Clock Spring

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2008 Suzuki Reno, 2008 Suzuki Forenza, 2007 Suzuki Reno, and 2007 Suzuki Forenza. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

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.

Fig 1: Identifying Clock Spring From Steering Shaft

Courtesy of SUZUKI OF AMERICA CORP.