Best Place to Buy Clock Spring / Rotary Unit?

[davelowe]

Cheers Eddie for the images and to Mike for the explanation. Looks tricky!

[tomalamix]

Its possible to fix it, ive done it 1 month ago when i had my engine on the workshop. The ribbon strip comes out but you can repair it and reinforce it to not come out so easily.

- dismantle the strap from the main unit
- make the 6 copper lines visible on the tip that you want to solder, using a Stanly knife you can do it
- place back in the ribbon strip into the unit passing it through the plastic+metal sort of locking device - beware on assembly phase, you have to make sure the position of the strip is correct.
- carefully solder the 6 copper tracks on the main unit using fluxite (its a lot easier to solder)
- test for continuity between the 6 main terminals and the colored plugs that attach to the Airbag, only 4 tracks out of the 6 is used.
- make sure there are absolutely no contact (using continuity test) between the 6 tracks
- put Araldite on the plastic+metal sort of locking device embracing also the ribbon strip (to make them glued together) as its that locking device that retains the strip there.
- let it dry and assemble everything

You have a strip working again.

From what ive seen this ribbon strip comes loose always on the tips, inner tip or other tip, ive seen it out in both places, never on the middle. This indicates a lack of locking devices on the tips. Ive noticed that is possible to pass the strip through the locking mechanism (plastic+metal), you have to push it a bit but it can pass. This indicates that the locking mechanism is not 100% locking the strip. The strip will come out eventually because you are ALWAYS "shaking" the steering wheel and the strip is always under small tension. After 100000000 times making that "shaking" the strip will come out for sure, its a small force applied but its enough. Renault fantastic design, as is the sh!tty windows regulators, water ingress in the door pockets, water in UCH, suspension top strut bearings, etc etc etc...For renault is great, not for me, ive got my wallet to protect.

Araldite on the locking device and strip will hold them together, at least for a period of time that i can tell you for now, except when it breaks again.

good luck

[nadim1]

having a similar problem, i have noted that really flee bay is the most easiest way to get the part.

I understand it doesnt matter if it was from a deployed airbag, it will still work, however as anything related to an airbag it is recommended that all associated parts are NEW. worth taking note of that.

ive typed in steering wheel stalk, as the the best description to find what i need, its then a complete unit as such.

It is worth noting that if you have a 'AUTO' light function (button at end of light stalk will say auto) then this i believe can be different again.

I am not sure if other model (laguna, scenic etc) ones are the same (as there are alot more options then), if anyone else can answer this, it will be useful to us both?!

[nadim1]

or as mentioned in an earlier post, solder option? you got me thinking now tomalamix?!

[tomalamix]

ive already done it successfully. Its still working.

[NewbE]

My car is the AUTO light version. Unfortunately the used unit I purchased is non-AUTO.

1) Can I still use the non-AUTO version? Will I only lose the AUTO light functionality, but retain the rest of the functions?

2) Is it possibly to remove the clock sping from the used unit I purchased and use it in the original?

THANKS for any help!

Ken