Possible to upgrade steering wheel to get paddle shifters on Ecoboost Premium?

[slowboy2.3]

I just finished up this install on my EcoBoost. Using an OEM takeoff paddle shift wheel from eBay, I followed the M-3600-M instructions linked above to swap over the switches and front bezel from my original wheel to the paddle wheel (my car does not have adaptive cruise and the wheel I bought did), and reinstalled it. Ford's instructions note that the bolt holding the steering wheel to the column is one-time use and to discard it and replace it with a new one, and valuing my own life when it comes to steering, I sprung for the $0.99 part (Ford Part No. W721079-S437) and torqued it to 46lb ft. per Ford. Paddle shifting up and down while in drive worked immediately. I have not gotten into ForScan to change the L mode to M, but I will do that later. I mostly wanted the ability to initiate a downshift or upshift on the fly while in drive, which can be useful in traffic or when the computer sometimes does not know what you want the car to do. My old S197 had that and I missed it immediately when I bought the S650.

Wish heated steering was also possible with this upgrade but the clock spring would need to be swapped out as well for that

No codes or lights with your upgrade? It was basically plug and play swapping out the wheel? I want to do this mod next, but I also want to get adaptive cruise control done in the same go. My OCD would make me get a whole new gearshift indicator as well so it would be PRNDM instead of PRNDL

Sponsored

 

[ValhallaNitePony]

Wish heated steering was also possible with this upgrade but the clock spring would need to be swapped out as well for that

No codes or lights with your upgrade? It was basically plug and play swapping out the wheel? I want to do this mod next, but I also want to get adaptive cruise control done in the same go. My OCD would make me get a whole new gearshift indicator as well so it would be PRNDM instead of PRNDL

Yeah no codes or issues, plug and play. You are correct that the clockspring dictates heated steering wheel or not, that is a separate plug outside of the wheel’s main harness. I assume that adaptive cruise is just enabled in software if you have the buttons, since the harness is the same, but I didn’t try it.

As far as the center console shifter bezel goes, I had the same thought and I planned to swap in the “M” bezel but I haven’t gotten it yet. The correct “M” marked part is Ford part No. PR3Z-7D443-BA. I’ve never seen anyone change it but from the parts diagram it looks potentially tedious. I’m not sure it can even come out the top or whether the console has to be pulled from the car. Sooner or later someone will take the plunge and let the rest of us know how it goes.

 

[Sofa King]

Yeah no codes or issues, plug and play. You are correct that the clockspring dictates heated steering wheel or not, that is a separate plug outside of the wheel’s main harness. I assume that adaptive cruise is just enabled in software if you have the buttons, since the harness is the same, but I didn’t try it.

As far as the center console shifter bezel goes, I had the same thought and I planned to swap in the “M” bezel but I haven’t gotten it yet. The correct “M” marked part is Ford part No. PR3Z-7D443-BA. I’ve never seen anyone change it but from the parts diagram it looks potentially tedious. I’m not sure it can even come out the top or whether the console has to be pulled from the car. Sooner or later someone will take the plunge and let the rest of us know how it goes.

Bezel comes out the top... just need trim removal tools. Lots of members have swapped that out for the manual (unmarked) bezel when swapping the auto shift knob.

 

[Will2]

For those who have done this mod: how is the response of the paddle shifters?

Is it really laggy, or useable, or no different than the GT (if you've gotten to drive one)?

 

[ValhallaNitePony]

Bezel comes out the top... just need trim removal tools. Lots of members have swapped that out for the manual (unmarked) bezel when swapping the auto shift knob.

Awesome, thanks for that info. I watched some videos on swapping the shift knob and saw that the bezel pops out easily, so I just need to order one.

For those who have done this mod: how is the response of the paddle shifters?

Is it really laggy, or useable, or no different than the GT (if you've gotten to drive one)?

In regular drive, upshifting is very responsive, while downshifting seems more slightly delayed, I assume because the computer is making sure revs are not too high before it will shift. I have not programmed the "M" mode yet in ForScan to know whether this is the same in that mode.

 

[jbrnigan]

FWIW - I just swapped my Ecoboost premium steering wheel for the DH wheel with paddle shifters. It is definitely plug and play and works as expected. My car came with a heated wheel and adaptive cruise, so the swap was straight forward - instructions were supplied with the steering wheel purchased from Ford. I had previously made the Forscan changes for continuous gear display and changing the gear indicator from "L" to "M".
I just covered the shifter trim bezsel with a carbon fiber wrap.
It's unfortunate that Ford doesn't offer paddle shifters as an option, but, it's an easy conversion. I am very happy with the result.

Sponsored