was that it simply doesn't work as advertised. I was able to program only 2 of the 6 buttons that controlled my OEM radio - the volume buttons. The PAC SWI-JACK simply does not allow use of the seek, source or preset buttons for my 2006 Dodge.

Bottom line - it's not worth the money, find something else as this product is basically useless.
Pros:
Ease of installation and programming
Cons:
Simply doesn't work as advertised.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful
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3 out of 5

All of my factory buttons do not function.

Written By sgd, Kansas City on Tuesday, October 25, 2011
 
I installed this with the pac adaptor for 2006 dodge vehicles and only 4 out of 6 of my steering wheel buttons function properly. I reprogrammed the module 3 or 4 times and even called tech support and never got any better.
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1 out of 5

PAC SWI-JACK

Written By Paul, Albuquerque, NM on Friday, October 21, 2011
 
After making my way through the contradicting instructions that came with the unit and the instructions online, I got the unit installed, just to realize that the steering wheel controls did not react anything like they did with the factory stereo. Volume would jump from silent to blaring with one touch, and then not turn down. I eventually removed the device from my car and returned it to Crutchfield.
Cons:
There is nothing to like about this product. It is difficult to install (soldering resistors and capacitors inline) and works intermitently, if at all.
Was this review helpful?    Yes | No
 
1-10 of 171 items >>

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For a more in-depth review and enhanced detailed information on the PAC SWI-JACK, please visit the Crutchfield website product page (/ISEO-rccbcspd/p_127SWIJACK/PAC-SWI-JACK.html ).

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PAC SWI-JACK
PAC SWI-JACK
Steering wheel control interface for Alpine, Clarion, JVC, and Kenwood
$69.99
In Stock
 
 

Installation Tools

Posi-Products™ Wire Connectors
6 tap connectors for 16- to 18-gauge wire — tap into wire without cutting or stripping
$7.99
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