VW Sharan Steering Controls Dead, Quick Fix Guide

Had a similar issue on my 2016 VW Touran diesel last year. Having some experience with VW electrical systems, I initially thought it was a sensor issue, but the malfunction indicator pointed to something more specific. The multifunction steering controls completely failed, same symptoms as yours. No response from any buttons, which made daily driving quite inconvenient. After checking, the workshop found a faulty cable connection in the steering wheel, causing the electrical fault in the control system. Total repair cost was 95€, which covered diagnosis and fixing the cable connection. The job took about an hour and has worked perfectly since then. Before suggesting specific solutions, could you share: Has the issue appeared gradually or suddenly? Are there any other electrical issues present? Which error code was stored? Does the steering feel normal otherwise? These details would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced. The steering controls problems can stem from various sources, but cable connections are a common weak point in these VW models.

Last service was at 95000km and the issue appeared suddenly without warning. No other electrical problems and the car drives normally otherwise. The steering wheel feels completely normal, just the buttons dont work at all. The error code is B138A, Steering Wheel Control Module lost communication. Seems like this could be a connectivity problem between components. Just hoping its a simple fix and not a complete module replacement which could get expensive.

Thanks for the additional details, that error code B138A matches exactly what I experienced with my Touran. The sudden failure combined with normal steering operation strongly suggests a connectivity problem in the steering column wiring rather than a full module failure. In my case, there was a worn cable connection where the wiring harness feeds into the steering wheel control module. The constant steering movement eventually caused the wire to partially separate, triggering the lost communication error. Since your symptoms mirror my situation, sudden failure, same error code, no other electrical issues, I would bet on a similar wiring fault rather than a sensor issue or complete module failure. The good news is that resolving a steering column wiring problem is much less expensive than replacing the multifunction steering controls. The workshop should be able to confirm this by testing the connectivity between the steering wheel module and the main control unit. If it is indeed just a wiring repair like mine was, you should be looking at around 100€ for the fix. Worth noting that once fixed, I have not had any recurring issues with the steering controls for over a year now. Just make sure they properly secure the new connection to prevent future wear.

Good to know this is likely just a wiring issue. The workshop confirmed they can check it tomorrow and quoted roughly 120€ for diagnosis and repair if its the same steering column wiring problem you described. Will update once I know more, but feeling more confident now that its not going to require replacing the entire multifunction steering module. Makes sense that the constant movement could wear down those connections over time. At least the steering wheel itself works fine and its just the control buttons affected. Hopefully a quick fix and I can get back to having working audio controls on the wheel again. Thanks for sharing your experience, really helpful to know the specifics of your repair since it matches my vehicle diagnostics and error code exactly. Will make sure they check those cable connections first before looking at more expensive fixes.