QuestionI was told that I had a broken clock spring. They said that was why my cruise control wouldnt work. My question to you is what is a clock spring. Also if I wanted to do it myself how would I do it. Thanks.
AnswerHi,
The clock spring is under the steering wheel and is not real difficult to change. Once air bag removed, center steering wheel.You need a steering wheel puller. You remove the air bag/horn once you disconnected the battery. Remove the bolts on the back side of the air bag. Disconnect connectors from clock spring and horn. remove the snap ring from the horn. Remove the lock plate (puller required). Push lock plate down with puller and snap ring will be exposed in center. Hold in place with screwdriver and use awl to go to opening and push until it starts lifting out of groove. Carefully not to bend it, work it up the shaft.
Remove the black hush panel under the dash, exposing the under dash under the steering column. Look for a big yellow wire with warnings. Pull plastic retainer pin, the disconnect.
On the bottom of the steering column, at the bracket, without piercing it, take a big flat screwdriver and between the bracket and plastic wire protector (either white, opaque) pry plastic connector between bracket towards fire wall until it is loose enough to remove by hand. once removed, pull clockspring upward to be able to access it's wiring. Cut clock spring wiring. Take two or three wires and loop and tie them to some piano wire.the connector of the new clockspring and take electrical tape and tightly wrap as flat as you can. Put Trans in neutral and tilt steering column to middle position. Pulling slightly back and forth with the yellow disconnected air bag wire, maneuver the piano wire down the steering column, and out the bottom of dash. Take piano wire an put through new clock spring connector. Tape tightly so narrow end is facing down the steering column. Pull the clock spring connector through moving the wire and clock spring harness back and forth until it comes through at bottom of steering column. You need to keep the end of the connector as flat and as straight down the column as you can to get it through, otherwise more of the column has to come apart to get it through. Patience and care should work fine.clock spring wiring through the steering column. reverse to put it all together. This part you cannot buy used and must go new, usually from dealer.
Once lock plate is reinstalled, clock spring can be pushed down on column and snap rind reinstalled. Tape is then removed from clock spring locking new one in place.
Good luck
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