cruise control buttons for european market rx8
 

Hello Im looking to install a cruise control to an european rx8 (not even optional in europe), but I cant get the buttons for the steering wheel. Making the buttons myself could easyly ruin the interior, so Im looking for the original thing on the wheel. The European EPC doesnt show them, so I cant order them either. Can anybody get their hands on US market EPC and get the numbers from there?

It would probably be much easier to buy the entire North American steering wheel with the audio and cruise buttons included; the Euro airbag should be the same and transfer from your current steering wheel with no problems. Just an alternative to consider...

Regards,
Gordon

Thx for the reply, but I think the wheel itself is the same. At least it looks the same and based on the experience with 6 Im pretty sure it is the same. I would just have to take off the plastic cover and install the button set instead.
Still if you can get the code for the entire steering wheel, I might consider it:)

I would also be interested in installing cruise control to my UK spec 6speed. What else appart from the steering wheel buttons (or entire steering wheel) is required? Is the necessary wiring installed in European models? Does one have to upgrade the software?

Dear Mr Bungle,

A german RX8 owner has successfully installed the Mazda cruise control and now sells a kit containing all you need, including the steering wheel controls.

I'm PMing hi se-mail address to you.

Cheers,

Fabrice

I would be interested in this cruise control kit.

Why don't you post his e-mail or ask him to contact us, either to our e-mail addresses or on this forum?

I got the ordering codes for the cruise buttons almost a year ago from an american dealer. You dont need anything but the buttons, the cruise itself is already programmed into the PCM of the car. You only need to connect one wire to pcm that will control the cruise. Its done by connecting the earth to pcm through various resistors (similar to mazda 6 system, in fact I used mazda 6 steering wheel to test it at first). almost all rx8-s here in estonia have cruise controls installed. I dont know if it will work for the rhd specs cars though, but I can look up the connector that you have to earth to turn the cruise on. If the light in your dash illuminates, then it works:)

Where is the connector you mention? Is it under the plastic cover on the steering wheel where the cruise control buttons are placed? Can you please send me the ordering codes?

Does anyone know who you remove te plastic cover to replace it with the cruise control buttons?

F151664M0B MAN TRANS
F155664D1B AUTO

note these come as a pair !!
Regards Darrin ...Central Coast Mazda Australia

I'll do.

Fabrice

Hello @all,

now I'm here in your nice RX-8 Club board! If you want to learn more about my cruise control, you can send me an e-mail or visit our german board (http://www.rx8-fan.de) of cause in german ;-)

best regards

Anze

Sad....
 

As a sad update to this thread, after much research, the german guy finally got the cruise working in Euro-spec cars, and many owners had the bits fitted.

Then Euro-Mazda put out a WDS flash that DISABLED their new hardware, and locked the ECU from working it!

The owners club is looking at what recourse they have....sad.

S

Thank you Stealth for that info, I will immediately stop flashing rx-s with new wds soft. Can you tell me which software version we are talking about?
All you crackers out there, now would be a good time to crack an older flash to show a newer sw version so that wds would write the older soft on top of the new one. Mean while guys in colder regions how about that cold starting problem, any help from the updating the soft? last winter I had several cars with new soft that wouldnt start no matter what..

Has anyone found a way to flash with an older version if the cruise control was disabled by Mazda's new flash?

Is it possible to programme a European RX8 with say a US flash?

No.

Probably not.

Only hope is, now that cruise is available as a factory option in Europe from 2006, that future PCM upgrade might re-install cruise capability on older cars.

Fabrice

Hi everyone, I have a 2004 JDM 6 speed manual. I want to put in the cruise control, like the rest of you. Seems from what I've read on this forum that should be OK, provided the flash version is old enough.

BUT, the part number I get From Mazda here in NZ is F157664M0B, similar, but not the one you were all talking about as below. Anyone know if this part is OK to order (its $450.00, no return as it has to be imported)??

I dont really want to waste my $450!

Thanks, Matt

It's been some time since this thread was originally started but we have resurrected it in the UK as many of us want to have a functional cruise.
For those of you on here from Europe (incl. Britain & Ireland (Nth & Sth) the Mazda 6 wheel, which already has the cruise buttons, fits perfectly & here is one fitted to my RX-8 for the princely sum of £20, complete with airbag too. They range in price from £12 - £35 on fleabay, depending on age & condition. I made sure I got one made in the same year as my RX-8 to be on the safe side.
As regards the PCM flash, there are a few of us working on the fix to find the exact PCM data you need to 'push' back into the PCM to make it work.
If any of you here are interested then let me know (by posting here) & I'll update y'all (sorry, lived in S.C. for a few years).
Cheers, Pete

It was version 37 IN 2007/05 from information I have been able to glean.
Since fitting a D585 Herko HE kit with 10mm silicon HT leads & the newer heat range IR plugs I haven't had any cold weather starting issues whatsoever. In fact, she starts like something possessed now & is far more 'drivable' at lower rpm too.
Hope it helps ;)

I had a functional cruise control for several years, on my UK Mazda RX8, until Mazda flushed my PCM with the new software.

I would love to get it back. All the buttons and wiring are in place. It is a matter of software. Please keep us informed if somebody finds a way to push back the relevant data on the PCM.

Stay tuned dhccqs...'we*' think 'we*' might have cracked the problem & will be testing the theory on 2 or 3 RX-8 231 6MT's in mid June, mine being one of them...fingers crossed.

In the meantime if you send me your as 'built data' or your VIN number 'we*' can compare it to others 'we*' have on our small database & maybe I can help you out.

Legend = 'we*' - the we means there's 3 of us at the core of the project to resolve cruise on UK cars & provide a solution to all the members on the RX8OC (UK) forum.

2004 6mt 231 jmzse173600120344

Thanks for that, appreciated. Your data will be very useful with being a known, previously working cruise prior to the infamous Ver:37 flash which turned it off electronically in the PCM. As soon as the Mazda Technician, who is working with us gets the data back to me, I will PM you with the 'as built' details.
Then, when we have completed our tests, & if successful, will PM you with the updated 'as built' data that you will need to get 'pushed' back into your PCM to get your cruise working again ;)

Thank you.

I hope you make it.

I can find the numbers on the PCM if that would help.

Just another piece of useless information: In the past I changed my PCM with a US PCM I bought on ebay. The car started (with the help of Mazda dealer) and the cruise control light came on but the car was not running smoothly. Mazda said it was a faulty PCM.

No problems & no need to find the numbers, the VIN is all we need atm.
Important question though...are you running your RX-8 with the original, factory fitted PCM, which did have cruise control working, or do you now have a USDM PCM? If it is a USDM PCM, do you know if it had cruise control fitted to the original car?
Thanks in advance.
p.s. care to tell me your first name so I can add it to my PCM database rather than refer to you as 'dhccqs'?

I am now running my RX-8 with the original, factory fitted PCM, which did have cruise control working and was cancelled by the new software.