Has anyone been able to swap the "next song" button with "higher volume"?

Easiest way to solve the entire problem. My life insurance is pretty decent so...

 

My bet is R2, R3, and R4 are all the same resistance values. It's a series & parallel circuit.

For example:
If you press on [Seek +], only R1 is used.
If you press on [Seek -], R1 & R2 are in parallel.
If you press on [Vol +], R2 and R3 are in series, both in parallel with R1.
And finally, if you press on [Vol -], R2, R3, and R4 are in series, which all 3 are in parallel with R1.

Each resistor being the same resistance value will still result in different outputs in this configuration.

Regardless, @MESO is working on a solution for those interested.

 

maybe. i am trying to not go down the rabbit hole of analyzing and coming up with the best solution, though it looks like there are at least a couple
that are relatively easy. i am not doing this to my truck (not annoyed enough), though if i were to, i'd have no fear of cutting into harnesses/traces to shift button
functionality by reassignment of landings. ... but only if other solutions don't beat it out and i was sure i knew what i was doing. your thought on pins/adapter is promising, i think.

it seems like we are duplicating effort in this thread. someone posted a link or two to a much more mature/developed thread...probably ought to be
building on ideas presented there. i'm really just here to troll complainers and got carried away with feasibility details.

 

On that schematic, R1 would be under load whenever the power is on as some kind of "reference" impedance.
Pressing the first button would essentially bypass that resistor with a zero-impedance path
The second button would put R1 and R2 in parallel (half the impedance if R1=R2)
Third button puts R1 into parallel with R2+R3 (1/3 of reference if R1=R2=R3)
Fourth puts R1 parallel with R2+R3+R4 (1/4 of reference if all are equal)

That's probably adequate for the purposes of tracking the buttons as long as there's no need for detecting simultaneous pressing, which may be mechanically impossible if the D-pad is on a center fulcrum. Using different resistance levels for each component would probably allow for a more sensitive system to sort out simultaneous pressing of two

Only wild card I see in that kind of system is if the processor is reading voltage, there'd be distortion between using the system in "aux on" (battery voltage) and "engine running" (alternator/charging voltage). That's probably a relatively simple variation to control for, but my EE knowledge is pretty rudimentary; I'm much more familiar with structures/mechanisms.

 

I thought the same thing (in bold) until I realized that membrane switches also have a bit of resistance. Also I believe R1 & R5 are different values than the rest (based on the physical size of those resistors). I have not confirmed that though. I don't believe distortion would be occurring, as I don't believe a frequency is in play (but again, not confirmed). I just don't think Toyota would go through all of that trouble when a difference in voltage drop would be adequate. Unless I'm reading too far into your use of the word "distortion", in which case I believe you might be onto something. R1 always makes a complete path, so it is possible for the truck to "know" whether it's on battery or not from that resistor alone.

 

https://www.ttguide.net/steering_pad_switch_circuit-252.html

I doubt the reference voltage is 12v, probably 3.3 or 5.

 

The little pictures? Neat. Still doesn’t make the controls intuitive. Volume is Up and Down. Songs are next (right) and previous (left). HOW in the actual hell does someone screw this up. ‍♂️

 

I HATE having to pull backwards on the shifter to get to "D" when I want to go forward! "D" should be forward, in front of "P". How could anyone screw that up?! So STUPID!

 

Feel buttons...One has a bump, another a dimple. Then orient yourself.. Its easy than find G-spot.
The buttons layout is coordunated with HU volume display and station preset. It was not designed with Carplay in mind.
My 2022 japan built w/Carplay has these controls on the opposite side of the steering wheel.

 

Did they change it in the last couple years? My '21 4Runner is the same as my Tacoma.

 

Weird. My 4Runner was a 2014.

 

While I can understand the point you’re trying to make, it doesn’t work. Ever since automatic transmissions have been on the trans hump, they have been this way. That makes it intuitive. Everything centered around music play has volume going up/down and tracks left/right. ‍♂️ the toyota design is screwed up. Doesn’t ruin my experience, it’s just dumb.

 

Blind people drive cars?

 

They know which elevator button to push...

 

Elevators ≠ cars ‍♂️

 

Yep. I had a 1979 Datsun (remember those?) 310, front wheel drive, manual transmission. Bought it new. I thought I would get used to 1st gear being forward position on the shift lever, and pulling the lever back to shift into 2nd. Nope.. Never did happen. In 1982 I bought a brand new Mazda RX7, and was never so happy to get rid of my 3 year old Datsun 310.

This is a 1981, but same color and looks almost like mine did...

 

Sweet Datsun. Man what I’d give to have a ‘72 Datsun 510 coupe. Had a chance back before they became super popular to get one for $3500. Clean and straight with original interior. Wife shut me down.

 

This thing is still going?…