[jcb]

Just bought my 3rd spiral cable/clockspring for my 2007 Armada. Here is the background: Original clockspring began to fail with symptoms of steering radio controls not functioning and finally horn not working. I bought an aftermarket clockspring for $100 on EBAY. Instructions indicated I should just move the steering angle sensor from the old one to the new one and its good to go. Upon reinstall I had VDC/SLIP lights illuminated and these did not reset after a week or so of driving. So I removed the new clockspring and returned it. I then bought an OEM clockspring from Nissan complete with new light/wiper/blinker stalks and a new Steering Angle Sensor. Upon installing that unit, I again had VDC/SLIP. Thinking that the new Steering Angle Sensor had to be programmed to the car, I removed it and installed the old sensor. Lights off and all seemed good for a few days until VDC/SLIP AND Air Bag lights started to appear. I could always clear the Airbag light with a reset procedure but it would come back a few days later. The diagnostic code always read "No current fault", meaning that whatever was detected was not present when I did the reset. The VDC/SLIP would come and go. Pulling my hair out at this point...I re-installed the ORIGNAL clockspring with the original Steering Angle Sensor....ALL GOOD in 2 weeks of driving except for the original symptoms of radio controls and horn not functioning. So then I had the bright idea of trying to operate on my old clockpring and install just the ribbon cable from the new clockspring. DON'T try and take these things apart unless you are extremely trained/talented !!! I TRASHED THEM BOTH!!

LONG STORY brings me to today...I ordered a 3rd clockpring from EBAY - an aftermarket one for 65 bucks. I plan on installing my old steering angle sensor and praying the damn thing works and the lights go out and stay out! Through all of this I realized that the steering angle sensor, while physically attached to the clockspring...has NO electronic connection to it! It has a separate connector that goes to a separate harness to the car. Why would I get VDC/SLIP with new clocksprings but not the old one if I am using the same Steering Angle Sensor each time?

Any ideas or theories would be appreciated! I will update when I install my new one - hopefully over this weekend.

 

[jcb]

Just to FINALLY close the loop on my Clockspring/Steering Angle Sensor Saga. After installing clockspring for 3rd time and trying all the "tricks" - Driving Slow and Straight after Engine Shut off and Restart, ECM Reset Procedures, Battery Disconnect, I could never get my VDC/Slip lights to go out/stay out. Finally had her in to a shop months later and they reset the steering angle sensor with their CONSULT compatible scanner and the light went right off. 2000 miles later (took her on vacation) and its still off! The shop didn't even charge me it was so simple. Morale of the story - try the free tricks - if they don't work, take it to an alignment shop or a reputable general mechanic and have them perform the resets using a professional scanner.

 

[nikoladka]

Anyone who is looking this got to visit my thread about new cLOCKspring installed on my 2006 Armada. Firstly it did not fit the steering angle sensor so I had to invent an adapter(SEARCH IN MY POST). Which I made of piece of PVC pipe borrowed from my sink, and few zip ties, as of tools -- have to use some Dremel or similar machine to be able to carve the PVC. The job was done the airbag light cleared as per procedure well described in this site. Yesterday I visited my airbag/ABS mechanic, since the VDC/SLIP light was on after my several attempts to work with the steering angle sensor before I made the adapter. We spent a good 20 minutes trying to clear the light. Couple tools were used, Nothing worked, lot of frustration, the guy refused taking money since job was not finished. His tool actually was able to calibrate the steering angle sensor , which in fact shown all the angles in the range almost +/- 640 degree AS YOU TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL ON THE PARKING LOT but the light kept on! So I leave his shop with nothing, with the VDC light on, driving past the corner, then another 200 ft then I noticed the light had ceased! So I come back to the shop and we celebrated!
So then my direction is, even if you had an advanced tool to calibrate the steering angle sensor, you still have to drive those 200 ft and maybe couple turns, so that system will verify that steering angle sensor data matches the ABS wheel sensors data AND THEN THE LIGHT WILL CLEAR ITSELF!