VW Crafter EV Steering Controls Failure & Fix Guide

As someone with moderate experience working on EVs, I had a very similar steering controls issue with my 2017 VW e-Golf. The vehicle diagnostics revealed multiple error codes pointing to steering wheel connectivity problems. The workshop found a damaged cable connection inside the steering wheel, causing intermittent failures of all steering mounted controls. This electrical fault was causing the exact same symptoms, complete loss of functionality for all steering wheel buttons. The repair involved replacing the damaged wiring harness in the steering wheel assembly. Total cost was 95€ for parts and labor. Since the fix, all steering controls have worked flawlessly for over a year now. To better assist with your specific case, could you share: Have you noticed any intermittent functionality before complete failure? Are there any other electrical issues present? Did the sensor issue start suddenly or gradually? Has the vehicle been in any minor accidents or had previous steering wheel repairs? These steering wheel control failures are often related to wire harness damage from regular wear, but knowing more details about your situation would help determine if the root cause matches what I experienced.

Thanks for sharing your experience. My vehicle has 151023KM on the odometer and was last serviced 2 months ago with no issues reported at that time. The malfunction indicator first appeared intermittently before the steering controls failed completely. The vehicle diagnostics scan showed multiple error codes specifically related to the multifunction steering buttons. Local repair shops quoted widely different prices ranging from 250€ to 800€ for parts and labor. No accidents or previous repairs to report, and there are no other electrical faults present. Your wiring harness solution sounds promising and much more cost-effective than some quotes received. Will have the workshop specifically check the cable connections when bringing it in.

Based on your mileage and symptom progression, this definitely sounds like the same wiring harness issue I encountered. The intermittent failures followed by complete loss of steering controls perfectly matches my experience with the control module problems. The price quotes you received seem quite high compared to the actual repair cost in my case. Since there are no accident repairs or other complications involved, a simple wiring harness replacement should resolve your sensor issue. The workshop should specifically inspect the cable routing through the steering column, as this is often where the wear occurs. Worth mentioning that after my repair, they recommended periodic checks of the steering controls during regular maintenance to catch any early signs of wire degradation. This preventive approach helps avoid complete system failures. The multifunction steering wheel issues are quite common at higher mileages, but fortunately the fix is usually straightforward when properly diagnosed. Just ensure the workshop uses OEM parts for the wiring harness to prevent future connectivity problems.

Looking like Ill follow your repair experience and have the wiring harness checked first. You described symptoms identical to mine, the gradual onset of steering controls problems leading to complete failure. The malfunction indicator patterns match up perfectly too. Your repair cost of 95€ sounds much more reasonable than the quotes I received. Will definitely mention the wiring harness possibility to my mechanic and ask them to inspect the cable connections through the steering column before jumping to more expensive fixes. Really helpful to hear about a successful long-term repair rather than a temporary solution. Good to know the connectivity problem was resolved completely with the right diagnosis. Thanks for the thorough explanation and follow-up tips about preventive maintenance checks of the steering wheel controls. Will get this scheduled soon and report back on what the workshop finds.