Appearance & Detailing Interior & Exterior Appearance Modifications

Turn Signal Problem After Steering Wheel Install

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Old Jul 11, 2008 | 12:12 AM
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Default Turn Signal Problem After Steering Wheel Install

i always seem to run into these kinds of problems. i thought i had this one, but in the end i was had again. i'm trying to install an aftermarket steering wheel. i did my research, i thought it was easy enough. got my resistors to trick the car into thinking the airbag was still there (that worked), modified the stock horn contact to work with my wheel (that worked), and right when i was about to call it a victory on my part, i went to turn the wheel and although the wheels turned, so did my turn signal, by itself. @#$#@#$@!!

if i turn my wheel a certain amount to each side it will turn on the turn signal to whichever way i turned my wheel. why is this happening?? i can still flip the turn signal lever on manually and that works, but it does it automatically when i turn my wheel. obviously i know i'm going to have take this apart again. %@$%@#^!! but i'm not exactly sure what to look for when i do. what is the steering wheel adapter hitting or not hitting? is there a way i can disable the auto return thing with the steering wheel? b/c i have no problem with always having to move the lever manually. did i fudge something up?? i'm going to try and think happy thoughts to try and calm myself down till i got a clear head tomorrow, any help for me to understand how exactly the turn signal and steering wheel are connected and how screwed i am would be appreciated. thanks!!!

Last edited by mtedenajimenez; Jul 11, 2008 at 12:18 AM.
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Old Jul 11, 2008 | 01:34 AM
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i should mention that the wheel is from Flaming River. the only thing that came with the wheel adapter was the adapter itself. from looking at grant steering wheel install kits, it looks like they have have something else to make the turn signal work? am i missing something i need for proper install. i would think if i was missing something the turn signal just wont cancel, not move by itself like it's doing right now...i'm totally lost, any help please...i just wanna know how i'm tripping the turn signal lever....is there something needed for aftermarket steering wheels to make it work properly with the turn signal?? the only thing that came with the flaming river wheel adapter was the adapter itself, nothing for turn signals....

Last edited by mtedenajimenez; Jul 11, 2008 at 01:44 AM.
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Old Jul 11, 2008 | 02:55 AM
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i keep writing in my own thread, sorry. i'm just trying to give as much info as possible. so i removed the steering wheel and adapter which let me see how the clockspring was. well i fudged up bad, b/c the black outer plastic ring on the clockspring was not where it was when i installed the wheel and i could move the black ring with my hands. so i guess my clockspring is dead. can someone confirm that? is the black ring supposed to move w/ the wheel? could i have tightened the adapter to tight and made the black ring move which moved my turn signal (not sure how they're connected still)? i'm just throwing stuff out there hoping someone knows what i messed up...
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Old Jul 11, 2008 | 03:07 AM
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Man, sorry to hear all this. Well, when you removed the air bag did you remove the internal round thing as well (maybe this is the clock spring you are talking about)? Just wondering if it caused a spacing (or lack thereof) issue where the steering wheel is not spaced out to where it needs to be to not be hitting the cam gear thing of the turn signal return...

You sound smart, I think you know what you are looking for (something prematurely/improperly turning the return on the turn signal) just keep at it. Wish I could be of more help, only been in there a few times myself

Post pics of the wheel when you get a chance, bet it looks killer!
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Old Jul 11, 2008 | 02:29 PM
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yea, that round thing with the yellow inside and black ring around it is called the airbag clockspring i believe. i didn't remove it b/c in order to use resistors to turn off the airbag light they have to be connected to the clockspring. i'm pretty sure i broke it b/c when i took the wheel off originally the black ring didn't move, now after messing things up i can move it with my hands. what exactly it does i'm not sure, i guess it signals to the air bag.

i'm going to take that off today and look behind it to see if everything is ok and try to get a better idea of how things work back there. if i can get away with only have broken the clockspring, i'll take it. my new plan is to remove that thing from the column, install the wheel, if everything works then i'll get another clockspring, but stick it behind the knee panel and connect the resistors to it. that should turn off the air bag light and hopefully that thing still thinks it's inside the column. first i'm hoping that i didn't break my turn signal switch, b/c i've read the steps to replacing that, and it sounds like a $@%$#. i can still move the turn signal manually and it does turn on the blinker, so the signs right now point to that it's ok. i'm still wondering how it all connects to the turn signal and leading to it moving by itself?? does anyone know how the clockspring and turn signal canceling thing connect? or are related?? i've done a lot of mods but this is the first time i've done an aftermarket wheel on a car with airbags...
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Old Jul 11, 2008 | 02:37 PM
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this is the wheel and adapter by the way. Flaming River WaterFall. it's a lot of bling i know, but i have a lot of brushed aluminum (real ones not vinyl overlays) and silver accents that i think the wheel and adapter will complement nicely and vice versa. i think it'll look nice, i've done lots of interior mods to make it look more classy/luxurious i guess you can say. most panels are wrapped. lots of vinyl/leather/real alcantara in my car, not gonna be much plastic when i'm done...


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Old Jul 11, 2008 | 04:08 PM
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^^That's the wheel I thought you were talking about! I love it man! I was going to put it in my car at one point (posted a bunch of pics under my old name DEMONBIRD)...

If I were you I would pull the airbag thing out, put the wheel back on, pull the gauge cluster out and stick a black piece of electrical tape behind the gauge face where the airbag light is (did this for my SES light before) and be done with it
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Old Jul 11, 2008 | 05:45 PM
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for the second that i had it installed it was freakin sweet, hahah. the reason why i was so bummed that i had to take things apart again was b/c i went so slow trying to concentrate on not letting the hex wrench slip my hands and ding the billet or leather and now i'd have to do it again. uninstallation went smooth so hopefully the rest follows suit.

i saw your post! haha. i was doing my research on issues with aftermarket steering wheels and i saw your post where you posted pics. i was like at least one guy's on my side with this wheel, hahaha.

i'll see what kind of tricks i can pull out my bag this weekend with trying to fix the issue. if my only problem is figuring out another way to turn off the air bag light i'll be happy, i'll even live with the light for this wheel. there's supposed to be a wire for the airbag light under the passenger dash that you can just clip. i might do that if i can't find another working clockspring in the junkyard this weekend. can't wait to get off work to mess with it, haha.
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Old Jul 11, 2008 | 05:51 PM
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Originally Posted by mtedenajimenez
for the second that i had it installed it was freakin sweet, hahah. the reason why i was so bummed that i had to take things apart again was b/c i went so slow trying to concentrate on not letting the hex wrench slip my hands and ding the billet or leather and now i'd have to do it again. uninstallation went smooth so hopefully the rest follows suit.

i saw your post! haha. i was doing my research on issues with aftermarket steering wheels and i saw your post where you posted pics. i was like at least one guy's on my side with this wheel, hahaha.

i'll see what kind of tricks i can pull out my bag this weekend with trying to fix the issue. if my only problem is figuring out another way to turn off the air bag light i'll be happy, i'll even live with the light for this wheel. there's supposed to be a wire for the airbag light under the passenger dash that you can just clip. i might do that if i can't find another working clockspring in the junkyard this weekend. can't wait to get off work to mess with it, haha.

I've never been able to take a clockspring off without it screwing up...
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Old Jul 14, 2008 | 03:11 PM
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the wheel worked like a charm after taking out the clockspring. now i just gotta live with the air bag light until i can find a new clockspring. i was thinking about cutting the brown B1 wire but as i look back on the threads i read that in, they were talking about removing the passenger air bag, so i'm not sure that'll work with the driver air bag. unless i'm sure about it i rather just live with the light. does anyone know if the passenger air bag will work even though i have no driver air bag and clockspring (sir coil) connected?
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Old Jul 15, 2008 | 01:04 AM
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Cover the light up on the cluster like I wrote earlier...
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Old Jul 15, 2008 | 12:51 PM
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Originally Posted by 6LITEREATER
Cover the light up on the cluster like I wrote earlier...
Ive done this also for my abs inop light. Just grab a couple pieces of tape and tape that sucker, it works very well.
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Old Jul 15, 2008 | 03:10 PM
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the thing is that i still want my passenger air bag to work. will it work if i just tape out the light? just b/c i'm taking the risk of having no air bag i don't want my passenger to take that risk. if something happens and i get hurt b/c i don't have an airbag (i always wear seatbelt), that's on me, and i'm totally fine with that, i wanted this wheel and no story is going to change my mind. but my passengers didn't make the decision of a cool wheel over an air bag so i want theirs to work. i think the only way to insure that is to get another clockspring and stick it somewhere above the knee panel. i'm a pretty safe driver, 0 accidents, 1 stop sign ticket when i was 17 (now 25), plus this car is not even close to a daily driver, and that's part of the reason why i'm taking the risk myself, but anything can happen and i want to give others the best chance i can to make it out OK.

**edit** new clockspring with resistor worked. relocated it inside the dash. done.

Last edited by mtedenajimenez; Dec 21, 2011 at 12:44 AM.
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