DIY: Automatic VDC off @ your own risk!

Cbtech · 06-13-2013, 08:48 PM

Hello all,

I personally don't like having my VDC on when driving in dry conditions since it can sometimes impede performance and the joy of driving our car. I was looking for an option to just have VDC always off unless I chose to keep it on. I located a module that is developed by KP Technologies that remembers your choice of VDC on or OFF everytime you turn on. I installed this the other day and it works really well! I have put together a DIY on the install. The difficulty is a 4 out of 10 as the hardest part is reaching behind the dash to disconnect the switch. This will take around 30-45 minutes from start to finish.

***WARNING***
THE INSTALLATION OF THIS MODULE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. NEITHER I OR THE MANUFACTURE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR IRRESPONSIBLE DRIVING CAUSED BY YOU HAVING VDC OFF.

Moving on...

I tapped into my (useless) cigarette lighter under the dash and took the 2 screws out to expose the plug

The yellow wire is + and the black is -. I chose to use some leftover speaker wire since its simple. The wire block behind lighter has enough room that you are able to stuff the wires in and tape them. (if you can avoid splicing do it) Run your wire through the back of the dash to the drivers side. I used a metal hanger to push the wire through.

Now its time to pull the dash apart. Remove one screw under the the hoop pop. (whatever its called)

Now remove the panel below the steering wheel

Here comes the difficult part.

Once the dash is out you only need to take the one wire block out to get access to the VDC wire block that will give you plenty of room to get your arm in there. Even though it looks like it the VDC button cannot be pried out (like the start button.)

There is NOT a lot of room to take off the wire block from behind the dash and those with fat fingers, beware, this will frustrate you. I had to use my phone front facing camera and flashlight to figure out how to take this out. All you need to do is press with your nail, push up, and pull

Yellow = 12V switched file - connect the this to the positive yellow wire from the cigarette lighter
Black = Ground - connect the this to the negative black wire from the cigarette lighter
Orange = Switch in/out
Green = Aux

Once you have the VDC wire block out you will see 4 wires. in this case the light green wire is your VDC switch wire that we will connect to. Again the block has enough room to stuff the orange wire in without splicing. plug it in and tape it off so it doesn't fall out

Install the wireblock back in the same order. You will have to press hard as it was tough to get mine to snap back in.

I used a wire tie sticker on the back of the module and mounted it to the medal brace under the dash

Everything goes back in the reverse order.

Do a standard test by turning on the car, pressing the VDC button, turn the car off, then on again. After your gauges go through all your motions your VDC OFF should come on as shown below

Cbtech · 06-13-2013, 08:49 PM

Mitco39 · 06-13-2013, 09:24 PM

Looked at doing this awhile back. They also have a module that you can use to roll up your windows from your keyfob (we can already roll them down).

Good to know that this does infact work as advertised.

Thanks

JARblue · 06-13-2013, 09:49 PM

good info here, thanks

Cbtech · 06-13-2013, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitco39

Looked at doing this awhile back. They also have a module that you can use to roll up your windows from your keyfob (we can already roll them down).

Good to know that this does infact work as advertised.

Thanks

there are actually quite a few cool things on the site. this module has an auxiliary that allows you to press the button a few times and control another switch. I wonder if it could be used to turn off and on the accelerometer in the center console?... hmmm

sent via my wrist watch calculator

kenchan · 06-13-2013, 11:25 PM

cool. can they make something to turn off the TPMS error light (without running TPMS)

simota1 · 06-14-2013, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

cool. can they make something to turn off the TPMS error light (without running TPMS)

that would be king!!!

Sh0velMan · 06-14-2013, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simota1

that would be king!!!

I'd love to turn off the VDC light, TPMS light and the air bag light...

Mitco39 · 06-15-2013, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh0velMan

I'd love to turn off the VDC light, TPMS light and the air bag light...

Pull the cluster apart and remove the leds?

Sh0velMan · 06-15-2013, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitco39

Pull the cluster apart and remove the leds?

That's what it's going to come down to. It's not all that simple though, they're likely to be SMD LEDs on a printed circuit board, likely in a permanently sealed enclosure... It's a big project.

JARblue · 06-15-2013, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh0velMan

That's what it's going to come down to. It's not all that simple though, they're likely to be SMD LEDs on a printed circuit board, likely in a permanently sealed enclosure... It's a big project.

The biggest thing is taking the dash apart - I think you have a lot to remove to get to them. But I don't believe they're sealed up, and they're not too difficult to remove with the right tools. Digi did a DIY and replaced every LED in his car IIRC.

Mitco39 · 06-15-2013, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sh0velMan

That's what it's going to come down to. It's not all that simple though, they're likely to be SMD LEDs on a printed circuit board, likely in a permanently sealed enclosure... It's a big project.

Or just take a dab of black silicone and put it on top of the LED. That way you dont even have to touch the board and it should black out if not almost completely keep the light from getting out.

SATX_NISMO · 06-15-2013, 11:12 AM

I thought about that. I'm looking around for a round black sticker, like the ones you find on cheap furniture to cover up screw holes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mitco39

Or just take a dab of black silicone and put it on top of the LED. That way you dont even have to touch the board and it should black out if not almost completely keep the light from getting out.

90 ST · 06-15-2013, 11:20 AM

i just want to "tint" my high beam light, damn it's bright!

Sh0velMan · 06-15-2013, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JARblue

The biggest thing is taking the dash apart - I think you have a lot to remove to get to them. But I don't believe they're sealed up, and they're not too difficult to remove with the right tools. Digi did a DIY and replaced every LED in his car IIRC.

heh.. Yeah taking my dash apart isn't a big job. Trust me on that one.

Maybe I'll look at opening the cluster today, see how big of a job it is to do it cleanly.

06-13-2013, 08:49 PM	#2 (permalink)
Cbtech A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 1,372 Drives: 40th Anniversary Rep Power: 16	__________________ Are U in Sacramento or Central Valley California? Click here! Foglight Hardwire in less than 10 minutes! DIY: Automatic VDC off

06-13-2013, 09:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
Mitco39 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Edmonton Alberta Canada Posts: 2,089 Drives: 40th 370z Rep Power: 132	Looked at doing this awhile back. They also have a module that you can use to roll up your windows from your keyfob (we can already roll them down). Good to know that this does infact work as advertised. Thanks JARblue likes this. __________________ 2007 Chevy Duramax - EFILive Tuned By Me 2010 40th W/ Nav - Boosted Performance - UpRev Tuned By Me The Mrs. Ride -2012 335XI N55 BMW - Cobb Tuned By Me, Built by her My Build --> http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...39s-build.html

06-13-2013, 09:49 PM	#4 (permalink)
JARblue A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Austin, TX Age: 44 Posts: 36,450 Drives: 11 Z34, 98 E36 M3 Rep Power: 2684441	good info here, thanks __________________ 2011 370Z 6MT Sport Gun Metallic \| ARC \| CJM \| Ecutek \| FI \| Fujimura \| R2C \| SPL \| Stillen \| TWM \| Z1 \| ZSpeed \|

06-13-2013, 11:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	cool. can they make something to turn off the TPMS error light (without running TPMS) AK370Z, simota1 and Presto like this.

06-15-2013, 11:20 AM	#14 (permalink)
90 ST A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2010 Location: Calgary Posts: 1,861 Drives: 90 and 15 GMC Sierra Rep Power: 421	i just want to "tint" my high beam light, damn it's bright! simul8r likes this.

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