I have an annoying tapping/knock from the steering wheel airbag container.

It only happens on rough road surfaces.

I have removed the surrounding panels without a problem.

I need advice on how to remove the centre assembly from the steering wheel to locate the offending part thats tapping.

Thanks,John.Bristol.UK.

Pop the bonnet and disconnect the negative terminal from the battery, then disconnect the positive terminal.

Allow the car to sit for at least 20 minutes before you proceed further to allow residual electrical charge to dissipate.

Locate the small holes on both sides of the back of the steering wheel.

Place a 3-mm hex-head key into one of the holes and push it in firmly to pop out the airbag from one side of the steering wheel.

Repeat the process on the other side of the steering wheel until the airbag falls out of the steering wheel.

Locate the wiring harnesses leading into the back of the steering wheel.

Use a flathead screwdriver to pry the protective cover off the back of the airbag harnesses and then push the clip in to pull the harnesses off the airbag.

Place the airbag to one side face up in a safe place.

I think you may have to take the steering wheel off on some models,

It is recommended that you disconnect the battery, incase the airbag goes off - which could be dangerous (watch you don't loose your radio code)

Just to confirm my post, here's the Ford workshop guide-

Pop the bonnet and disconnect the negative terminal from the battery, then disconnect the positive terminal.

Allow the car to sit for at least 20 minutes before you proceed further to allow residual electrical charge to dissipate.

Locate the small holes on both sides of the back of the steering wheel.

Place a 3-mm hex-head key into one of the holes and push it in firmly to pop out the airbag from one side of the steering wheel.

Repeat the process on the other side of the steering wheel until the airbag falls out of the steering wheel.

Locate the wiring harnesses leading into the back of the steering wheel.

Use a flathead screwdriver to pry the protective cover off the back of the airbag harnesses and then push the clip in to pull the harnesses off the airbag.

Place the airbag to one side face up in a safe place.

Many thanks for the advice.

I followed thye instructions given to the letter and also the Haynes manual method using a small screw driver..

Neither way would the springs move to release/airbag unit.

I can see the curled top of the spring ? using a mirror and its really tantilising as Iam becoming an expert at removing the surrounding panels for easy access. :).

Perhaps I pushing in the wrong direct but I have tried variants.

Sorry to be a pain but I would like to solve this problem.

ATB,

John.

Looks like a tricky one - (i wrote out my 1st answer before anyone else had posted)

is it possible the rattling is coming from somewhere else and resonating through the steering column? ie - would the rattling happen if you jacked the front of the car up and turned the sterring wheel briskly from side to side, would it still rattle or is it just on rough roads?

Im not saying you are wrong about where the rattling is coming from, but sometimes an annoying rattle may seem to come from one place, is really coming from elsewhere

Thanks Guys, I had thought of making up a form of stethoscope to listen while driving.

It does not happen on smooth roads and is not a metallic tap, more like shaking an item in a plastic container,there is nothing at the upper end of the steering column area that's loose.

It just Bl--dy tantalizing.and I will not give up a until I find out was what it is. John.

First of all thanks for the help to date, I can get the Air bag out OK.

There is no rattle or anything loose in the assembly when I shake it.

My Airbag is for 2003 fusion and has 2 wiring plugs at the back,one green and the other Black.

A good friend has given me a Fusion replacement airbag to try out if I wish, but its only got a single back plug at the back.2005 ???

Would it be a problem if I tried it out should the tapping still persist.

Thanks again.

John.