Replaced Steering Wheel - Paddles Not Shifting

[Tockers]

I have a 2018 S4 Avant (Australia) that has the stock flat bottom leather steering wheel with black paddles. Wanting a fresh wheel and paddles, I puchased a direct swap wheel with extended shifters (the illuminated silver/black) - store advised would fit no issues.

Swap out went fine after wrangling with airbag clips - new wheel is on, all wired up, airbag back on. I had assumed all was good - battery back on, all the wheel buttons for phone/media/etc. working fine, illumination also working including the illumination to the paddle +/- symbols. BUT after taking it for a drive, the paddles do not shift gear up or down. Console gear shift works fine for tiptronic, paddles and wheel clearly have power/lights, but no up/down shift.

I assume there should be zero coding to be done? Unless there is a wheel harness/module difference with Australia that needs coding? Otherwise, what else could be wrong?

I was going to pull wheel off and check paddle wiring but I can only assume that if they are getting illumination to the +/- then the wiring is fine. Thoughts?

[Smac770]

You'd want to review the J527 (16-steering wheel) information with a tool like VCDS. See if you have error codes. See if in the measuring values you can see the paddle action being acknowledged. Etc.

[Tockers]

You'd want to review the J527 (16-steering wheel) information with a tool like VCDS. See if you have error codes. See if in the measuring values you can see the paddle action being acknowledged. Etc.

Thanks Smac. Assume this needs to be VCDS and ODB11 won't do me much good?

[A4 Centaur]

^ Yea, I would try VCDS. I haven't bought the OBD11 so can't comment on its functionality/ limitations.

I have swapped steering wheels in my B8 (x2) and have one time without errors and the last time I have to do an adaptation. Not sure if it was tied to the airbag or not.

[Smac770]

VCDS is a tool. OBDeleven is also a tool. The tasks to be accomplished are scan for DTCs and read measuring values. Both those tools can perform those tasks. VCDS, once you buy it, is fully functional without limitations. OBDeleven, the device alone, can read stuff. But OBDeleven is useless for changing stuff without the pro subscription (it has those credit apps, which cost additional money, and are set mods, not general tasks like adaptations and basic settings). So if you have OBDeleven, then for what you need to do at this point, it would work fine.

[Tockers]

Makes sense - sourcing a local VCDS cable owner it is!

[Tockers]

No fault codes seen, no adaption available.
While monitoring the paddle +/- inputs with VCDS there is no signal being seen on depress - seems to suggest the paddles/wiring are faulty or something else wrong between multifunction button panel and panels. I have also taken wheel apart and re-wired paddles to be sure prior to scanning. Will have to try new paddles...

EDIT:
Only difference I can find. I've taken both apart which is a mission as the plastic trim is on tight.
I suppose I could take both apart again and try swapping the paddles between them and some process of elimination. Just a pain in the .... and I don't want to damage the trims.

Supplied:
paddles - 8WO 951 523 S
wheel buttons - 8W0 951 523 E

Original parts:
paddles - 8WO 951 523 J
wheel buttons - 8W0 951 523 F

[Smac770]

What all got "swapped" to the new wheel? Did you use your old button control units? Or did the new wheel already have button control units?

All the paddles are three wire, but I've never played with them hands on to sort out the actual pinout and polarity.

There's one wire connected to both the switch and the light. Then a separate wire from the switch, and a separate wire from the light.
Either the common wire supplies voltage and the separate wire to the switch is always grounded and the separate wire to the light is grounded when the interior lights are on.
Or the common wire supplies ground and the separate wire to the switch is always powered and the separate wire to the light is powered when the interior lights are on.
(my assumption is the lighting is with the interior lighting, not always on, but that might be incorrect).
But you should be able to determine on the button unit plug which pin is always voltage, always ground, and switched with the lighting.
Once you know the two always ground / always power pins, so measure the resistance across those two pins on the paddle plug as you actuate the paddle and see if your original and new paddles appear to spec the same.

Do your original paddles work in the new wheel?

[Tockers]

What all got "swapped" to the new wheel? Did you use your old button control units? Or did the new wheel already have button control units?

All the paddles are three wire, but I've never played with them hands on to sort out the actual pinout and polarity.

There's one wire connected to both the switch and the light. Then a separate wire from the switch, and a separate wire from the light.
Either the common wire supplies voltage and the separate wire to the switch is always grounded and the separate wire to the light is grounded when the interior lights are on.
Or the common wire supplies ground and the separate wire to the switch is always powered and the separate wire to the light is powered when the interior lights are on.
(my assumption is the lighting is with the interior lighting, not always on, but that might be incorrect).
But you should be able to determine on the button unit plug which pin is always voltage, always ground, and switched with the lighting.
Once you know the two always ground / always power pins, so measure the resistance across those two pins on the paddle plug as you actuate the paddle and see if your original and new paddles appear to spec the same.

Do your original paddles work in the new wheel?

New wheel was all new buttons and paddles as a single shipment all assembled. I am probably going to have to try swapping parts between the two wheels and see what happens as you've mentioned - hopefully without breaking or scratching anything.

[SHCKR]

New wheel was all new buttons and paddles as a single shipment all assembled. I am probably going to have to try swapping parts between the two wheels and see what happens as you've mentioned - hopefully without breaking or scratching anything.

I've seen other posts over the years where people get aftermarket wheels and they come with faulty paddles. Put your OEM paddles on and test. I have a paddle replacement guide here somewhere if you need help.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/top...ink_source=app

DIY steering wheel removal/paddle shifters replacement/installation

[Tockers]

SOLVED - new buttons sorted it, assuming there is a change to pins or controller board with the different button sets.

8W0 951 523 F was the working buttons part for my 2018 S4 (flat bottom RHD, with tech pack w/ virtual cockpit).

I'm now pretty handy at taking these wheels apart, removing airbag clips, etc.

[Smac770]

I never caught the edit to the 9/9 post where you supplied the part numbers. When looking at the B9 A4/A5 (type 8W) flat bottom wheels (PR 2PF) for B9.0 (PR GP0):

8W0 951 523 E XHA (black / chrome) are the buttons for the manual transmission (PR 0G1), no support for the paddles.
8W0 951 523 F XHA (black / chrome) are the buttons for the automatic transmission (PR 0G7), with support for the paddles.

8W0 951 523 J 5PR (black) are the A / S paddles
8W0 951 523 S INZ (high gloss black / chrome) are the RS paddles

B9.5 (PR GP1) uses different buttons and paddles part numbers.

So yeah, with 523 E in there, no chance of the paddles working.