This has been discussed here in the past, but I wanted to add a few details on my recent install of paddle shifters in my 2017 CX-5 Grand Touring w/ Premium Package.
Here are relevant threads I referenced when researching this mod:
2017 Paddle Shifters
Possibly a paddle shift swap into Gen 2 CX-5
My goal in posting this new thread is just to confirm a couple of things to those thinking about this upgrade, and issue a warning.
The warning first:
When removing the steering wheel, make sure ALL CONNECTORS ARE DISCONNECTED before tugging the wheel off of the shaft. All of the videos show this. I just wasn't thinking, or maybe I thought I'd pull the connectors once the wheel was loose. But the wire from the wheel to the clock spring is VERY short, so when the steering wheel came loose, it yanked apart my clock spring. This can be an expensive mistake! The replacement clock spring for the GT Premium package is $200+.
I had a very uncomfortable 15-20 minutes trying to figure out how to get the clock spring back together. There's a LOT of ribbon cable wrapped up in there, and it has to be in the correct orientation for the steering angle sensor to work. I finally got things to slide back together, and everything appears to be working normally - drove it last night and got no errors, I can go full lock both directions and the adaptive headlights seem to be aiming. So I think I'm good.
OK, so now some things that I wanted to highlight about doing this project:
1. Can confirm that
This kit from JDM Yamato is pretty much plug-n-play for the 2017 GT w/ Prem. Pkg. I'll say, I'm impressed with this vendor. This was shipped from Japan and was at my house in less than a week. With international shipping, this cost me $218 in January 2021.
2. Every video I watched showed having to install pins into an existing connector.
None of that is necessary with this kit, on the 2017 GT. This is simply a confirmation of what user Joaks said in the above-referenced thread. Here are the contents of the kit: Steering wheel rear cover, paddle shifters, wiring harness, 4 bolts to secure shifters, steering wheel bolt, zip ties (for securing wires at steering wheel button modules), 2-sided tape (for securing heater module? I did not use.) The Green covered wires are the new part, and they plug into the the wires from the paddles.
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3. Removing the airbag is tricky. I had a hard time finding the tabs I had to press. I had to study
these diagrams from the shop manual quite a bit before I could get it loose. The videos make it look easier than it really is for a first timer, IMO. For one thing, there were multiple holes on the back side of my steering wheel. You don't want the round hole, you want the rectangular hole that is closer to the shaft. The manuals calls for a T30 hex tool, but I use a smaller allen wrench. All you need is something to pry with that's somewhat stout. Here is a picture of the back of the air bag, and the inside of the steering wheel. The circled areas are what you are trying to lever loose - you've got to move that heavy wire enough to pop it free. The arrows point to the clips holding the wire and tabs.
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4. The heater module has to be moved over to the new rear cover. There are instructions for removing the rear cover, but I didn't find anyone addressing the heater module. Here's what I figured out:
I removed the screws securing the heater module before prying off the rear cover. If you look through the front of the wheel, you can see the screws just above the lower spoke.
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You can probably get away with leaving them in place to remove the rear cover, but you have to remove them to swap in the new cover. Here's what it looks like when you're putting it back together:
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I think the 2-sided tape was supposed to be used to re-secure the padding on the heater module to the rear cover, but mine was still sticky, so I didn't use it. Hopefully I won't get any buzzing or rattling.
4. To fully utilize the new harness, you must remove the steering wheel controls from the steering wheel, remove the old wiring harness, and install the new. To remove the steering wheel controls, you must press out these pins. It looked like it was going to be harder than it was. They're mounted in a kind of hard rubber, and it took a decent amount of force, but press slowly and firmly and they'll come lose. They don't "pop," it's more of a slow release. I went back and forth between the two pins until it was fully loose.
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To release the wiring harness, you'll have to clip the small zip ties near the connectors, and release the clips holding the wire harness to the steering wheel. Squeeze and push from the back side.
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Here's what it looks like once it's out:
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From this point, you "simply" install the new wiring harness to the steering wheel controls - use the small zip ties to secure the new harness near where they connect to the button modules - and press them back into to place, taking care to route the wires the way the old ones were.
Then, install the paddle shifters into the back of the new cover. It'll be pretty obvious how to route the wires in the channels on the cover, and then clip the big white connector into place near the top. Connect the new connector with the green-covered wires to the paddle shifter harness. (I didn't take a pic of this all assembled. Doh! Was getting exciting to get it back together, I guess!)
Then reinstall the steering wheel and connect the air bag, ensuring your wires are crossing or twisting around themselves.
Hope this helps someone in the future.
Couple of comments about the paddle shifters in general:
My only real complaint about the CX-5 is that it seems slow at times - and that's not that it doesn't have adequate horsepower, it's that the transmission is slow to drop down into the proper gear for quick acceleration. The worst is when you want to accelerate through a turn, and you don't get the downshift until halfway through. But it's also annoying when you just want a quick burst of acceleration and you have to wait for the transmission to catch up. Using the shift lever to manually shift alleviates this, but there are times when I don't necessarily want to be driving in manual mode, but I DO want a quick downshift in anticipation of a curve or burst of speed. Now, I can just bump the paddle shifter to downshift AHEAD of the curve, without the extra mechanics of moving the shift lever to the left, then bumping it forward a couple of times, then moving it back to the right to slip back into Drive mode.
A few have made comments about the shifters being small, and therefore awkward to use in a curve. To which I say this: If you're in curve that's sharp enough that you can't take it without moving your hands from 9 & 3, you shouldn't be trying to shift, anyway. Braking and downshifting should be done while you're relatively straight, or you risk an upsetting weight shift. Folks complaining about that need some lessons on performance driving. Also, if I'm canyon carving - well, for one thing, it won't be in the CX-5, it'll be in the Miata, but if I were - I'm going into Sport mode and using the lever with my right hand, like I would a traditional manual. In my mind, the paddle shifters are best for those quick little bumps for when I'm anticipating and responding faster than the transmission control module.
I like that they don't obscure the stalks:
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I was actually considering trading in the CX-5 for something with better driving characteristics, like, say, a BMW X3, but these paddles will eliminate probably 90% of my objections to everyday driving, so I think it was $200 well spent. YMMV.
-Todd