Clockspring question - help!?, how do you know if yours is broken? Options

[GriffGirl]

So I installed my airbag wiring harness adapter the other night, reset the airbag ECU, and all was good and right with the world. The next morning I go to back out of my driveway, and as I back onto the street & turn the wheel, there's resistance, like something's tugging on it, but I'm in traffic and I HAVE to turn it. So I do, and I hear a SNAP from inside the steering wheel, but now it turns just fine. And just like that, I had about 10 seconds of no airbag light and now of course it's back on... blaringly red, taunting me. I hate that little man.

I checked my connector last night, and it looks fine, nothing came disconnected. Couldn't reset the airbag ECU though, light will NOT go off. I'm wondering if I snapped my clockspring. What methods are there for me to check? I'm so dismayed...

edit: just went out and checked my horn. No horn. damnit all to H-E-double hockey sticks. Cruise isn't a good test, not sure if I got it connected properly, just resoldered it last night anyway.

This post has been edited by GriffGirl: Apr 8, 2010 - 12:48 PM

[hatchy_gt-s]

Yep that would be a broken clock spring, you might have installed it backwards or just off center and the wheel was not aligned with the clock spring(cant tell you how many new tech's I see do this). They are pretty delicate things, the best way to make sure it doesn't happen again is to after installing the spring and the wheel lift the front end up so that the wheels are off the ground and turn the wheel, if it binds then you are back to square one.