Air bag q's

[adrianspeeder]

My grandfather has a 94 2door with a 302, auto, and only 30000 miles(!). ?He called me to tell me his air bag warning light stays on. ?What does this mean? ?I heard the 94s were the first year for airbags and some had problems with deployment. ?Any thoughts? ?(Grampap says thanks)

Adrianspeeder

[Traveler]

That's not very many miles. The only problem I have ever had was the clock springs go bad, when that is the case the cruise control will shut off at random, or not work at all.
So start there, if the cruise or horn don't work, I would bet on the clock spring.

Otherwise, you are going to have to find someone with a scanner to read the code. I think places like advance auto, auto zone, and oreilly's do for free, or very cheap.

If their machine cannot read it, your going to have to run by the dealer.

[adrianspeeder]

He said that the horn works, but the cruse dosen't. It is only his weekend cruser and he dosen't use the cruse anyway. He said he will just put tape over the light.

I'm just worried the airbag will randomly blow in his face.

He doesen't like to go to the dealer because the owner keeps wanting to buy it from him. This is the largest ford truck dealer in PA and the owner told him to just drive it to his house and pick anything he wants on the lot!

Could you give me more info on the clock springs?

[4doorbronko]

Quote[/b] (blackfordtruck @ May 02 2004,10:21)]Could you give me more info on the clock springs?
Yeah, are these springs for both analog and digital clocks? ? http://www.fourdoorbronco.com/temp/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Traveler]

The clock spring is directly under the steering wheel. It is a plastic housing the the wire harness from the wheel plugs into on one side, and the harness coming up through the column is attached to the other.

It is the handy little device that allows you to turn the wheel and still allow electrical contact.

If you have been into the older steering columns, back then it was one or two studs with little springs on them, they rubbed on one or two copper circles.

Now with multiple switches on the wheel, this clock spring does all the work for you.

My fault, ford calls it an airbag sliding contact. See number 4 in the pic.

I have never had an airbag deploy, as far as going off when it shouldn't, well it isn't making contact now to tell it too.

If you want to change it you should unhook the battery first. I never have, but they say you are suppose to.

As far as analog or digital, I gotta say I am speechless, you got me on that one. ?

http://www.fourdoorbronco.com/temp/iB_html/uploads/post-1-46220-steering.JPG

[aw2oban]

am I the only one that is concerned for Travelers state of mind when he comes up with that diagram in about 10 minutes notice?

[CurtyNeal]

When I first read your post about the clock spring, I thought you were kidding. Kind of like when I was a kid working at my dad's service station when we couldn't figure out what was wrong with a car we would look at each other and say ?"it must be the muffler bearings" or "space modulator". *http://www.fourdoorbronco.com/temp/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[adrianspeeder]

Thanks Traveler, the clock springs sound like the ticket. I called my grandfather up, and told him about it. He now thinks computers are the coolest invention since the model T. (WOW!)
He will get it fixed when the horn stops working, but i might do it for him. Any idea on the difficulty? esp. with the airbag?

Thanks (from two people)
Adrianspeeder

[Traveler]

Really it's only about an hour job.
Take the horn pad/air bag off, like four screws.
Pull the steering wheel nut.
yank steering wheel.
There it is.

You need a steering wheel puller, be sure to tighten the steering wheel nut.

Oh and your suppose to unhook the battery first.