How can I get to it to replace/repair? How do I disable the air bag? Or
should I just get an aux horn button so I can pass inspection?

Thanks in advance

Disconnect the pos + lead to the battery.
Remove the 4 screws on the back (forward facing) side of the steering wheel,
and lift the airbag module off. Unplug it first, DO NOT USE THE IGNITION
SWITCH WHILE THE AIRBAG IS REMOVED. Setting the ignition to ON will cause an
airbag fault to be stored, and I'm all but positive that it requires a
technician to turn the fault code off.

Now that the airbag is off, you have to remove the steering wheel to get at
the horn button contact.

Having typed all of that so that my fingers are turned to bloody stumps, I
don't think the horn button is the problem.







"WormSign" <wormsign (AT) doon (DOT) com> wrote

Thanks for your reply Jeff... Actually I'm glad I didn't see your post
until
after I worked on it last night. I did disconnect both battery cables and
wait several minutes before touching anything. When looking at the column
trying to figure out how to disassemble it I noticed the two pop out access
panels on either side. Popping them out I could see the switch mechanism
behind the airbag bracketery. A few squirts of some high dollar contact
cleaner I purchased when I was restoring vintage Amiga computers fixed the
problem and the truck was successfully inspected this morning.

Thanks again for your reply.
Jeff

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr (AT) verizon (DOT) net> wrote

Excellent.

In my limited experience, when the horn ring is dirty, the horn will honk is
some positions of the steering wheel but not others. Anyway, glad I could
help.

In the future, the only battery calbe that needs to be disconnected is the
Negative lead (I may have said positive earlier). You disconnect the
negative lead because IF you happen to touch the body or other metal nearby
the terminal, you will not arc it. If yoau re disconecting the Positive
terminal, and touch any surrounding metal, you will create an arc. The arc
can be violent and do serious damage to your tools or the body work. (There
are actually welding kits that you can buy that allow you to actually
perform welding operations directly off of the battery.)




"WormSign" <wormsign (AT) doon (DOT) com> wrote