Ground location for: Horn, Airbag,&Cruse 98

[LeSabre97mint]

Hello

Anyone out there with a wiring diagram for a 98 Windstar that could help me find the grounding point for the horn, airbag and the curse control which are not working? I'm wondering if I missed reconecting the gound when I put the van back together. I replaced the right front corner parts. I know I pulled a lot of wires and may have missed this gound.

Thanks

Dan

[tripletdaddy]

The horn and cc get their ground together through on of the clocksprings inside the steering wheel. The srs may get it throught the same conductor, but I don't have a diagram that includes it. From the clockspring, the ground is made through the speed control servo, at which its ground to body is black. Supposedly, the ground wire from the servo to the clockspring is tan/orange and is black beyond the clockspring. At a connector it will change color possibly and will join at least three wires to the horn and cc switches. Power to the cc is seperate from the horn and probably also from the srs.

[LeSabre97mint]

Trippledaddy

I just had my collume apart and did find that the grounds for the cc and horn and they had continuity to the vehical ground. So...that's not my problem. Fyi....I believe that the airbag has it's own ground....it at least has it's own two wires.

I was told that I needed to replace my clockspring after an airbag depoyment. I ohmed the wires and found continuity through the clockspring.

What elese could be causing me not to have a horn, airbag error and no cruse?

Thanks

Dan

[tripletdaddy]

You know, I wish I had a curse control.

After rereading your post after writing this post up, it may all need to be tossed as it doesn't take in to consideration the airbag problem. At the moment the only common thing with them would be the airbag servo. I think more than once I mention below to check out the wiring, the connector and the connection to it. You have established that the ground through it is good.

A bit of a head banger, head scratcher. Did you test right to the horn switch, cc, air bag for ground? I know you said you went across the cs, but I wasn't sure you tested right up to each component. You I assume checked the fuses for these things? FWIW, my book says the horn is on fuse 16, 15a, and the cc is on fuse 7, 15a uynder the dash. The fuse that actually powers the cc is #30, 25a under the hood. The horn also has a relay. I'm guessing that is under hood too. Have you tested for power at the horn and cc? Horn wire is yellow/light blue to the horn connector and splits to the two horn switches AND the on/off switch to the cc.

I'd try to find power along the hot feed to the horn and cc. You may need to push the horn or the cc on/off button as there is the horn relay that is designed to only allow a very minimal amount of power through until a switch is activated. I would then try to find power on the ground side of the switches, pre and post the clockspring, again probably having to hold the switches. If you don't measure power through the clockspring, than that is it. (If rotated too far with the steering shaft disconnected from the rack, the cs can be broken.) If not, then I'd suspect the connector to the cc servo. You said it was grounded good, right? I wouldn't recommend using a test light to do the power tests around the air bag, but if you're really, really sure you know what you are doing, you could.

Sometimes these things show continuity, but it's such a weak connection, it won't sustain the circuit.

Looking at the diagram, it may be possible the on/off switch or a horn switch is faulty. To check that, test across the yel/lt blue and black or tan/org. Then check across light blue/black and black or tan/org. Last, test yel/lt blue and lt. blue/black. ALL tests should be open. The first test will indicate that a horn is stuck on. The second, will indicate if the cc switches are open/off. A full continuity would be the switch stuck in the off position. If you get an ohms reading of 120, coast; 680, set/accel; or 2200, resume, the respective switch is stuck. You may be able to clear your problem with brake or electrical cleaner if not a disconnected wire.

Your brake pressure switch at the bottom of the master cylinder ok and the reservoir full?

You might just go ahead and remove and reconnect the wiring harness to the cc servo and be sure it's clean.

Have you been able to determine what the srs code is or at least count the number of blinks between pauses or does it just stay on or a beeping sound?

That's about got me exhausted of all ideas. From there I will have to seek outside consultation.

Hope that helps.

[tripletdaddy]

Could you elaborate on the extent of the repairs you had to do and the nature of the damage, accident, etc. You said you worked on the right side, as in the passenger side? Not much over there that would cause these kind of problems. Did you blow the airbags? Did you replace the crash sensors? Are they connected good? How about the wiring to the diagnostic unit under the dash?

I took a look at some schematics of a similar vehicle since what I have for the Windstar has nothing for the airbag system. There is absolutely no electrical connection between the airbag system and the other two. The ONLY common thing I could find is the clockspring. I can only imagine something with it isn't right. So, I guess you will have to open it up and see. I was going to suggest adjusting the steering wheel to the cs, but I don't think it matters for it to work as there isn't a contact, sliding type connection. Does moving the steering to different positions change anything? Have you tried disconnecting the battery for awhile? Hopefully the solution lies within the airbag code.

[LeSabre97mint]

UPDATE:

Everything is working. It was fuses for the horn, airbag, and possible poor conection on the fuse for the cruse. One of the horns was causing a short circuit causing the fuse to blow. I replaced the horns with the ones I got of the donor front cut. I suspect the fuse for the AB blew when the bags deployed. Now, I only have the AB flashing 52 which is telling me that the power was removed from the AB at some point. The cruse started working after I pulled and replaced the fuse. The resume still doesn't work but I can live with that.

It's nice to drive a van w/o any CEL light!

Dan