OMG, i just traded the Fusion for a Mazda6, radio is on the left, cruise and such on the right. It drives me insane. So if I drive with my left arm on the door holding the wheel at 9-10 o'clock, i can turn up the volume. If the right arm is resting on the center console, I can also turn up the volume. Why can't the right arm be media, and the left be cruise and such? Blows my mind........

 

The radio control button is the most used...Driving a stick or an auto stick (M-Mode on floor F-150) with radio control on the right side...IMO-->Stupid!...People are driving around eating, drinking coffee, soda or whatever, ya have the cellphone grabbers too, they use their right hand also, then the infotainment display gets a little action...Bottom line most of the time yer right hand is doing something other than steering and being able to just use the hand that is already on the wheel for the most active of button controls is common sense, once again-->IMO.

 

My right hand is usually on the wheel or sitting on the shift lever. I'm not talking on the phone or eating so it's not an issue for me.

 

I'd pay someone money to convert it to a play/pause button.

 

considering it's a CAN bus switch module - it's software anyway.

I don't know for that Forscan can do this but re- programing the radio module (APIM?) would accept that input as a different feature. It's feasible - but might not be easy.

Otherwise - works like most other cars I know of. M is for MODE is something I have to keep reminding myself.. Ideally what I would prefer is the setup in the Explorer. All panel dash display - central speedo - 2 screens flanking. LH side is all car system stuff - RH side is infotainment system/AC etc.

Such that the RH screen of the driver display mimics or condenses what is on the sync display. I can with the RH side of the wheel buttons trade inputs via RH menu and control most functions with that hand. I really like that system.

 

I've hit it too often as well. Sometimes because I mean to press "Ok" on the other side but press the M for some reason...

YES! My Xterra was like this, so 8 years of driving it has made it hard to switch around. And I always drove stick, so volume on the left, right hand for shifting, always. Doesn't make sense to have it on the same side as the stereo, RIGHT next to the stereo buttons...

 

I like the way BMW handled this as well, but I think when the "M" button is pressed the display should list all the available choices (AM1, AM2, FM1, FM2, Sat1, etc.) and the scan buttons move up and down the list, then hit the "M" button again to select the choice you want.

 

I completely agree. Stupidest layout ever. My previous vehicle had the volume up down etc on the LEFT side of the wheel - where it SHOULD be.

If there wss a way to switch this I would for sure. Why have the stupid radio controls on the right side of the wheel when with the actual stereo and volume **** 8 inches away. Duh.

 

YESSSS!! This is the first vehicle I've had that has radio controls on the right (wrong) side of the wheel. And why we're at it why does Ford have so many buttons for the cruise control. I've had this truck for 1 1/2 years and I still have to look at the buttons. The entire setup on the steering wheel is wrong to me except for the phone/voice command buttons.

 

From the Forscan thread:Post 9538 and those around it.

If you go into the SCCM module and make the following change (from 0 to 8), it will swap the arrow/center key function on the left side of the wheel with the corresponding radio buttons on the right side.

724-01-01 xxxx 8xxx xx Cluster crossover cfg: 0=disable, 8=enable

If you are brave enough to try to pop the buttons out of the switch, you can evidently swap those too.

This has never bothered me, so I haven't done it...

Good Luck!