Changing a steering wheel?

[Anthony84]

So I have a problem (well several but that's neither here nor there). I have an older aftermarket deck I want to put in my car I've had for a long time; made before the days of steering wheel remote capability that's still in mint condition. Its an early 2000s Alpine with BBE processing; no Bluetooth or satellite but it sounds amazing; and will blow the doors off most decks on the market today and I have an aux input for it so that's all I need.

Anyways; I want to put it in my Marauder; but I also have a complex of having buttons that don't do anything. So my plan was to put in a MGM or CV steering wheel so I don't have radio buttons that don't do anything. I understand giving up the climate control buttons (that I never use) I just don't want to lose my cruise. Is it a plug and play swap? Thanks in advance.

[fastblackmerc]

So I have a problem (well several but that's neither here nor there). I have an older aftermarket deck I want to put in my car I've had for a long time; made before the days of steering wheel remote capability that's still in mint condition. Its an early 2000s Alpine with BBE processing; no Bluetooth or satellite but it sounds amazing; and will blow the doors off most decks on the market today and I have an aux input for it so that's all I need.

Anyways; I want to put it in my Marauder; but I also have a complex of having buttons that don't do anything. So my plan was to put in a MGM or CV steering wheel so I don't have radio buttons that don't do anything. I understand giving up the climate control buttons (that I never use) I just don't want to lose my cruise. Is it a plug and play swap? Thanks in advance.
Most likely it will be a direct swap.

[fastblackmerc]

Check to see if there is an interface module that will work.

[Anthony84]

Nope. Deck too old. Gone every possible route; doing stereo stuff for years. I remember reading on CVN about having to "program" P71's when people would add the cruise control steering wheel; just wondering if a lesser trim wheel would plug and play; I just haven't found a deck on the market I like in years....

[CoreyM75]

A similar wheel would work, just make sure that it is from 2003/4. The earlier 2000/1/2 wheels wife fit, just not directly hook up to the control wiring. I used a Grand Marquis Ultimate woodgrain wheel in a 2004 CVPI that I flipped that had a very nice feel to it.

[DTR2007LX]

You'll need to swap the clock spring in the steering column, the wiring plugs are different for cars with redundant controls and just the plain cruise buttons, I did the opposite swap.

Wheels will interchange 1998-2004 but would be best to use 2003-04 version buttons, even though I sold a guy an 02 wheel for his 04 and it worked fine. Assuming your going to keep the dark charcoal wheel best years to look at will be 2000-2002 Marquis ls and crown Vic lx as they commonly had the cruise only leather wheels.