Thread: Clock Spring Maladies?

1997 GT with all options except supercharger and Bose system.I have the premium audio.The air bag light stays on.Every so often the fuel gauge and the temp gauge creep up to max out of nowhere.The cooling fans do not come on and it doesn't over heat.After the car sits for a while it returns to normal for undetermined amount of time.The clock and radio LED's don't light either.Also every now and then it hesitates to go into lock up.The car has 266,000 on it.Also I can't seem to find out if the Twilight sentinel is supposed to have all the lights on constantly or not because they are.I can't find a sentinel switch if there is one.Please help as I am on disability and can't afford a big bill.I have been told that a bad clock spring can cause some if these issues.The steering wheel controls work albeit inaccurately.Thank you so much for your time.

That is surely a mouthful, Clockspring can only effect radio controls (not working typically) and airbag.

Fuel gauge and temp (always at the same time?) I would look toward a ground
Cooling fans, is this only when the gauge goes up or all the time?
Radio- display bulbs are very common.
lockup or 4th gear?
Sentienl, it's right up in the center of the dash, that' the photocell

I'd say overall you are likely looking for a major ground. Tehre is one hooked to the steering column underneath at one of the back left bolts.

As far as the cooling fans...I meant that I have never heard them come on....period.Either they are VERY quiet or the car has never gotten hot enough.And yes I meant that the 2 gauges(Temp and fuel) usually go up at the same time.I believe once the fuel gauge acted up alone but after I filled up with fuel it quit until yesterday.The temp gauge made it up to 215 or so degrees.It didn't puke,steam, or any other indicator that it was hot.Like I said when you let the car sit and it cools off it goes back to normal.I have ordered service manuals from the Bay and am planning on removing the cluster to replace some bulbs....I hope.I am an OLD Motorcycle Tech but know next to nothing about electrical stuff on cars.I am also Autistic.Hence the topic hockey.(Sorry)The curse of a brain that goes a million miles an hour.Does a bad clock spring keep the air bag from firing in a crash?Thank you so much for the info.The SRS light being on I can handle as long as it doesn't affect the safety.

Ahhh let's give you some info.
Stock t stat is 190F, fans don't kick on until 212ish for low and 228F for high. It's understandable if you think you saw 215F that you didn't hear a fan. I dunno.. GM did it. lol

if the air bag light is on, it means no airbags deploy if you crash, aka old school.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

if the air bag light is on, it means no airbags deploy if you crash, aka old school.

Swell!

Can you use a clock spring from a non- premium audio vehicle if you are not going to keep the steering wheel controls or the stock radio?It means a savings of a LOT of cash.Thx.

here is a great tip you better find a junk yard car that is the same year as yours other wise the clock spring plugs are different. they changed them every year.

just remembered this if your going to touch the air bag you may want to wait 1 hour after you unplug the battery. so that it doesnt kill you or blow up on you.

Personally.. I've found it's much lower cost to get a column from a car in a yard than try and get just a spring.