Customer Ratings & Reviews

pac swi-rc

Worked great on my 03 z-71. No issues so far. Took about 20 mins start to finish installing and programing.

Great product,value,quality

For sure you company is the best , I will recommend you every time some need any of your products

Great Product

Bought this for a steering control for audio set that I bought. Now I have full control of all steering column audio functions.I am putting 3 for durability since I have owned it for less than 30 days and really don't know yet.

Great Product

The instructions are very clear and programming is simple ... This model works perfectly with my setup

Easy to keep your steering wheel controls

If you want to use your steering wheel controls with an aftermarket radio you need one of these units from Pac-Audio. I called them during the install and the customer service was AMAZING.

Excellent Product

Great product, very easy to install. Yes support is great!

Excellent Product

Worked first time. Unlike a competitor's product, this steering wheel control is solid and reliable. Don't fall for the automatic setup ruse: all these products require some form of setup and car-specific wiring. This one was clear and it has worked perfectly ever since I installed it in a 2004 Buick Century to control an Alpine car stereo.

Work real good!

Wired it up but took a while to get it working.

Perfect option for aftermarket head unit

I can't believe how easy this steering wheel control module is easy to install and set up. Took me all but 10 minutes to get the wires connected and the unit programmed. Very easy instructions and very detailed wire connections. Installed on a 09 Subaru Forester w/ an AVIC-x850bt. Love it. A great product by PAC

Great adapter

Simple to install. Idiot proof as the PAC-4 has a direct connect for it.

Great Value!

Very easy installation and works great. The communication and shipping to Germany were just perfect. Thank you.

pac swi

Works great. My steering wheel buttons control my new head unit just like they did the factory one. Setup is easy. Response is a little slower than with the factory head unit but once you get used to it there are no problems.

Good service and product

Unit works fine and was a good price. Install takes a bit of time to program the functions.

Troublesome

When this product was installed in my 2010 Subaru Legacy GT and Pioneer AVIC 3D, it was working alright at first. After a few weeks, the volume-up button on my steering wheel became a little finicky. I found I had to hit the mute button on the wheel, and then the volume up would work again.

I had the wiring inspected by three different technicians from different shops. There were no issues. I even had the unit re-wired on one occasion.

In the end, I did a warranty exchange with Sonic Electronix, and they were amazing in helping me with the RMA and exchanging for an Axxess ASWC unit.

Producto de primera calidad

Easy installation and easy handling, recommended 100% compatibility with the functions of the steering wheel.

Installed it but haven't used it because....

In order for this unit to work on a 2010 Scion XB, you have to install the little dampener in one of the wires that connects to your steering wheel controls. Well it only came with one of those little guys, which was very small and got lost even after an hour long search. So i would assume that the product is fabulous if you don't lose that little guy and can make it all work!

Great value

This single device works perfectly with my clarion head unit.

Great Machine

Love it - you can leave it in the up position if you like, so when you start the vehicle you don't have to wait fifteen seconds before you're in "backup camera viewing" mode (by which time you've already backed out of your parking spot).
GPS has topographic outlook -magnificent.
BUT
SCREEN WOBBLES when touching - it makes typing in a pickup truck VERY difficult.

USB has an issue - it asks for a name for the device and a Windows Compact Edition error window comes up when I plug my Android (Galaxy S3) in. Problem is - you touch the field asking you to type something in and nothing happens. You're expecting a QWERTY keyboard to pop up. Nothing.


Bootup time is a bit slow.
GPS will sometimes try to route you to the last route you went to - in spite of being cancelled.

WISH IT HAD A VOLUME KNOB.
WISH IT HAD A TUNING KNOB.
Because of the wobbly-touch screen (it moves back and forth like a millimeter every time you touch it) - Tuning is HARD. There's a "SLIDE" rule or something UP AND DOWN. No matter WHAT you think - you'll do it wrong. If you're on "97.5" and above you is 100 and below you is 90 - which way do you slide it? And do you slide the NUMBER (i.e. touch it) or the "ruler" next to it? Say - to get to the next channel? Answer? NEITHER. you press and hold - for a LONNNNNNNG time a HARD BUTTON on the unit until you hear a "BEEP" and it goes to the next channel. A SUCKY thing is that you can't (unlike almost all radios) set the screen or your steering-wheel button to have "next" mean "Next Channel", or "seek / scan" - "Up" on steering wheel = your next preset. Drive 30 minutes outside of your area and that's useless.

Gripes aside - TUNER PULLS IN CHANNELS including A.M. Many radios are horrible at this - not this one.

GPS is simply magnificent. QWERTY - suggestions -all good. The wobbly touch screen is annoying. Also - you have to CONFIRM YOUR ROUTE THREE TIMES!? "Select Route - 'check!'". "Yes - I want to go that way.". "YES!!! GO!" I.e. THIS CAN LITERALLY KILL YOU.

Backup cam comes on fast.

Works well with steering buttons.

Satisfied.

Great Purchase

This is an awesome device that has a huge compatibility list, I've been using it for the past couple months and loving it. One caution, from time to time the wiring causes to trigger the mute button or menu button. But barely noticeable and otherwise awesome!

Great Product

So a few months ago i had purchased this item for a customer because another would not integrate with the analog system in a 96' cherokee i would deffinently recomend this for an alternative product for installers to use on the job or even consumers!

SWI-JACK --> good, but could be better!

I bought this unit to adapt my Tacoma's steering wheel controls to my new Kenwood receiver. Here's what I'd say:
PRO'S:
It works as advertised (most of the time).
Very thorough instructions.
CON's:
Tedious--> you have to determine what resistor you need (if any), pick it out of the kit via deciphering the resistor's color bars, break into the wiring, and solder the resistor/wiring into the harness. Why don't they just have a few pre-soldered & heat-shrink'd resistor assemblies with connectors on the ends that you "plug in" to the device. This could be as easy setting a DIP switch or even jumpers.
Needs to be "smarter" --> it doesn't seem to have the ability to interpret a "hold" vs a "tap." Many car's steering wheel switches/oem radios do have that functionality, giving each button more than one function.
Regardless, I love having the steering wheel buttons functional, and would definitely buy this again.

Generally Impressed

The PAC SWI-RC does exactly what it advertises: interfaces a vehicle's existing steering wheel controls to an aftermarket stereo system. Since installing it, I haven't really had any problems, only a few minor concerns that I believe are probably inherent to the current state of the industry.

Installing the unit into my 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee (ZJ) wasn't very straightforward, and required a significant amount of research, and consultation with a person I know who'd installed one in his own Jeep. This isn't the case with most vehicles, which have very well-detailed instructions included with the unit, however finding the information I needed (which ultimately came from PAC themselves) could have been much easier. This isn't really a failing of the product, but of the manufacturer's website.

Once installed, however, the controls work great. I can very easily and reliably use any of the buttons on my steering wheel to invoke their respective commands, and not once have I had an issue with the product not working. I'm generally impressed with the device.

My only issues, at this point, are that I couldn't program the controls to mimic the factory ones (where the buttons on the left of the steering wheel control track up and down, and the right control volume) and that sometimes pressing buttons one after the other prevents the commands from working. These aren't the fault of the device, however, but the lack of a set standard for how steering wheel controls work. In my Jeep, one wire carries the signal, and depending on voltage, the factory radio interprets what command is being sent. While it's probably possible to make something that can easily mimic this function, it's unlikely to be cost-effective to do so, so I can't really complain.

Pros:
Reliable, easy to use once installed
Good value for money
Most vehicles have detailed instructions that are easy to access (many are included in the box)

Cons:
Difficult to install in some vehicles, and programming is a roundabout experience
Servicing the unit can be difficult, depending on where it's placed during installation
Finding installation instructions for uncommon or older vehicles can be difficult at best

good vlaue

took time to hook but did the job it is supposed to do... very good overall.

Great great great!!!

I thought this project would be hard but its pretty easy. Works great with my Pioneer deck.

PAC SWI-JACKv1 (New Version of SWI-JACK)

Great product fast delivery will not hesitate to order again more products from SONIC.

Great item

I was worried about keeping the factory steering controls by using an aftermarket radio. This unit is easy to install and program. I highly recommend it.

Great product,value,quality

For sure your company is the best , I will recommend you every time some need any of your products

It works

Setup is a little tricky. You must follow the instructions. A little geeky, but it has worked trouble free for the 6 months.

don't waste your time

this thing was a pain to hook up. all the instruction are there and if you follow them it does work, but it was like schematics for a nasa space ship. i bought it for two bottons on my steering wheel to continue to work but if i had to do it all over again.... i wouldn't. it took me longer to install this than soldering my wiring harness, mounting a dash kit, and installing the radio.... it's kind of like when you have to do all programing on a car alarm.

works great but a little slow

I have had this in my car for about 6-7 months or so. I would say that it works pretty good. Though it was a chore figuring out how to program and install. It also doesn't react very quick to button taps on my steering wheel. I have to hold the button down versus simply tapping it with my stock radio.

Other than that though I like it alot and does all the features I need it to do.

what?!?

really difficult to install. i recommend going to the the website and getting the vehicle specific diagram.

Does the trick - sort of...

I can't speak for the install as I had someone install this. The functionality is ok at best. There are delays for every function pretty much. I am told that is how they work. Bluetooth functionality would have been nice too as my car has buttons for that too that are now non-functional. I am told by PAC that they have an updated version out now that allows for minimal Bluetooth functions now but too late for me now. Sonic was cheapest out there and their service was speedy and reliable.

Great product for the money

I'm not recommending this product for a car with steering wheel controls. I had to trade this in for another product to make them work. Other than that, no complaints.

Unit gets confused

The installation was EZ. The unit worked perfect for 2 months, after that the unit gets confused. What I mean I like to control the volume and down on the steering wheel controls but it will skip tracks or go to the next track instead. Playing with it a few more times it goes back to working right. It seems that the unit needs to relearn the function over and over again. It does this by its self.

u will have to call the pac tech line

the instructions that come with it are all wrong. u have to go to their website or call them so they can tell u what wire is what..at the end of the day after all the headaches it did work.

Great Product

This product worked as advertised. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to keep their OnStar.

Sonic make shopping easy

With Sonic reps i got the right parts.
PAC is a great name and with Sonic you get a great price

Costs to much to have so many problems

This adapter is one of the most aggravating things I have ever had to use. I had one go completely bad and am on my second one now. Both have randomly quit working just to start back 5 minutes later. I've tried reprogramming it several times and the problem always comes back. It seems to happen if the temperature changes or if I turn the volume on the radio up more than half way. It will then start doing random things such as the volume button skips tracks, the seek button will mute the radio, or none of the buttons work at all. Other than the times I want to rip it out and throw it out the window it works fine.

Easy to use.

The instructions are straight forward, easy to understand. I wanted to keep my steering wheel controls as factory as possible, mission completed! Unless I missed something, when you program it while the vehicle is running, that is how it will remember the programming. While the vehicle is off and in the "time out mode", the controls do not work the same as when the vehicle is running. Using the controls during the "time out mode" seems to erase the memory some how. Like I said, I may have missed something, but that seems to be the only flaw the unit has. Other than that, I am very pleased and would recommend this item.

Lo recomiendo

Don't lose control from steering wheel. Works good, I recommend.

GREAT VALUE

This product is wonderful. It works just the same as my factory steering wheel controls. Great price and very fast shipping. Will recommend to others and will use again.

SWI

Probably not the easiest device to install as an amplifier or a speaker but still can be installed by anyone, just follow the instructions and you'll be fine.

I installed this on a friends 06 impala SS, he had never complained about it not working nor malfunctioning, in fact he is a bit on the show off side. :P

Not bad

A good after market product but reaction time is slow.

Junk

Junk, gave out 30 seconds after connected.

decent (only thing on the market)

This adapter is incredibly laggy. not impossible to use once you get used to it; but definitely not like factory.

Turns 3 very useless buttons to 3 very useful ones...

I added the SWI-JACK to my new Clarion NX409 in my 2000 Acura 3.5RL. Installation was not very difficult, even for a novice such as myself. Programming, however, was quite a feat. Mostly user error, but partly a finicky device - it did take me many days to program it successfully. In the end, the volume up and down buttons work perfectly, and the track up button seeks the next station up on my radio. I'd prefer if the latter would change presets like it used to before, but perhaps I'm asking for too much (let this be a warning to all CLARION owners, it will probably do the same for you). It does change tracks on my Ipod as it should. Delay at first was a pain, but I was used to it after 5 minutes. I am so happy to have these buttons back again, this device is absolutely worth the money to me. To save yourself hassle, it is best if you install it while you install the radio.

moeshun's review

it's worth the money, and you'll love it, easy to use

great product

Easy to install as long as you follow directions closely

Great value

Easy to follow online instructions and easy to install and easy to use

Great product

I changed stereo in my 2008 Harley Davidson Electra Glide and wanted to use factory controls. Easy setup and install, programming was simple and straightforward.

PAC SWI-RC

Great product easy to install simple as 1-2-3 other than the wiring part but that's even simple. I used it on a Chrysler Pacifica and it worked very well.

It JustWorks

Purchased this to adapt a Kenwood head unit to work with the steering wheel controls in an '01 VW. Reason for purchasing THIS model: only one I could find that was listed as working with the earlier (non-CAN-BUS) VWs. And, work it does. Once I figured out a fine detail with its programming routine (hint: once you run out of factory buttons to press, STOP!), it does JustWork.
And, the interface box itself is quite small - makes it easy to find a place to stash it.

By Christopher on November 20, 2016 Verified purchase

just perfection

I love the way i usas able to program it and connect it to my car, at first it feels overwhelming but just read through the whole manual and data sheets and the process becomes as easy as a puzzle for 5year olds the perfect project for DIYers. And it supports tons of cars and a variety of stereos

Best steering wheel control

Tried and true. This unit works perfectly every time if you follow the directions. Highly recommend.

By Steven on April 15, 2020 Verified purchase

Works great and not too hard to install

I would definitely recommend this product to use if you put an aftermarket radio into your vehicle. Install only took about 20 minutes programming it took about another 5 minutes it really isn't that hard to do is just a few steps that you have to take. the hardest part about it was actually finding the main bus wire to hook into which I found was under my steering column, but a simple YouTube video help me find it pretty fast