BMW Clock Spring Replacement, Problems, Cost, DIY
Is your BMW clock spring bad? ABS, traction, and DSC warning messages popping up on the dashboard. Learn how to replace a BMW clock spring.
A faulty BMW clock spring is a common problem that may cause the airbag light to come on.
Symptoms
- BMW Airbag Light On,
- Horn doesn’t work
- BMW steering wheel buttons don’t work,
- The paddle shifter is not working,
- Fault Code: Driver squib circuit open or high resistance,
- Code B1049 and B1054
What you will need
- BMW Clock Spring
- Mechanic Toolset Metric Set
- Small Screwdriver
- Torque Wrench
- Torx Bit Set
Procedure
- Park the BMW and set the wheels straight, center the steering wheel, and engage the parking brakes.
- Disconnect the BMW battery. The battery is located in the trunk area of most BMWs. including 3, 5, 6 X1, X3, X5 series.
Remove the BMW airbag and steering wheel from the steering column. On the back of the steering wheel, you will notice one or two access holes. Insert a screwdriver in the side hole and press on the spring to release the airbag.
Next, remove the steering wheel center bolt.
If you need help with this step, follow this guide on removing the airbag and steering wheel on a BMW. Mark the steering column and the steering wheel before you remove the steering wheel.
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Remove the BMW steering wheel from the steering column.
Remove Torx bolts to remove the clock spring from the SZL module.
Use a small screwdriver to unlock the BMW steering wheel clock spring from the SZL module.
Install the new BMW clock spring.
Reconnect the steering wheel, airbag, and battery, then start the car.
Watch the video below on how to perform this step.
Clear SZL fault codes and calibrate the steering angle sensor using an OBD-II scanner, like the YOUCANIC Full System Scanner
Replacing the clock spring on a BMW is a fairly easy job that most DIYers can accomplish on their driveway.
You may need to reset the steering angle sensor, which requires a BMW-specific diagnostic scanner. Read this article to learn more about clock springs and how they work.
The YOUCANIC Full System scanner can reset the steering angle sensor of a BMW. This scanner can also read and clear codes through every control module of your BMW vehicle.
We hope you find the BMW Clock Spring Replacement, Problems, Cost, and DIY guide helpful. Check these troubleshooting and repair guides for more help on your BMW.
Great Article!
A faulty clock spring is common and many people take it as more of an announce than anything else.
Yes the Airbag might function with it, but its not always the case. Airbags save lives and we need to get these fixed asap.
There are many other reasons why the airbag light, also called the ‘SRS’ light in some cars might come on.
In some cars, it might be a sign that the airbags have been deactivated. This is very dangerous and you need to get this check soon. It is also possible that the airbag sensors are not working. Faulty sensors can cause the light to go off and if they are in a bad shape, the airbags might not deploy when needed – so we need to get this checked.
Another common reason is when your car was in a small accident but the force was not enough for the airbags to deploy. This might confuse the car’s system and you might have to reset the whole thing.
So while this article does help a lot, you also need to keep your eyes open for other problems.