mts Posted April 20, 2006 Report Share Posted April 20, 2006 Originally posted by "mazda-fla" You remove the plastic cover around the steering column. Then remove and install the new one. Only a couple of screws to remove the plastic cover around the column, a couple of bolts for the motor, and a wiring harness. Doesn't require removing the steering wheel or airbag. Shouldn't be that hard to change. In addition to the motor, there is also a tilt relay, tilt switch, and tilt sensor (the thing you insert the key into). So if your tilt wheel doesn't work it is most likely a bad motor, but replacing the motor is not 100% guarenteed to fix the problem, because it could be one of the other components. If the manual up-down lever works fine and it is just the auto-tilt not working, then it is probably the tilt relay, tilt switch, or tilt sensor that is bad. However, if both the manual up-down lever and auto-tilt are inoperative, then it is most likely a bad motor. I haven't actually changed one, but I got the instructions on how it works and how to change it because I was going to change mine because mine broke in "truck driver" position. However, I eventually got mine into a confortable position by messing with the manual lever over a period of a few days, then just turned off the auto tilt. So, mine is permenentally broken in the right spot. The "manual lever" is not what you are thinking. It is the little up-down lever next to the auto tilt button. You manually raise and lower the steering wheel (as oppose to automatically letting it raise and lower). However, the "manual lever" still uses the electric motor to raise and lower the wheel. It is not a true manual (mechanical) way to raise and lower the wheel like other cars use, it is electric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdubs99 Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 Originally posted by "mazda-fla" You remove the plastic cover around the steering column. Then remove and install the new one. Only a couple of screws to remove the plastic cover around the column, a couple of bolts for the motor, and a wiring harness. Doesn't require removing the steering wheel or airbag. Shouldn't be that hard to change. In addition to the motor, there is also a tilt relay, tilt switch, and tilt sensor (the thing you insert the key into). So if your tilt wheel doesn't work it is most likely a bad motor, but replacing the motor is not 100% guarenteed to fix the problem, because it could be one of the other components. If the manual up-down lever works fine and it is just the auto-tilt not working, then it is probably the tilt relay, tilt switch, or tilt sensor that is bad. However, if both the manual up-down lever and auto-tilt are inoperative, then it is most likely a bad motor. I haven't actually changed one, but I got the instructions on how it works and how to change it because I was going to change mine because mine broke in "truck driver" position. However, I eventually got mine into a confortable position by messing with the manual lever over a period of a few days, then just turned off the auto tilt. So, mine is permenentally broken in the right spot. The "manual lever" is not what you are thinking. It is the little up-down lever next to the auto tilt button. You manually raise and lower the steering wheel (as oppose to automatically letting it raise and lower). However, the "manual lever" still uses the electric motor to raise and lower the wheel. It is not a true manual (mechanical) way to raise and lower the wheel like other cars use, it is electric * Short of removing the entire dashboard, unfortunately drilling holes was the best method I could see. A few beige, gray, or beige painted friction pops shouldn't remove much of the class from this repair. I highly doubt the motor is bad. I disassembled the entire motor to get to the root of the problem. When the key is inserted, it triggers a relay that sends 12v+ to two contacts that make direct contact with a combination shaft/gear/inductor. The contacts get caked with a combination of grease and oxidized metal. Smells heavily of atmosphere when disassembled. This is why the "beat the shit out of the steering wheel" method works. It causes friction in a different direction that dislodges some of the metal cake. 20 careful minutes of metal brushing and spray silicon got the copper contacts back into like new condition. My tilt steering works every time now, and faster than ever. It also explains why no amount of beating on the wheel in winter would make the motor begin to function. Cold temps would make that metal cake on the contacts more dense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
///BHRpowered Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 I still have to take my cover off and grease up the shaft a bit, sqweaked just a bit about a month ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latinopikachu Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 AHA a fault is detected Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
///BHRpowered Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 no, a fault be if it stopped working or made a horrible sound, could have just been the temp that day, but its been about a month since I'v gone into its capsule and see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdubs99 Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 The buildup of that cake around the contacts is slow. It took 7 years for enough to build up to affect the electrical connection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
///BHRpowered Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 I have recently heard of many people simply cleaning them and it working fine, rarely actually needing a new motor. I hardly ever use mine though, at most maybe 5-6 times a year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latinopikachu Posted September 10, 2008 Report Share Posted September 10, 2008 a squeak is a squeak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
///BHRpowered Posted September 10, 2008 Report Share Posted September 10, 2008 and what am I doing about it? I'm going in and taking care of it, nothing is broken, even door hinges have to be lubed now and then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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