2019 Latitutde - Retrofit Steering Wheel Audio Controls?
 

Hey everyone - new member here.

My employer took delivery of my new service vehicle a couple of days ago - a 2019 Cherokee Latitude.

In looking the vehicle over yesterday, I discovered that this Cherokee doesn't have the audio controls on the back of the steering wheel. I use the ones on my current '12 Liberty CONTSTANTLY.

I need to start investigating how to retrofit the controls into this new Jeep. Unfortunately being the base model, I don't even have the blank coverplates on the back of the steering wheel; it's all one molded piece with the rest of the wheel.

I'm thinking the only way to get my beloved audio controls is to replace the entire steering wheel with one from a previous year, which luckily, are readily available on eBay etc.

I understand the 2019's have just come out so compatibility of parts between "generations" is going to be hard to come by, but thought I'd ask here for any insight.

Before you buy a steering wheel check to see if the wiring is in the steering column. If no wires then its a deal breaker. Sometimes, but hard to say because the 2019 is so new, auto salvage yards can tell you if theres a wiring harness or if you're really committed you could do some investigative work on your own. Lastly, you could ask the dealer of which I have little respect for but Im sure there are some that actually help their customers. Im still trying to find a dealer like that but after over 50 years, I'm not that hopeful.

I will have to investigate a bit once they actually hand me the keys after it's lettered etc.

I do see a screw hole on each side of the back of the wheel - I assume those are what holds the button arrays in on each side. I may pop those off first and see what hides in there. I'm not too optimistic though. :(

I called dealer and was told for my 2018 Cherokee there is no upgrade path to put those controls in...

love them on my better half's Compass....

No idea why they would not have them for the Cherokee...I believe the Grand Cherokee does have them and someone recommended retro-fitting a Grand Cherokee steering wheel...

You can use the voice controls to change radio stations and play music. The only way to get factory steering wheel controls would be to replace the entire steering wheel, but THEN you'd have to program them to the vehicle and its BCM.

My '02 Grand Cherokee WJ Laredo is a base model without steering wheel controls and the vinyl steering wheel (NOT leather-wrapped), and there are indents on the back of the steering wheel where controls would be... my parent's old '02 Grand Cherokee WJ Laredo with the Infinity Gold system (believe you had to get the Infinity Gold system to get the controls) had them. On my Jeep the two "screw holes" I think are the airbag alignment pins.