End of February lost steering wheel lights, cruise, horn and airbag. I did all the research and found the part on a Toyota site for 459.00 plus labor from local auto repair 300-400 dollars. Part arrived was not a clock spring! RMAd and they refunded. I then found it on eBay from a Cali auto store, Isumo brand with good reviews, 30 dollars! It arrived brand new, installed today (209 labor so nice) and below is the former.

I assume it should have been wound not folded in in itself.

Mechanic said it fell apart when he pulled it off.

How does that even happen?

 

The spring is wound up inside its housing like a coiled tape measure. If when the mechanic pulled the steering wheel off the housing opened up the "spring" would then be pulled out.

Failed housing. How it failed don't know.

 

I am aware. Question is how it ended up folded accordion like in the past month. also the ribbon is broken in the middle of the length not at either end

 

Is the ribbon wind up spring broken?

 

no idea. just was wondering how it got folded

 

Perhaps the ribbon works like a retractable tape measure. Here a coiled ribbon spring keeps the tape measure wound up. If the spring breaks the tape can't wind up on its own.

In the case of the cars clock spring the ribbon winds and unwinds as the steering wheel rotates. If the clock spring is broken the ribbon will not retract and will start to bind up over itself which appears to be the case in the photo.

 

thanks for the info