OEM 2000 Ford Windstar Steering Wheel

2000 Ford Windstar Steering Wheel Parts Q&A

• Q: What safety precautions should be taken when servicing the steering wheel and air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) on 2000 Ford Windstar?

  A: Safety glasses should be worn at all times when servicing the steering wheel and air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) since they help prevent accidental deployment injuries. Hold live air bag modules using a correct orientation with the air bag and trim cover pointed in a direction that is away from your body and avoid allowing the trim cover to drop with its bottom facing down. Wash your hands in soap water to eliminate any sodium hydroxide residue that causes skin irritation after deployment. Touching connectors on the air bag module should be avoided to stop accidental deployment situations. Dealing with an air bag module requires replacing such units with new trim covers when the existing ones show damage instead of attempting repairs. Vehicle sensors should be positioned correctly for proper SRS functions; after any motor vehicle collision inspect the sensor mounting bracket and wiring pigtail even without deploying the air bags for potential damage requiring component replacement. All SRS component work requires emptying back up power by ungrounding the battery cable for one minute together with removing all auxiliary power supplies if present. The process of removing a steering wheel starts with using a thin-bladed screwdriver to remove the access cover then disconnect accessory and air bag module wiring followed by routing these components through the small hole in the steering wheel before it is taken from the column shaft. The service of deployed driver air bag assemblies requires installation of a new wheel and air bag as one combined replacement piece. Installation of new steering wheel and air bag assembly requires routing Clock Spring wiring through a small opening of the wheel's back before connecting the larger accessory connector and then the smaller air bag module connector. Before sending the prepaid return postcard to Ford Motor Company customers need to write down the serial numbers of both air bag and steering wheel along with the VIN regardless of steering wheel replacement. A complete check of the air bag system functionality should be performed as the final step.