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[rcaws]

Hi Guys,

Got a big problem with my steering column.

Last night whilst turning right, i held the indicator stalk up to stop it cancelling. Loud crunch noise, rather then the click i was expecting, and now when moving the wheel i get loud crunch/click noises. To make matters worse this can be felt through the wheel to the point where it actually prevents the wheel being turned, it will turn if i apply more pressure accompanied by yet more crunching. but clearly highly dangerous!

Now. I took of the plastic column housing to have a look which was easy enough, but once removed there is no obvious way of getting in to the indicator mechanism/steering lock etc. both stalks and the accompanying units can presumably be removed, but cant see how without doing more damage.

do i need to take off the wheel? is this easy? (im thinking air bag!)

Help!!  

Thanks all

Rich

[Craig_R]

Dont worry about the air bag as long as you follow the rules of diconnecting the battery  with in 15 seconds of turning the key and removing it and leaving the car for 5 odd mins for the charge to vanish and the air bag will be fine, Dont reattach the battery until the airbag is all pluged back in or you will get the airbag light on

[Matchless]

The stalks come off dead easy, cant remember the details but there are a couple of latches to press and the stalk slides out from the mounting.

[DaveL]

Hi Guys,

Got a big problem with my steering column.

Last night whilst turning right, i held the indicator stalk up to stop it cancelling. Loud crunch noise, rather then the click i was expecting, and now when moving the wheel i get loud crunch/click noises. To make matters worse this can be felt through the wheel to the point where it actually prevents the wheel being turned, it will turn if i apply more pressure accompanied by yet more crunching. but clearly highly dangerous!

Now. I took of the plastic column housing to have a look which was easy enough, but once removed there is no obvious way of getting in to the indicator mechanism/steering lock etc. both stalks and the accompanying units can presumably be removed, but cant see how without doing more damage.

do i need to take off the wheel? is this easy? (im thinking air bag!)

Help!!  

Thanks all

Rich

....should not need too. Seem to think mine was held on with clips but cannot be certain Memory goes after a certain age.

Good luck, it is a simple enough job.
 8-)
DaveL

[ians]

I think from memory that the cancelling mechanism is behind the steering wheel.

Don't worry too much about the airbag, but follow the proceedure in Haynes carefully.   Getting the wheel off requires a bit of perserverence,  but Haynes covers it pretty well I think.

You'll probably find that the plastic cancelling mechanism has broken - not sure how easily replaceable it is.  Hopefully straightforward with a bit from a scrappy.

[DaveL]

I think from memory that the cancelling mechanism is behind the steering wheel.

Don't worry too much about the airbag, but follow the proceedure in Haynes carefully.   Getting the wheel off requires a bit of perserverence,  but Haynes covers it pretty well I think.

You'll probably find that the plastic cancelling mechanism has broken - not sure how easily replaceable it is.  Hopefully straightforward with a bit from a scrappy.

...and of course if yours has not got cruise control then you could always think about getting a stalk with it on. Then going the whole hog and up grading.

Then again do not all MV6's have cruise.?

[rcaws]

Well mine hasnt got cruise

funny enough went with a collegue to pick up his new 04 reg 525i earlier and was saying that the one thing my miggie misses is cruise control!

simple-ish upgrade? am gonna have another look at the column tonight, see if i can get to the mechanism, if its breaked might consider an upgrade!

 

[TheBoy]

To remove stalks, remove upper and lower couling, you will see 2 latches top and bottom on each stalk. Easy.  No need to remove wheel to remove stalks, whatever Mr Haynes says.

[TheBoy]

Well mine hasnt got cruise

funny enough went with a collegue to pick up his new 04 reg 525i earlier and was saying that the one thing my miggie misses is cruise control!

simple-ish upgrade? am gonna have another look at the column tonight, see if i can get to the mechanism, if its breaked might consider an upgrade!

 

Cruise easy. Contact JamesV6CDX for all parts required, he's breaking 3.0l Elite which will have right bits...

[Kevin Wood]

If you need a replacement non-cruise stalk to get you up and running I've got one from when I did the cruise upgrade. I've also got a meeting in Basingstoke on Wednesday...

Kevin

[Chopsdad]

If you need a replacement non-cruise stalk to get you up and running I've got one from when I did the cruise upgrade. I've also got a meeting in Basingstoke on Wednesday...

Kevin

What a nice man  

[rcaws]

Hey,

Thanks heaps for all your replys, perticularly Kevin - cheers mate thats a really kind offer

Fortunatley just been taking it to bits, oh my god how easy is it to remove the stalks

Got it all off and found a small piece of black plasitc which literally fell out, about 1.5cm long, cant work out where its from though. The indicators still self cancel and there are no obvious broken bits.  :-?

The wheel now truns smooth from lock to lock, if anything smoother than it was before (which makes me wonder if it hadnt been a bit broken for a while) so its all good. Did find a bit of loom that isnt conected to anything, with nothing to plug in to, plug and play for the cruise control? surely cant be that easy?

Any way seems to be ok now, thanks guys your all legends.

rich  

[Kevin Wood]

Did find a bit of loom that isnt conected to anything, with nothing to plug in to, plug and play for the cruise control? surely cant be that easy?

A little square 4 pin connector?

That'll be for the cruise buttons.

If it's a drive by wire throttle you just need to source the correct indicator stick and connect it up followed by a Tech2 session to enable it. If it's not dbw you also need the rest of the system - a motorised actuator that operates the throttle and brake / clutch light switches and I think it then doesn't need Tech2 but others will know for sure.

Glad to hear it's sorted.

Kevin

[rcaws]

Thnks Kevin

yes its a 4 pin connector.

but i dont belive its dbw as there is a cable from the throttle body, traceable back to the bulkhead. Its a 99 (V) reg, dont think they went dbw untill facelift?

If it needs the motorised actuator etc sounds more involved and expensive?

[Kevin Wood]

Yep. Doesn't sound like it's DBW. Still plenty of people have done the upgrade. Keep an eye out for someone breaking a car with cruise. I think there's a HOWTO on here that covers the upgrade.

Kevin