I've jus bought my airbag kit which includes drive airbag unit but not clock spring. Does the clock Spring need replacing after an airbag has gone off? I'm not quite sure what the clock Spring is for in relation to the airbag
Technical Clock spring? Does it need replacing after airbag deployment?
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Technical Clock spring? Does it need replacing after airbag deployment?
Not normally
The clock Spring is a little plastic unit which stits behind the steering wheel and carries the electrical connections from the steering Column to the moving steering wheel via a coil of ribbon wire which can coil up or uncoil inside its little unit, they don't normally get damaged but it's not impossible
The clock Spring is a little plastic unit which stits behind the steering wheel and carries the electrical connections from the steering Column to the moving steering wheel via a coil of ribbon wire which can coil up or uncoil inside its little unit, they don't normally get damaged but it's not impossible
Thanks, it was strange why some people include them in an airbag kit and others don't. The squib is obviously part of the airbag unit so I did wonder.
YES!, the connector of the airbag is a static part on the clockspring, thus it needs to be replaced, in the event of a airbag deployment. Hence every connector that is in a airbag/tensioner that has been deployed needs replacement. The same goes for the airbag ecu
:yeahthat:
Why?
Its a simple plug connector, nothing more nothing less. An airbag deploying should have any affect on its functionality what so ever.
If it's not damaged, you don't have change the clock spring, never mind every connector in the circuit.
Some may argue that the current of firing cold have damaged the clock spring, but current only flows for as long as it take the bag to fire, a few milliseconds. This is not long enough to cause heating of the clock spring. It's possible that some kits include them to cover damage during removal. For a dealer it's easier and lower risk to change it regardless so they don't have to test it or take the wheel apart again if it's faulty. The customer pays for the part and the garage makes more profit.
Robert G8RPI.
If it's not damaged, you don't have change the clock spring, never mind every connector in the circuit.
It's not the firing current that might damage it, it's the heat generated by the chemical reaction when the airbag deploys, which sometimes, but not always, damages the connector to the clockspring.
You do need to examine the connector on the clockspring for heat damage, but if it's not damaged, then you can reuse it.
OTOH, you should replace the driver's seatbelt, and any other seatbelts where the relevant seat was occupied at the time of the accident. The webbing is designed to stretch slightly under loads sufficient to deploy the airbags, and it may not protect the occupant properly in a subsequent accident.
Read this; relevant quote below:
"In an accident, the webbing of a seat belt stretches, which absorbs some of the energy in an impact. This helps prevent any injury from the contact between the seat belt and occupant. A seat belt that has restrained an occupant in an accident would be more likely to cause an occupant injury if it were involved in another accident, and must always be replaced."
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Only in a high energy accident (which this car has clearly not been involved in) would you see any damage to the clock spring or connectors and even then it would be through the energies of the accident and not the airbag deployment.
The chemical reaction in the airbag happens for only a couple of milliseconds and will inflate an airbag fully in under 35milliseconds normally. The type of reactions used only generate about 350'C and are over in a tiny fraction of a second so no there is never enough heat for long enough to damage the connectors on top of which the airbag does not back fire all the energy is fired at the drivers face, and separated by a pressed steal casing to focus the energy at the driver's face.
So all in all no there will not be any damage to the clock Spring caused by the airbag going off and there is only likely to be any damage at all if it's a big high energy accident, in which case he'd not be repairing the car he'd be sweeping it into a little bag
It's not a given that the clockspring will be damaged by the heat, but there's always an element of uncertainty with explosive deployment and it needs to be checked.
See below:
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I'm presuming it's also partially a case of for a couple of quid's worth of connector that's easily changed whilst you're in there even if it looks OK it's not worth running the risk of putting it all back together and finding you get an airbag warning code or a few months down the line getting said warning.
Its not a could of quid though, its normally into the £100+ for a new replacement clock spring unit.
I'd argue that's still cheap compared to future arse ache and can certainly see why FIAT procedures call for the replacement.
Agreed, but if it doesn't need changing then there is no point in just throwing money away.
Thank you all for your replies. I'll check the cables and connections when I get the old airbag off. If it's showing any signs of damage I'll replace it.
You must have searched really hard for that picture, a regular google image search doesn't show a single melted connector in hundreds of picture, but then what do I know, it not like I haven't changed dozens and dozens of airbags over the years without a single melted connector...... I'd argue that 3 pictures without a background or cause, versus hundreds on google and from experience certainly does not represent a problem.
In a car that is badly damaged there is always the possibility is shorted out wires and wiring loom fires, again you can't say that about the OPs car.
You don't go to A&E every time you bump your head but there is always a possibility of a subdural haematoma, the chances of such a thing are very very low so you don't assume the worst and make straight for the hospital so why apply that logic to any other aspect of life. A light front end accident "could" have fractured a fuel pipe, don't see you suggesting he replaces the whole fuel system
