Air bag light on, Cruise control not working

For years now the air bag light, cruise control, and the horn haven’t worked on my ‘99. For a while I’ve dealt with it and now that it’s not a DD I haven’t worried with it too much. However, I’ve been working on the truck, redoing little things and the CC is something I really want back. I’ve done some research, and everything appears to point to the clockspring has gone bad. The only thing that confuses me is that usually it seemed like the horn, airbag, and CC all went out if the clock springs is indeed bad. I discovered a few months ago that my horn still works. The connection at the horn itself had been cut some how....so now the horn works but not the CC and air bag light is still on.

I’m just looking for suggestions, perhaps other things to look at before I go taking the steering wheel off and trying to track down another clock spring.

 

If the horn is only working intermittently and the other two signs of a broken clock spring are present then I'd at least take it apart and look at it. The only other possible cause for this would be two separate issues for each malfunctioning system or another shared part of their systems so a wiring diagram might be able to help you out if there is another part of the wiring harness that the SRS and the CC use that the horn doesn't. Intermittent electrical problems are usually a sketchy solder joint that will be pressed into and out of contact depending on whatever incidental forces are acting upon them so I'd still say take a look at the clock spring and maybe you'll find your answer.

 

it is very likely the clockspring has gone bad.

If you want to go with a used OEM one from the junkyard, you can find them on old (early 2000s) corollas, camrys and tundras (much more common in junkyards and they shared the same clockpring). The donor cars must have been built in the US, as clocksprings from japanese-built cars are different, for some reason...

 

I've got what I believe to be a working used clockspring in my garage. It came off of my 2003 Tacoma when I thought that's what my airbag problem was. I'd be willing to part with it. You're kind of a long ways off from me, but I am in Milledgeville from time to time. Could arrange a meet.

Before you agree to such a thing you should check that the same part from my '03 will work in your '99.

 

clutch sag can cause the CC to not work. Theres a microswitch that can be adjusted its under the dash, look where the clutch travels and you'll spot it right away. Adjust it out and try that, also check the fuse and make sure the cable going to the CC module in the hood is connected and not dangling off like mine was. I also had to adjust the clutch switch.

 

I’ll certainly let you know. I’ll do some research and see if it really is the clock spring here in the next few days hopefully

My truck is auto, but I’ll check out the cable going to the module.

 

Similar situation here. My cruise control is very intermittent, but usually doesn't work. I've also had the horn go out, which was fixed by replacing the clockspring. When I had put the new clockspring in, I also got CC working again, however that was short lived. The other day my horn was out again, so I purchased another clockspring (the ebay ones are cheap $25ish but don't seem extremely reliable), however my horn started working again so I haven't replaced it yet. Realistically it's a pretty cheap and easy project to replace it though.

I also have an automatic and was wondering if there was another factor at play as to why the CC would be intermittent. I'm a bit suspect of the silver cruise control box behind the passenger kick panel. On my old jetta these control boxes were known to have bad solders that would form poor connections over the seasons going from hot to cold. Maybe it's the same case with the Tacoma CC control boxes. Maybe I'll try to track down a used one and see if swapping it makes a difference. I can't seem to note any specific patterns of when it does work. Last time it was after sitting a few days during a heat wave. I was wondering if that maybe helped a bad solder form a better connection temporarily.

 

I just bought a 96 Manual and the SRS light just came on this morning. I looked where the clutch travels, I see two white knobs that could be the microswitch you talk about. One is where the clutch travels when it is pressed to the floor and one where the clutch comes up as you're letting out.
We're you saying to adjust the knob that touches when the clutch is out?

The CC does not work but the light comes on when I turn it on. While my horn does work but today is the first day I tried it since buying it Sunday.