DevilSonic89
New member
Would the paddles work on the sonic if u switched out the steering wheels???
It is theoretically possible, but it isnt worth the hassle.
I did alot of research into this, and essentially the problem you have is in the camaro the body module is looking for different voltages compared to that of the sonic.
Here are the schematics below. The K9 Body control module is the same in both vehicles. Both cares measure resistance along a coded ground to engage a gear change.
The sonic uses 3 resistors wired in parallel, and clicking the shifter switch bypasses a resistor signaling an upshift or downshift via a change in the wire's resistance.
The Camaro uses two switches wired in parallel (I believe), where an upshift is determined by an increase in resistance, and a down shift by a drop in resistance.
To get it to work would require reprogramming the control module to react to a different voltage change, or wiring in a separate control module before the OEM one to translate the signal into the resistance the stock one is looking for.
This is what I was thinking, albeit in a much more vague and general manner.
Sounds like you could have yourself a nice little side job making a retrofit![]()
It is theoretically possible, but it isnt worth the hassle.
I did alot of research into this, and essentially the problem you have is in the camaro the body module is looking for different voltages compared to that of the sonic.
Here are the schematics below. The K9 Body control module is the same in both vehicles. Both cares measure resistance along a coded ground to engage a gear change.
The sonic uses 3 resistors wired in parallel, and clicking the shifter switch bypasses a resistor signaling an upshift or downshift via a change in the wire's resistance.
The Camaro uses two switches wired in parallel (I believe), where an upshift is determined by an increase in resistance, and a down shift by a drop in resistance.
Sonic:
Camaro:
To get it to work would require reprogramming the control module to react to a different voltage change, or wiring in a separate control module before the OEM one to translate the signal into the resistance the stock one is looking for.
Based on the schematics and what I remember for calculating series/parallel circuits:
Sonic Upshift: 634ohms
Sonic Downshift: 2004ohms
Sonic No-command: 6124ohms
Camaro Upshift: 568.363ohms
Camaro Downshift: 1370ohms
Camaro No-command: 5490ohms
At the most, all you'd need to do is bump up the ohm value for each signal somehow. They're close enough that it's possible they might work regardless. In either case, it might not even harm anything to try. I'm betting that the programming is looking for values that pass certain thresholds rather than meeting specific values. Resistors have tolerances and I doubt GM is paying someone to go through piles of resistors to find the ones that are perfectly 634 ohms. Although it would explain their previous financial difficulties.
Edit: Add a 66ohm resistor to the ground wire and add a 568ohm resistor between pin 3 of the right switch and pin 2 of the left switch and bingo-bango-bongo, you're good to go.
i really hope this works. im gonna try it.