I've been driving with no airbags for four years!

[munro86]

I've had a 'double-beep' fault for sometime and wanted to get an error scan performed by someone other than Porsche. Found a fellow who was a master technician with Porsche for 30 years-so I went to see him. I pull up to his garage hidden amongst old heritage biuldings. To my delight all I could see was Porsche's- a boxter getting a new gearbox, a guards red targa carrera, a 944, two 964's- so I'm thinking this looks good. He, Carlos, immediately diagnosed the double-beep as the bracket on the oddments tray was broken-so he replaced it with a metal one- I then asked him to run a scan- so he pulls out the 'Porsche Diagnostic Tester' . To get to the point- it came up with with what he called 'F21' error, which he immediately said was the clock spring- it was 'broken' he said.( Yet I 've never heard any squeaking when turning as others have reported here)-in addition, and here's the clanger- the airbag warning light doesn't come on( I was completely oblivious to this BTW but he checked in front of me and lo and behold it doesn't come on at all). Carlos speculated that when the airbag originally came on, indicating, he says, a broken clock spring, whomever simply removed the airbag warning light bulb- but very disturbingly Carlos said:" If you were involved in major accident the airbags would not have deployed". "What?" I said incredulously( actually in my mind another two words were attached to what...). Sorry for the length people, but is this feasible? What does the clock spring have to do with the airbags?

He's convinced I need a new clock spring, but I just don't know how he can so quickly come to this conclusion. What think ye? :help:

Jason

[Tool Pants]

I don't believe removing the bulb woul prevent the air bag from firing. Same if the bulb burned out.

The "clock spring" goes by different names. You need to provide an electrical connection to the back of the air bag and to the steering wheel for the horn. If wires were used they would twist and could fail over time by turning the steering wheel. So the clockspring was invented.

[wvicary]

I the light is only for a self check/diagnostic not for deployment of the unit.

[perryinva]

But the "clockspring" IS required for the steering wheel airbag to work. It is connected through it. It's probably a $200 part and the PO had the bulb removed rather than fix the hub.

[Q-Ship986]

I think the munro86 is surmising that the previous owner experienced an airbag MIL, probably caused by a malfunctioning clockspring; in turn, the bulb was removed to perform a "repair." What Perry said. --Brian

Edited May 8, 2008 by Q-Ship986

[Loren]

Fault 21 is: Firing circuit, driver fault.

You will need to find a shop with the proper test equipment to safety diagnose whether it is the airbag (in the steering wheel) or the triggering unit.

[Tool Pants]

I spoke to one of the mechanics but he was in school and did not know off the top of his head what 21 was. He did say he has replaced a few clock springs. If it goes bad then it is the same as if you disconnected the connector on the back of the air bag, which means an air bag light, and which means the air bag will not fire.

[munro86]

Thanks everyone!