Windstar airbag codes

[olopezm]

Hello people, this afternoon the airbag light on the dashboard came on after half an hour of driving; it flashes 3 times, pauses and flashes two times again meaning code 32. I searched the internet and found this codes list

| 12 Low Battery Voltage
| 13 Air Bag Circuit or Crash Sensor Circuit - Shorted to Ground
| 21 Safing Sensor - Not Mounted on Vehicle Properly
| 22 Safing Sensor Output Circuit - Shorted to Battery Voltage
| 23 Safing Sensor Input Feed/Return Circuit Open
| 24 Open in Circuit 944B or Low Resistance in Crash Sensor(s)
| 32 Driver Side Air Bag/Safing Sensor Circuit - High Resistance or Open
| 33 Pin 7 Not Grounded at Diagnostic Monitor
| 34 Driver Side Air Bag/Safing Sensor Circuit - Low Resistance or Shorted
| 35 Low Resistance Across Pins 8 and 9 at Diagnostic Monitor
| 41 Crash Sensor Circuit - High Resistance or Open
| 44 RH Crash Sensor - Not Mounted to Vehicle Properly
| 45 Center Radiator Crash Sensor - Not Mounted to Vehicle Properly
| 46 LH Crash Sensor - Not Mounted to Vehicle Properly
| 51 Diagnostic Monitor Internal Thermal Fuse - Blown and Short to Ground No Longer Exists
| 52 Backup Power Supply - Voltage Boost Fault
| 53 Internal Diagnostic Monitor Fault

Anybody has any idea about where to start checking? could this be a problem with any connector located on the steering column?. Thanks in advance.

[phil-l]

This is most likely the "clock spring" - which is the assembly within the steering wheel column that maintains connection to the airbag throughout the turning range of the steering wheel.

Eventually, it gets old enough that one of the connections fails, resulting in an "open" - and the message you're seeing.

For an example of what a clock spring looks like, just go to eBay and search on "windstar clock spring".

[olopezm]

Thanks for your answer, so I should just go ahead and replace it, right?. I searched on ebay and now I know what you're talking about. Do you have any idea if the clockspring can be bought only from a dealer or can I get it from autozone too?. Thanks...