Dead Steering Wheel Controls: Mitsubishi Dignity Fix?

Hey! I had a similar issue with my 2004 Mitsubishi Diamante last year. The steering wheel controls suddenly stopped working, no response from any buttons. Turned out to be a damaged clock spring (that's the cable assembly that connects your steering wheel controls to the car's electrical system). Took it to my regular mechanic and apparently, these cables can wear out over time from regular steering wheel rotation. My car had around 95k km when this happened. It wasn't a super serious safety issue, but it needed fixing since I really rely on those controls, especially cruise control for highway driving. The repair involved replacing the entire clock spring unit. They had to remove the steering wheel and airbag to get to it. Job took about 2-3 hours. Been working perfectly since then. If you've got these symptoms, it's probably the same issue. Just make sure whoever works on it knows about airbag systems since they'll need to disconnect it. Hope this helps!

Thanks for sharing your experience! That sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. Would you mind telling me roughly how much you ended up paying for the whole repair? Also, just curious, has everything stayed working properly since then, or have you noticed any other electrical issues popping up? Thanks again!

Hey again! Just wanted to follow up, I actually just got back from my mechanic last week for this exact issue. After fixing those faulty cables in the steering wheel, my 2004 Diamante is working like a charm again! All the control buttons are responding perfectly now, and that annoying error message on the multifunction display is finally gone. The whole thing set me back 95€, which honestly wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Everything's still working perfectly, no new electrical gremlins or anything like that. The volume controls, cruise control, everything's back to normal. It's such a relief not having to reach for the main radio controls anymore! Trust me, if you're experiencing the same problem, it's worth getting it fixed. My mechanic said catching these issues early can prevent more expensive problems down the road. Fingers crossed you get yours sorted out just as smoothly!

Thanks so much for all the helpful info! I actually just got back from the mechanic today, you were spot on about the clock spring! Took my car to AutoTech on Main Street (they had good reviews for working on Mitsubishis), and they diagnosed it right away. The repair cost me about 110€, a bit more than yours but still reasonable considering all the work involved. They had to take apart the steering wheel and everything, but they got it done in about 3 hours. what a difference! All my controls are working perfectly now, can finally use my cruise control again on my daily commute. Really appreciate you sharing your experience, helped me feel much more confident about what needed to be done. Would've probably stressed out way more without knowing what to expect. Thanks again for helping me avoid another sketchy mechanic situation! Take care!