RE: Steering wheel problems

[alex.fadeev@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Henry Kim [mailto:henry.kim@domain.elided] wrote:
> 
> 1) The horn works intermittently.  The fuse is fine, I pulled the
> horn button off and the connections are fine.  I also tested for 
> continuity between the two leads so it appears that the horn is 
> okay and not shorted. I can't seem to think of anything else. 
> I hate to start replacing stuff without figuring out what is 
> actually wrong.

Henry,
When you press the horn button it completes the circuit through a ring in
the steering wheel. Have you removing your steering wheel lately? If so, the
horn ring may have gotten dirty or unseated in the process.

> 2) The steering wheel makes a strange creaking sound when I 
> turn it.  It's coming from the steering wheel and not the rack
> or wheels.  I'm thinking of removing the steering wheel and 
> dousing the guts of the steering column with spray lube. 
> Would this be a good idea?

Yes.

> FWIW, the car is a '89 325iX but the stock steering wheel was 
> swapped for one of those three-spoke leather-wrapped jobs.  I 
> think it's from a e30 cabriolet.

Sounds like the above is the root of your problems. Chances are you got the
wheel from a junk yard where the wheel had been sitting under the elements
for a while. The contacts got oxidized/corroded. Removing the wheel and
cleaning its innards thoroughly should help.

alex f

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