Frostynz

First post so let me know if I mess it up.

Post basically so that anyone else with little knowledge of cars/s14 can benefit.

I did search the forum and could't find anything similar unless I missed it.


A few weeks before the issue I had noticed a small rattling sound - almost like metal hitting plastic such as a screw coming loose and bumping up and down due to steering column vibration?

Couple weeks past and I noticed the sound went away on certain angles so I just put it down to a screw and ignored it

One day after starting my car and attempting to drive to work my horn wouldn't shut up and turning the steering-wheel produced a clunking sound, the horn could be silenced by physically pulling the horn cover/airbag upwards which isn't ideal. So after turning the car off and removing the fuse I decided to look into it myself and did some research, found I would need some torx sockets to take the inner parts of the steering-wheel off (Cheaper and BETTER quality at any building store such as Bunnings/mitre 10 compared to Repco/Supercheap)
Torx.jpg

So here we go -
#1 Disconnected the battery and discharged any remaining power by pressing buttons (hazards, windows) and turning the key to electrics
(This is so you don't get an accidental Airbag deployment and a face full of death)

#2 Removed the side panels and unplugged the Airbag/Horn connections
Connections.jpg

#3 Removed the Security Torx screws (T50) (The blue is apparently some sort of lock lube/powder which SHOULD be replaced but I didn't replace it.
Screw.jpg

#3 Removed the middle peice (Part of the horn which the airbag is attached to)

#4 Found the culprit - tested it by turning the steering-wheel and the piece moved and made the similar clunking sound
Weight.jpg

Seems to be some sort of weight to counterbalance issues such as vibration, HICAS, and general weight distribution as most of the weight is towards the middle/bottom (not much weight at the top)

Not necessary but may make a slight difference with the above mentioned. I'm yet to drive the car enough to make a comment on the difference.

#5 Ripped it out (attached on 4 rubber connections which 2 of had come loose so it was just flailing around out of it's harness when the steering-wheel was turned.
Rubber.jpg
Not exactly sure WHAT it did to make the horn sound but possibly got stuck and forced the depression bits to disconnect the circuit (and thus sounding the horn?) Or shorted it somehow?
Empty.jpg

Issue resolved.

Few things to note:
There is a specific way to handle the airbag especially when placing it on a surface - check your manufactures manual as different cars have different airbag setups?

The blue stuff is meant to help lock in the bolts I think (recommended) but I've read plenty of people don't replace it when using the same bolts.

I have little knowledge and may not have used the correct anatomical terms - apologies if I have

If there is another post about this please let me know so I can remove