Cherokee_of_Tennessee

Just determined that my clock spring is the culprit for my cruise control problem. I am an electrical engineer so I refused to buy a $250 clock spring without trying to fix it myself. Thought I would post this and share with those who may need to know how to troubleshoot the clock spring/cruise control/airbag dash light/horn don't work issues:

I pulled off all the trim pieces from the steering column and the airbag from the steering wheel and traced out the wires. Then I took some common sewing pins and pinned(inserted pins thru the insulation to contact the copper) the wires. Then I jumped around the clock spring with some alligator clip end wires. This is basically bypassing the clock spring. Lo and behold, the cruise control started working again. Even sitting still at idle, the cruise light on the dash will come on if you press the on/off switch on the steering wheel. This is also a good way to determine if your cruise control switches are working correctly and rule out the clock spring. Use your average haynes or chilton's manual to find which wire is which.

So now I have a choice. Replace the venerable clock spring with a brand new one for $200 -$250, or buy a used one from ebay for $100+. I am very tempted to just order some cheap switches from digikey or allied electrical, mount them on the dash, pull the cruise wires from the clock spring back side, insert proper value resistors, and call it a day for $20 or less. But then I would probably end up replacing the clock spring anyway when the air bag or horn circuit fails. Curse you design engineer of the clock spring!!!

Cherokee_of_Tennessee

By the way, don't mess with the air bag circuit until you have the battery cable disconnected, and the airbag module dismounted from the steering wheel, or you may end up on youtube.

Big David

You can also modify a Neon CS to work.The only difference is how the cruise buttons hook up.I modded one for my XJ about a year ago & it's still going strong.

Jamie57

Take one apart. You will be surprised what's in there. It's just a 4 foot long ribbon cable wrapped around the central hub. And the most common problem for the one's I've taken apart is right at the connection. Haven't tried it yet but I bet you could fix it.







Geez! I think I need to wash my hands more often!!

Cherokee_of_Tennessee

Sweeeeeet. Im gonna do just that this weekend. I never new it was just a freaking ribbon cable inside. How flimsy. I figured it was a commutator design. Which would be ten times more durable by the way. I think I need to write a letter to chrysler. Thier clockspring engineer needs some help. Oh well, ive been there before. Marketing promises snowballs in august to the customer, and the engineer has to come up with a way to make it happen, under budget. Thanks for the pics. Really encourages me.

GAPANDA

There should be some other web pages of folks doing the ribbon repair. Just have not gotten there yet. I know my is busted good. My son was driving the XJ when the steering box bolts broke and he pretty much spun the steering wheel all the way around.

Cherokee_of_Tennessee

Wooo Hoooo!!!! I just saved myself $250!!!! Take that you evil car dealership!!

I took off the steering wheel, pulled off the clockspring and started checking continuity on all the anchor points inside the housing. Turns out one, the cruise control signal wire, was broken right where it connects to the plastic part. I just heated up the solder iron, dabbed some solder on it, let it set, checked that continnuity, and its GOOOOOOOOOOD!

Im so proud of myself, I think I deserve to take my cherokee out for some muddin' and some ice cream!!!!

Thanks for the tip Jamie57!

Jamie57

Your very welcome!
I've always figured that if someone put it together, someone (ME!) could take it apart and fix it.
And the more expensive it is the more I want to fix it!

Cherokee_of_Tennessee

Oooohhh boy. Almost wanted to shoot myself in the face. Went out to get some ice cream with the kids and the cruise control was a no-go. CURSES!! Spent an hour scratching my head. I was getting the on/off signal, and the set signal. But it would not engage the cruise. As a last resort, I popped the hood just to make sure the throttle body cable had not broken from the vacuum solenoid. Guess what? When I was checking out the solenoid about 2 months ago, i disconnected the cable. Stupid me never hooked it back up.... that is until about an hour ago. Works like a charm now!!!

I say again, Take that you evil car dealership!!!

Dryvnhound

I've a 96 Grand Cherokee Lorado that has no horn or cruise control. Checked and double checked all fuses and vacumes, and brake light switch above the pedal. It all checks out. All of the instrument lights check out when I start it. Everything I've read leads me to the clock spring except that i get no air bag light. Could it still be the clock spring?

awg

You would have to strongly suspect it based on the thread you have revived.

Cant see any real way around dismantle & test the item as shown in the posts

Others may advise some other tests to perform prior.

I do dislike Steering Column work...on my '96, you need Security Torx to get the multi function switch apart

Ralph77

I don't know about one in a '96 ZJ but in my '00 XJ I was able to test them without taking them apart.
Basically you are just checking for continuity.
Thing is that having spare ones, one I was pretty sure was bad and 2 undetermined, I was able to get the "beep" out of one of them.
Checking the corresponding wires in the connectors of the other 2 and not getting the "beep" makes me think both of them were bad.
Problem is I can't remember which wires in the connectors you check for continuity.
And while I came across this thread about repairing one not really comfortable with the idea of me trying too. LOL.

Lr172

Thanks for posting these details. My horn wasn't working. Took the CS apart and found a protrusion in the center ring. This caused wearing of the inner most part of the ribbon cable and actually wore away the carbon trace for the center horn circuit. A little bit of copper strands and some solder covered with electrical tape fixed it right up.