98 Avalon - power steering pump related to the clock spring?

[Amblus]

I have a '98 Toyota Avalon and just got the power steering pump replaced and also got a state inspection. Driving home from the garage I noticed the airbag light was on and the horn doesn't work. The garage claims it's unrelated to what they did and want to replace the clock spring. But, they passed my car in the inspection which means my horn worked before they messed with it.

Would it have been possible for the clock spring to be broken when they replaced the pump? I just can't believe this is a coincidence.

[Jack Deth]

this is a joke, but i'm not getting it. clock spring?

[Amblus]

Not a joke, I promise. Apparently there's a part in the steering column called a "clockspring" which is magically broken and controls the airbag and horn.

[Jack Deth]

i'll be dipped, there is such a thing! i googled "toyota clockspring" and some stuff came up. seems it is a coiled electrical cable, not really a spring. sorry i can't be of much help, but at least i learned something. good luck.

[05DCLB]

They had to turn wheel back and forth to bleed air from p/s system but cant blame them for that, do you know how many times that steering wheel has been turned in 12 years. Now if the rack was replaced I'd say maybe the thing could be blamed on the wheel being turned while not hooked to rack.

[robcam13]

i agree with 05DCLB. clocksprings go bad ive changed a dozen or more.

[Amblus]

Here's the thing, though. The horn/airbag worked just fine when I dropped the car off - they did a state inspection and passed my car. Then they replaced the PS pump and when we picked the car up, the clock spring was broken. How is it possible these things aren't connected?

There's also this, whcih I found on the Camry forum:

Toyota
Steering gear service precaution. Toyota offers the following advice for doing steering gear service on the 1996 and newer models listed below that are equipped with a driver's-side air bag: When the intermediate shaft is disconnected and the steering wheel is allowed to turn freely, the SRS spiral cable may be broken. To prevent this, pass the seat belt through the steering wheel and latch it to the anchor on the right side of the seat. The affected vehicles are: Tercel, Paseo, Corolla, MR2, Celica, Camry, Avalon, Supra, Previa, Sienna, RAV4, 4Runner, Tacoma, TWO and Land Cruiser.
Copyright Hearst Business Publishing Dec 2000
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m..._n8915148/pg_2

[BMR]

Originally Posted by Amblus

... When the intermediate shaft is disconnected and the steering wheel is allowed to turn freely, the SRS spiral cable may be broken.

They wouldn't have done this when replacing the power steering pump. That caution applies when the rack and pinion is replaced.

I doubt the work they did is related to the clockspring problem. But then again, repair shops can do some crazy stuff sometimes. My Camry was in a wreck years ago, and when I got it back the passenger door lock was on the fritz. Odd, since the repairs were strictly on the front end. When I pressed them, they admitted to "borrowing" some parts off my car to repair another, and when they replaced them on mine, they didn't get it done correctly.

[ImDisaster]

Originally Posted by Amblus

Here's the thing, though. The horn/airbag worked just fine when I dropped the car off - they did a state inspection and passed my car. Then they replaced the PS pump and when we picked the car up, the clock spring was broken. How is it possible these things aren't connected?

There's also this, whcih I found on the Camry forum:

Toyota
Steering gear service precaution. Toyota offers the following advice for doing steering gear service on the 1996 and newer models listed below that are equipped with a driver's-side air bag: When the intermediate shaft is disconnected and the steering wheel is allowed to turn freely, the SRS spiral cable may be broken. To prevent this, pass the seat belt through the steering wheel and latch it to the anchor on the right side of the seat. The affected vehicles are: Tercel, Paseo, Corolla, MR2, Celica, Camry, Avalon, Supra, Previa, Sienna, RAV4, 4Runner, Tacoma, TWO and Land Cruiser.
Copyright Hearst Business Publishing Dec 2000
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m..._n8915148/pg_2

I think you have a good case for them causing the failure. The problem is how to settle it. You might try pressing them to share the cost.

[Amblus]

Thanks. I checked the itemized receipt and they did replace the rack and pinion - that's where the pump was leaking.

I did get the garage to agree to free labor if I can find a part. Does anyone know if a Camry part of the same year will work in an Avalon?

[Amblus]

Final chapter and an answer to my last question:

Yes, a Camry clock spring/spiral cable WILL work for an Avalon! Found the part on eBay and the garage installed with no charge. So, a happy ending for that issue.