Replace the rubber steering wheel buttons?

I was stunned when I saw this thread a couple of days ago, since I had long given up on the appearance and feel of my left buttons on my 2010. I was convinced they were rotting away. I had no idea, they were just gummed up. I took a couple of alcohol pads to them, and in about 5 minutes, they looked factory fresh. Thanks all.

 

Alcohol can dry them out. Warm soapy water, or Totally Awesome would be better.
But as long as they are clean!

 

Thanks...I'll do that for maintenance.

 

@MagnusAG99, could you post pictures of your black controls post-installation? With the button layout having changed in the replacement, did you need any modifications to get the controls to operate correctly?

The media control buttons were sticky on my 2010 as well, and on closer inspection I see they're actually torn. Replacement, either of the rubber pad alone from a salvage yard or of the whole assembly from an aftermarket source seem to be the only options.

 

You can try ebay also.

http://www.RedBullet.net

http://www.ProjectLithium.com/?ref=mG0GE

http://www.Pulstar.com

http://www.PlugOutPower.com
Use code 7373

 

Hiya - I had tried cleaning my control buttons as suggested in other posts. Unfortunately, I put hand sanitizer soaked hands on them last year and they (and the steering wheel) started falling apart. Anyways, I just received some replacement buttons from AliExpress. I'd love to know HOW you changed the buttons. Can you just pop them out, or do you have to take apart the assembly?

 

You'll need to take off the entire assembly including the steering wheel airbag. Make sure you disconnect the 12V battery before proceeding with the job.

 

Oh man. OK. Thanks! I had just removed the wheel to put on a hand sewn steering wheel cover. It's not a custom fit one. :-( So, here come the scissors and me ordering a custom fit cover!

 

Can you link to the ones you bought? I haven't looked in a bit but only found Gen2 ones a month or so ago. Also a follow-up report after install (for fitment and function) would be great.

 

Well, I would post the link, but the forum is blocking me because I don't have 4 posts yet. LOL I'll link them as soon as I can..... I haven't installed them yet, but plan on doing that sometime next week. They appear to be an exact match and good quality -

I've gotten a ton of stuff recently to "upgrade" my Prius as I plan on keeping it for another few years - at least until I get my new Aptera Noir - I know this is a Prius forum but I have to plug it! Anyways, getting an Android touch screen head unit w/ Android Auto/Carplay, backup camera & forward camera, active TPMS, remote start, neoprene seat covers, floor mats, antenna, all LED interior, headlight, turn signal, backup lights, and now a custom fit steering wheel cover... I went a bit crazy with it all honestly, but should help it feel "new" again

 

I just finished installing a replacement set of rubber buttons on my 2010 Prius (volume on the left and trip on the right) that I picked up from a Chinese eBay seller for about $12.71 plus tax, shipped free (ebay link /itm/296417902126). They arrived in a little over a week. I was able to follow the youtube walkthrough video titled "Prius Steering Wheel Radio Controller Repair - How to Remove and Replace". That video only showcases replacing the left (volume) rubber controls, but the instructions are nearly identical for the right (trip) controls. I found that I didn't have to snip the ziptie on the left, but I did have to snip it on the right. That was because the wiring harness was removable on the left, but not on the right - I tried pretty hard to do so, until I realized that I might just end up breaking it.

The look and feel are fantastic and seem to be either a perfect match to OEM or as close as you could hope for. The backlight shines through clearly in the dark. The only difference I could tell was that it was a new button and wasn't quite as broken in as my 15 year old ones. The old ones also felt slicker, similarly to how a rubber eraser might get slicker as it ages. The new ones had a pleasant new rubber feel that will likely also age similarly to the OEM. Overall, I'm really happy with the swap.