How to: Install a switch for SWAS enable/disable

[Gringo East]

Originally Posted by JTMS3 ok update... volume & station change toggles as well as the "mode" button do not work on the steering wheel but everything else does. All wires are secure, soldered & heatshrunk and the switch works as described by OP (well except for turning off the car to turn SWAS on). Not a big deal but anyone have any ideas why this would be?

Any updates on these issues or do you just live with it?

I notice someone later on posted about cutting the yellow wire anyone know if this would work on gen 2 to eliminate the above problems

I pick up a soldering iron a few weeks and looking to do this soon.

[nindoja]

Originally Posted by Gringo East Any updates on these issues or do you just live with it? I notice someone later on posted about cutting the yellow wire anyone know if this would work on gen 2 to eliminate the above problems I pick up a soldering iron a few weeks and looking to do this soon.

I don't think cutting the yellow wire will help with that. I believe the yellow wire is the power wire on gen1s, so you should cut the power wire for the gen2 sensor (blue).

[aggierandy]

Originally Posted by topset nice write up. im going to seek out an oem mazda switch and add it to the cluster that the AFS ans TCS switches sit in.

Any follow up on this?

Sent from my DROIDX

[Mase]

Originally Posted by Gringo East Any updates on these issues or do you just live with it? I notice someone later on posted about cutting the yellow wire anyone know if this would work on gen 2 to eliminate the above problems I pick up a soldering iron a few weeks and looking to do this soon.

This guide was written for a Gen 2. This issue was the only person thus far that has reported any issue with the walkthrough. Just my .02

[burn813]

Hell, I used the walk though for the genone, so I would say this is a very good walkthough

[Flow]

Does this just turn off the SWAS or can you also use it to deactivate the DSC?

Do all the warning lights go off on once you restart the engine with SWAS activated or do you have to delete any errors in the ECU?

Nice trick, I'm probably gonna have a go at it too soon.

[burn813]

From what I understand it disables both swas and dsc...... And yes you will get a code and no you can't delete the code.... That is part of the reason I chose to make a swas switch...... Then I can selectively disable it

[Gringo East]

Originally Posted by Flow Does this just turn off the SWAS or can you also use it to deactivate the DSC? Do all the warning lights go off on once you restart the engine with SWAS activated or do you have to delete any errors in the ECU? Nice trick, I'm probably gonna have a go at it too soon.

Above ^^^^^

Plus, after flipping the switch back to the ON mode the steering wheel icon on the dash will go out, but the traction control won't reset for about a mile or two of driving than that light will go out and your DSC will be fully operational again.

No one mention this and when I finished installing I thought I did something wrong and redid it, to find out it was normal..... (this may or may not be my car specific its a 2011 no tech)

[Mase]

Just an fyi...once you turn it back on the code will remain in ECU. However, you can clear it with AP and it wont return until you disable SWAS again.

[burn813]

Or when you restart the car and reenable it.... No codes

[Flow]

Ok, thanks guys.

I'm gonna have to give that a try some time soon.
I've been looking for some way to switch off the dsc for ages!!!

[Sweetsandman]

Sub'd

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[specvspeedfreak]

@Mase you mentioned you got the lights on your tech pack. Are you suggesting you wont get all the lights if you don't have tech? I need to get this done, very helpful write-up.
What kind of difference in handling have you felt with the SWAS off?

[Mase]

Originally Posted by specvspeedfreak @Mase you mentioned you got the lights on your tech pack. Are you suggesting you wont get all the lights if you don't have tech? I need to get this done, very helpful write-up. What kind of difference in handling have you felt with the SWAS off?

Been on vaca...sorry for the slow response. I honestly don't know what lights the Gen2 speed 3 has with or without the tech pkg. In either scenario I am confident you will have a christmas tree of lights if you disable swas. The difference is pretty big when turning under heavy power. With SWAS on you cannot accelerate hard through a turn...

[Todd98SE]

Finally installed a SWAS switch in my Gen2 last night. Light blue wire worked as instructed but I'm wondering if we can find the actual SWAS signal wire instead? If we can keep power we wont have any of the power steering, steering wheel radio control, etc. problems that come with cutting power. I'm assuming by toggling the signal wire the car would just assume the wheel is always straight?

I might try using a multimeter to measure voltage changes across the wires in that harness as I'm turning the wheel and see what I find.

[Mase]

Originally Posted by Todd98SE Finally installed a SWAS switch in my Gen2 last night. Light blue wire worked as instructed but I'm wondering if we can find the actual SWAS signal wire instead? If we can keep power we wont have any of the power steering, steering wheel radio control, etc. problems that come with cutting power. I'm assuming by toggling the signal wire the car would just assume the wheel is always straight? I might try using a multimeter to measure voltage changes across the wires in that harness as I'm turning the wheel and see what I find.

Let me know what you come up with. Might be difficult as I believe it only begins signaling over certain speed.

[Todd98SE]

Originally Posted by Mase Let me know what you come up with. Might be difficult as I believe it only begins signaling over certain speed.

Ah that would suck, but thanks for the tip.

[AustinK]

Maybe a label maker to properly label On=Normal off=Vtec just kicked in yo

[Mase]

Originally Posted by Austin@Corksport Maybe a label maker to properly label On=Normal off=Vtec just kicked in yo

Shit...yeah...let me add that quick

[El_Diablo]

Not sure if this helps at all, this information is correct for a 2011 MS3, not sure if others will vary. To print just print in landscape instead of portrait.

[El_Diablo]

Looks like by cutting the blue wire you guys are actually killing the center postition of the switch. If you can regulate 0.25-0.75 to the purple, green & yellow you should be good.

[El_Diablo]

I was thinking that we could pull from the 2D (pink) line, however, seeing as how its 1v or less I'm worried it may not be consistant enough. If you could pull 0.25v from that 1v or less you would be good unless it drops below 0.5v at any time. in which case your output would be out of spec.

Can anyone test to verify that the 2D (pink) wire stays between .5v-1v at all times?

[Flight_SkoolSpeed]

So I was pretty excited to follow this guide, but then I noticed a difference..

I don't know if this was pointed out but I have a 2010 genpu with no tech package and cutting the light blue wire does not disable it.

Actually none of the blue wires disable it, does anyone remember if there is a How-To for non-tech genpus?

*Edit, nevermind, I realized I ended up cutting the wrong clip set -_- dummy me.

[Ray Danger 2020]

I just did this literally just now in my 2012. First off, my model year...the wire's white (actually none of the wires are the same color as the ones in your picture). Second, I have big, clumsy-ass ham hands so I had a hell of a time with that wire initially...lol. Also, you apparently have to clear the DTC code every time you hit the switch. A problem, no. Annoying, yes.

Update: Got the whole thing back together and the code kept popping up over and over. Guess what.....switch fell the fuck apart. So I had to spend an extra hour undoing all the work I just did because I don't have another switch to put in there. FML.

[pingaboo]

Has anyone done this with a rocker switch that has LED? This would have 3 prong instead of 2. I'm trying to figure out the wiring.

[burn813]

Originally Posted by pingaboo Has anyone done this with a rocker switch that has LED? This would have 3 prong instead of 2. I'm trying to figure out the wiring.

I do, wire the two leads to the wire coming from the cars harness, wire the other to the line off the sensor

[pingaboo]

Originally Posted by burn813 I do, wire the two leads to the wire coming from the cars harness, wire the other to the line off the sensor

Not sure I understand. Does the switch get power from the fuse box?

[HawkeyeGeoff]

Originally Posted by pingaboo Not sure I understand. Does the switch get power from the fuse box?

It gets power from Jackie Chan. Just unplug your SWAS until you cut wires and figure it out. No SWAS=like finding out Super Size is coming back to McDonalds

[burn813]

Originally Posted by pingaboo Not sure I understand. Does the switch get power from the fuse box?

There are two "in" lines and one that goes to the "out", pigtail the two in wires together to the supply line, wire the out to the line that goes to the steering wheel.

[Brc187]

Ou should have power in and power out just like the two prong switch everyone is talking about. The third prong is a ground to make the led work.

[pingaboo]

Originally Posted by Brc187 Ou should have power in and power out just like the two prong switch everyone is talking about. The third prong is a ground to make the led work.

So I'm not tapping into the fuse box to get power? I keep thinking that I do for the light on the switch. This is much easier now thanks.

[Brc187]

No fuse panel. You have keyed power running to the swas. Your using that to power the led on the switch. And to get the led to work, like anything, you need a ground, so run a wire down along side the column or the harness to something metal under the dash and ground it.

[Tribalic One]

Hi all, first post here!

I picked up a new to me 2010 MS3 last weekend. The first thing I noticed was the DSC kicking in at very inopportune times. Like turning left out of a gas station to jump into the middle lane, and the car decides to fall on its face! I've been lurking around the forum here for the last few days trying to read up all I could. After everything, it appears the SWAS switch mod is what I need to do. Why Mazda would make the SWAS so damn sensitive is beyond me. Seems unsafe to me!

I've read a lot of conflicting info with pushing/holding DSC, and it appears that does not work on the 2010. My question is if this How To was done on a 2010? If not, what wire should I splice into? I also have the tech package. Has anyone else confirmed the problem with steering wheel controls not working after this mod?

[Mase]

Originally Posted by Tribalic One Hi all, first post here! I picked up a new to me 2010 MS3 last weekend. The first thing I noticed was the DSC kicking in at very inopportune times. Like turning left out of a gas station to jump into the middle lane, and the car decides to fall on its face! I've been lurking around the forum here for the last few days trying to read up all I could. After everything, it appears the SWAS switch mod is what I need to do. Why Mazda would make the SWAS so damn sensitive is beyond me. Seems unsafe to me! I've read a lot of conflicting info with pushing/holding DSC, and it appears that does not work on the 2010. My question is if this How To was done on a 2010? If not, what wire should I splice into? I also have the tech package. Has anyone else confirmed the problem with steering wheel controls not working after this mod?

Hi! Nice to meet you! Welcome to our humble forums! I am honored you chose my thread as your first post...though if I may recommend some more generalized reading before posting further....This entire thread and guide was built for the Generation 2 (2010-2013) car. My specific car which I did this guide with has the tech package as well. I would recommend reading it from the start and then reposting if you still have any questions

[Tribalic One]

Originally Posted by Mase Hi! Nice to meet you! Welcome to our humble forums! I am honored you chose my thread as your first post...though if I may recommend some more generalized reading before posting further....This entire thread and guide was built for the Generation 2 (2010-2013) car. My specific car which I did this guide with has the tech package as well. I would recommend reading it from the start and then reposting if you still have any questions

Thanks for the quick reply!

I see now in your sig that you have a 2011. My biggest concern was that I came across a thread earlier that mentioned the white wire was the power in a 2012, idk if this is ture or not. I wanted to verify the SWAS power was on the blue wire for the 2010. I did find a thread after posting where someone with the tech package issue found they had knocked a fuse loose. I'm not to concerned with that anymore.

[El_Diablo]

Originally Posted by Tribalic One Thanks for the quick reply! I see now in your sig that you have a 2011. My biggest concern was that I came across a thread earlier that mentioned the white wire was the power in a 2012, idk if this is ture or not. I wanted to verify the SWAS power was on the blue wire for the 2010. I did find a thread after posting where someone with the tech package issue found they had knocked a fuse loose. I'm not to concerned with that anymore.

If you donate you gain full access to wiring diagrams as well as the full factory service manual.

[Brennan]

Done today. Light blue wire, 2010 with tech, steering wheel controls work fine. Thanks for the write-up!

[Tribalic One]

Originally Posted by Brennan Done today. Light blue wire, 2010 with tech, steering wheel controls work fine. Thanks for the write-up! ]

Awesome, thanks for your reply! I have no problem modding my bike on the fly, but the MS3 is my daily driver.

Plan to take care of mine next weekend when I have some time

[Brennan]

If anyone's curious, I needed a few bucks on amazon to get free shipping and just slung

this

this
this

[himurax13]

Originally Posted by Brennan If anyone's curious, I needed a few bucks on amazon to get free shipping and just slung this in.

Awesome. Post up pics of the install. Do you plan on hooking it up near the TCS button?

Sent via blown passenger side speakers.