Ever wondered if your car’s problem with the steering malfunction is the symptoms of a broken clock spring. You might have thought about how all the electronic components in the steering wheel can communicate with the car, even when turning the steering wheel several times in each direction?
The clock spring is also a pretty remote part, so most people are not very familiar with this part. In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about the clock spring. Let’s begin!
Table of Contents
What Is Clock Spring?
This device is usually mentioned as a spiral cable, airbag clock spring, the wheel clock spring, clock spring assembly, cable reel, contact reel, counting on the vehicle and where you reside.
The clock spring is not springing at all, but it gets its name from the look of the spiral ribbon inside the housing. This coiled ribbon resembles a helical torsion spring shape but does not compress and release stored energy the way an actual spring would.
Where Is Clock Spring Located?
The clock spring is usually located on the steering column behind the steering wheel. Almost every road-going vehicle with a steering wheel has one of these devices.
However, if your vehicle has no airbag, steering wheel controls, or horn buttons, you may not have a clock spring.
Symptoms Of Broken Clock Spring:
Here are five signs of a broken clock spring.
You have tons of buttons on the wheel, just like the control or the radio volume buttons. If you’ve got noticed that a number of these buttons stopped working completely, there’s an enormous chance that something is broken inside the clock spring unit.
Try to press these buttons at the same time as you turn the steering wheel. If they work in a particular position of the steering wheel, then this is one of the symptoms of a faulty clock spring.
2. Traction Control Light ON:
The cruise control works together with both the traction control system and the electronic throttle control system if you didn’t know about it. This also means that the connection to the cruise control buttons in the steering wheel becomes terrible.
To determine if the clock spring is causing these lights to light up, you must check the trouble codes with an OBD2 scanner (Onboard Diagnostics).
3. Airbags Don’t Deploy:
In the worst case, if you ignore the airbag light, it can cause the airbags to not deploy just in case of an accident. This is, of course, something you never want to experience, but it is often the truth if you ignore the airbag light.
Therefore it’s super important to urge the difficulty fixed when the airbag light appears on your dashboard because as long as the airbag light is on, your airbag won’t deploy.
4. Horn Malfunction Function:
The horn is some things you don’t use a day if you’re not living in India. If you were close to using the horn, but no sound came from it once you pushed the button, it’s going to be the symptoms of a broken clock spring.
Also, in this situation, you can try to turn the steering wheel while holding the horn button, and if you can hear an intermittent sound, you have to replace the clock spring.
5. Airbag Warning Light:
The airbag is a susceptible system, and the slightest fault will light up the airbag warning light. This is because even the slightest error in the airbag system can cause them to deploy, or in the worst case, not deploy at all in case of an accident.
Tools Needed For Self Replacement:
Unless you recognize the procedure, you aren’t getting your hands on the screwdriver. Before starting, it is best practice to get rid of the battery. The wheel is aligned with a key on many vehicles, but sometimes it’s necessary to form some alignment marks to assist in reinstallation.
Allen wrench t15 Torx bit, 90-degree pick, static grounding strap, wheel puller, 18 mm socket, and ratchet are the tools required for solving broken clock spring.
How Much Does It Cost?
Clock springs are relatively inexpensive, running between $50 and $200 depending on the vehicle. Labour is reasonably straightforward and should take 1-2 hours; expect to pay up to $300 in labor.
If you attempt to replace the broken clock spring yourself, you must follow the manufacturer’s instructions for safely disabling the airbag.
Clock springs are cheap, and it’s important to have a reliable unit since they may be involved with the correct function of the driver’s airbag, the horn, cruise control, and traction and stability control systems.
How To Solve A Broken Clock Spring?
However, many clock spring models do not have this function, and in this case, it is essential not to turn it once removed.
If you lost the counts of the clock spring turns, you’d calculate it by turning it max to both directions. Calculating the center and ensuring the wheel is positioned within the middle.
Look to the link for a better understanding:
How Can I Say Whether My Clock Spring Is Broken?
Diagnosing this issue is basic, and you can do it without anyone’s help. Press the buttons while turning the guiding wheel. Focus on seeing whether the buttons work while the guiding wheel is in a particular position. On the off chance that they are working, you’re probably managing a clock spring issue.
What Happens When You Break Your Clock Spring?
Assuming a catch spring is traveling awful or breaks, you will once in a while encounter a scouring or clicking sound when you turn the controlling wheel. In uncommon cases, turning the controlling wheel may not feel as smooth as it ought to assume that the clock spring breaks.
Will You Drive With A Wrecked Clockspring
A terrible clock spring can beset you with more than broken volume controls. You could be left without voyage control, a working horn, or in particular, a working airbag. In this present circumstance, you would not be able to caution a preoccupied driver and the airbag may not convey in that frame of mind of a crash.
How Does A Clockspring Respond?
In vehicle controlling frameworks, a clock spring or clockspring is a winding injury exceptional revolving electrical connector which permits a vehicle’s guiding wheel to turn while as yet making an electrical association between the directing wheel airbag or potentially the vehicle’s horn and different gadgets and the vehicle’s electrical frameworks.
Conclusion:
It’s better to take your vehicle to a professional mechanic or auto shop so that they will detect any issues. Power steering assist fault is a serious problem that shouldn’t be ignored. If there is any wasted or failed component, please get it changed as soon as possible.
I hope you found a solution for the symptoms of a faulty clock spring. Pay special attention to all the warnings of the safety system. Never ignore any lights from your car console because it is the only way your car communicates. Please do not ignore this problem; it can be dangerous and safe. Godspeed!
