User-actuated switches that are integrated into the vehicle's interior, such as on the steering wheel, are re-purposed to control operational aspects of a snow plow and/or sand/salt spreader connected to the vehicle. A mode switch is interposed between the user-actuated switches and the vehicle chassis wiring, and also connects to a control system that controls a spreader, and/or a hydraulic subsystem that controls operational aspects of the snow plow. In a normal mode, the mode switch restores the factory connection between the user-actuated switches and the vehicle chassis wiring. In this mode, the user-actuated switches control the vehicle or peripheral functions, such as cruise control, the audio subsystem, or the like. In a snow mode, the mode switch connects the user-actuated switches to the control system. In this mode, the user-actuated switches control operational aspects of the snow plow, such as blade height, blade attack angle, blade yaw angle, and the like, and/or control operational aspects of the spreader, such as on/off, discharge volume, dispersion width, and the like.