Clock Spring

WARNING: Disassembling the clock spring can cause injury or cause the clock spring to malfunction.

CAUTION: Over-rotating the clock spring (over 3 and one quarter turns to one direction) without the steering wheel in position could damage the clock spring and result in an inoperative driver airbag.

There is a coil assembly in the steering which is referred to as a clock spring because of its internal resemblance to the type of spring used in a mechanical clock. The coil spring should never be disassembled, and there is no timekeeping function. The clock spring contains two or three current-carrying coils. One of the current-carrying coils maintains continuous contact within the driver deployment loop while the steering wheel is rotated. The clock spring also contains coils that maintain continuous contact for horn and remote audio control switch circuit. Turning the steering wheel in one direction tightens the coil, and turning the steering wheel in the opposite direction loosens the coil. Do not turn the clock spring when the steering wheel is not attached. Refer to "CLOCK SPRING REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION :" for proper installation of the clock spring.

The clock spring also includes the wiring and the connectors for the horn circuit and the driver airbag circuit. A yellow two-way connector on the lower steering column is attached to the clock spring wiring. The yellow connector to the airbag contains a shorting bar which connects the driver high circuit to driver low circuit when the connector is disconnected.

The shorting bar prevents current from travelling through the driver airbag module during servicing. The shorting bar is disengaged when the clock spring connector is connected.

Fig 1: Identifying Clock Spring

Courtesy of SUZUKI OF AMERICA CORP.

Occupants Classification System (OCS)

OCS determines passenger airbag deployment. It consists of a sensor and module which are in the passenger seat.

OCS monitors the pressure profile of the passenger seat and send it to the sensing and diagnostic module (SDM). When the pressure from the occupant's weight is higher than a specified value, the OCS module will send an enable signal to the SDM to deploy the passenger airbag.

When the passenger airbag off symbol is lit on the passenger airbag status indicator, it means the suppression of deployment for the passenger's frontal airbag and side airbag.

OCS is not unit repairable so it should be replaced with an assembly of passenger seat.

NOTE: When the passenger seat assembly is replaced, be sure to confirm that the OCS operates normally as follows.

Turn the ignition switch to ON position without pressure on the front passenger seat.
Check the passenger air bag off indicator in the clock display lights for about 5 sec, turned off for about 2 sec. and then comes on steady.

If the indicator comes on and off as stated in Step 2., OCS is in good condition.