Does my 951 have the wrong steering wheel / hub?

oldass31 · 10-08-2009, 11:35 AM

Hello everyone!

I'm obviously new to posting but I've been reading and searching for my answer for a long, long time. I recently bought a 1987 Porsche 944 Turbo that I've been fixing up and now I'm on the final stretch.

Here's the skinny:
The horn does not honk by way of steering wheel buttons.
The turn signals do not automatically cancel once I complete a turn.
My seatbelt indicator light remains on. (always buckle up)

Using a Powerprobe and a jump wire, I've twice confirmed that my horn does indeed work. The steering wheel horn switches themselves also work. The wheel does not seem to match with the hub.

After reading a lot of threads on here and clark's, I've concluded that I'm missing parts or have mismatched parts installed by the PO, but I don't know which parts I need. Allow me to illustrate.

As a sanity check, this is what my airbag steering wheel looks like.

After only removing the steering wheel and airbag, my steering column and trim look just like this:

This is what the 944 FSM illustrates as the steering hub for an airbag car of unspecified year:

As you can see, mine looks nothing like the FSM. My steering wheel is definitely an airbag model. However, when I first removed the airbag, there was no connector attached to the back of the airbag unit. I also can't find an airbag wire/cable that has been crammed down inside the hub.

I can't find a picture of it, but the backside of the wheel is entirely flush except for a small brass/copper tab that is on a plunger mechanism which is directly connected to the horn switches. My wheel does not have the circular brass contact ring featured on the back of many other member's non-airbag steering wheels.

I believe that I need my hub to look like that in the FSM, but if I do that, I don't see how my turn signals will auto cancel. Do I also need the big contact ring with the big plastic tab?

Please help, I've owned this car for more weeks than miles I've put on it.

kdjones2000 · kdjones2000's Garage

What has happened here is that your PO replaced your signal stalk assembly with a non-airbag model. Your original probably had the left turn signal cancel die on it (Seems to be a common failure mode on late models), and they bought another one but it is for a non-airbag wheel.

To fix it you will need to get both an airbag "Clockspring" and turn signal stalk set.

I have an airbag clockspring that should work, but I had to replace my stalk set due to a failing left turn cancel.

Also, you need to make sure that the stalk set is for your car. Options for them included both headlight washers and cruise control.

Good luck,
Keith

oldass31 · 10-08-2009, 12:44 PM

I have the PO's number and they live in my area. Should I give him a call and ask where the original is? The inspection sticker indicates that the car passed last year in September. Texas requires that the horn works in order to pass inspection so the correct part would have to been installed then. Would a shop have replaced the original with one from an incompatible model? I can't imagine the PO doing the work himself. He was very, very old and literally could not get inside the vehicle.

bearone2 · 10-08-2009, 03:24 PM

the tab that sticks up on the wheel is the cancel mechanism and many folks, including me, have alleviated the "no cancel" issue by wrapping electrical tape around it.

one of my horn buttons doesn't work and the wheel looks like mine.

the po might have ordered the wrong t/s switch and just decided to live with it as there are several to choose from and until looking, i wasn't aware of the no-air bag version.

kdjones2000 · kdjones2000's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldass31

I have the PO's number and they live in my area. Should I give him a call and ask where the original is? The inspection sticker indicates that the car passed last year in September. Texas requires that the horn works in order to pass inspection so the correct part would have to been installed then. Would a shop have replaced the original with one from an incompatible model? I can't imagine the PO doing the work himself. He was very, very old and literally could not get inside the vehicle.

Another possibility is that your PO bought an aftermarket wheel (Non Airbag) and changed the setup around to support it.

PS: Look on Clark's Garage for information on how to reset your Airbag light in your cluster, once you have everything hooked up.

Grandad#3 · 10-09-2009, 12:01 AM

Have you checked the ground connection on the steering colum? It most likely will be down near the power steering and run over to the frame. Your steering wheel has the brass ring around it to make contact with the brass/copper finger on the right side of the stalk control. You are just missing the air bag hook up.

Cheers,
Larry

Eric 951 · 10-09-2009, 04:21 AM

One last thought--did you check th fuse box to see if the horn relay is present?

kdjones2000 · kdjones2000's Garage

Guys, the turn signal stalk he has is for a NON-AIRBAG wheel. He needs to either get a non-airbag wheel and live with the airbag warning light, or get a proper clockspring/stalk set for air bag cars.

oldass31 · 10-09-2009, 09:48 AM

Thanks, Keith. You've convinced me of what needs to be done. I definitely need both the clock spring and the switch plate/assembly. I can't stand the thought of driving the first car ever to have airbags as standard equipment and yet not have them in working condition.

For posterity, the switch plate/assembly you must order takes into account whether you have airbags, cruise control, and headlamp washers. There are at least 8 different versions of the 944 switch plate/assembly.

oldass31 · 10-26-2009, 08:13 PM

The clock spring finally can in and while I was waiting for the signal stalk assembly, I was playing with the one that came with the car. I realized that there were existing screw holes on the "non-airbag" assembly that aren't suppose to be there. The screw holes matched exactly up with the screws on the clock spring. This is to be expected of an airbag assembly. I pulled on the little black and copper L-shaped piece on the front assembly plate and the piece popped right off! I was able to mount the clock spring and now everything is just fine. For whatever reason, the PO must have thought he "lost" the L-shape part and installed it?!?! Maybe he was looking at the Haynes manual? IDK. The point is, everything works now. And I had the correct assembly all along with the addition of the extra L-shape piece that threw me off.