So, what’s an airbag clock spring?
So, what’s an airbag clock spring?If you’ve ever come in for a WOF in Hamilton and had the airbag light pop up on the dash, or your steering wheel buttons start acting strange, you’re probably dealing with a dodgy airbag clock spring. A lot of folks don’t even know what that is, and fair enough – it’s not really the sort of thing you see unless you’re pulling the steering wheel off.
Basically, the clock spring is this curly ribbon looking thing, tucked right behind your steering wheel. It keeps all the important connections – like for your horn, airbag, and steering wheel buttons – ticking along, no matter how you turn the wheel. So, on wet winter mornings heading into Hamilton on Morrinsville Road, or dodging potholes along Rototuna, every twist and turn you do means that clock spring is working overtime.
Here’s the biggie – if the clock spring gives out in your Toyota Prius, Mazda Atenza or that Skoda Octavia you brought in last week, your airbag might not go off when you need it. Not what you want if someone brakes hard in front of you on Te Rapa Straight. And it’s not just the airbag; the horn, the cruise control, and even changing songs from the wheel goes out the window when the clock spring croaks.
If you’re keen to get your head around the technical side, have a squiz here: Find out more about clock springs here.
What does a stuffed clock spring look like?
Day-to-day, you’ll notice a few key things. First, your steering wheel buttons – stuff like your radio controls or the horn – might stop working, or only work when they feel like it. We see this heaps, especially on those older Euro wagons from Cambridge or the Nissans tooling around Glenview. Ladies and blokes both, everyone gets caught out by this one.
Another classic sign is the airbag warning light coming on. If that’s lit up, your airbag might not fire in a smash. If you’re coming in for a WOF Hamilton and that light’s on, sorry, you’re not passing till it’s sorted.
And sometimes the horn just stops altogether. Or it’ll honk randomly – we had a Honda Odyssey from Chartwell that you could play like a piano if you turned the wheel just right. All classic clock spring stuff.
Is it safe to keep driving with a bad clock spring?
Honestly? Not really. Look, your average Hamilton run from Dinsdale to Hillcrest chucks up enough surprises as it is, never mind if your airbag and horn are both stuffed. If you’re due for a WOF, you’ll fail if the SRS light is on. Plus, with all the speed bumps cropping up in Nawton and the stop-start traffic by The Base, ignoring the problem isn’t doing you any favours. It needs a proper diagnostic scan – which our techs can whip up for any make or model, whether it’s your wife’s Suzuki Swift or your old Renault Scenic you keep for hauling the kids to Matangi.
Getting your clock spring sorted in Hamilton
If your clock spring’s on its last legs, no worries. At Grimmer Motors, we do these repairs on everything from hybrids to little city cars to those big European SUVs people drive out in Tamahere. One of our technicians will diagnose what’s up, let you know your options, and get you sorted. All done with the tools and scanners that make the job painless – no mucking around or guesswork.
So, if your steering wheel buttons are on strike, or the airbag light’s giving you a fright, swing by. For all clock spring or steering wheel issues in Hamilton and the surrounding towns, just give us a bell at Grimmer Motors. We’ll get you back out driving safely, and make sure you’ll pass your next WOF, no bother.