Hello everyone!

So far, I am loving my 2008 Platinum after owning it for about two weeks.

When I purchased the car, it came with a Dpx-U5130bt already installed, including having the microphone clipped on the driver's pillar shield. It sounds rather amazing to be honest, a lot better than I was expecting (going to have a look and see if the previous owner had aftermarket speakers put in as well).

However, the steering wheel controls and the phone answer/end buttons do not work with the radio. The radio has its own controls for making calls and messing with the BT linkup, but I want to be able to answer calls with the stock buttons, and adjust the volume with the controls on the wheel.

I have looked around, and seen several kits that purport that they are for the 380 and will work, but I am unfamiliar with Australian products and brands (imported American).

Can anyone point me in the direction of a kit that will work properly? Has anyone else installed this particular radio and done what I want to do?

This is one of the adaptors I have found, it looks promising...though I am unsure of the fact that it's a single model for a range of brands and vehicles.

http://www.soundmaster.com.au/Stinger-CAT10-Steering-Wheel-Control-Interface/CAT10/

The decks I have installed SWI adapters for usually have a 3.5mm pin in for that reason.. Your deck has dedicated wire on its loom Page 45 in the manual ( link ) (http://manual.kenwood.com/files/51256bf8eee20.pdf) so you would probaly need to set up the IR led somewhere infront of the head unit.. ( in the center console perhaps.

Take a look at the PAC SWI-X it might be an Infrared Sender, too... And somewhat cheaper... you might be able to get it on Amazon US (http://www.amazon.com/PAC-SWI-X-SWIX-Universal-S-Wheel-Interface/dp/B0002J22AU) for about half that...

And the PAC SWI-RC that will connect via the blue/yellow wire you have and much simpler than setting up an IR LED....

Its your money, though the PAC SWI-RC looks the goods, check it out for yourself before you buy, you can check it on the PAC Website
http://www.pac-audio.com/productDetails.aspx?ProductId=1016&CategoryID=29
Just use the Mitsubishi 2006-2008 Galant... Not any earlier of course...
That one should be cheaper again!

Thanks for the reply SH00T.

I did notice the dedicated wire on there, though it talks about a separate adaptor unit as well. I'm going to give Kenwood a call later today when they're open to see what exactly they have as far as options for it.

As for an IR sender module, I'm kindof leery of that, simply because of having to take the center console apart to run the wiring and keep it hidden...and then I'd get into an OCD fit and have to cut and shape a mount for it. On most cars, I could care less, but since I just got this one and all that, I'm kindof leery of doing anything 'permanent' to it unless I can get my hands on the parts from a wrecked one to do the work on and then swap them out. She's just too pretty to do a hack job to.

I do find it frustrating that the original radio came with the car in the Kenwood's box, but they didn't include the Kenwood tools to disengage the radio and slide it out. Then I could look and get a solid idea of exactly what's what.

You shouldn't really need any tools other than a screwdriver, the fascia/AC-control panel comes off by by pulling if forward out of it's 4 clips, that should reveal your Head unit attached to the factory brackets, which are held in by for screws...
1. Use a philips heads for the screws thats magnetically charged. ( if you dont have one, run yours on the magnet of the 6x9.. ;)
2. Put a towel down across the console when you remove the unit, there's some sharp edges that can scratch up your interior pretty quick..

There won't be a problem with the IR signal and all of that?

The last time I played with anything like this, it had to be in front of the radio somewhere and pointing at the remote sensor to work.

From what I read, its a direct connect to your wire. No IR at all, SWI-RC is wired, cant get any simpler and more reliable than that...

Looks like the output wire there next to the 3.5mm plug
http://www.pac-audio.com/UserImages/SWI-RC.jpg

I'd be pretty tempted to read the manual for SWI-RC if I were you, just to see how to wire it up....

Yea, I think I'm going to go with the SWI kit if I can't get any information from Kenwood (their Australia site is lacking on the important details).

Thanks for the help!