i've noticed over the last few months that my horn honks on a right turn, now it's on a left as well but not as frequent. is there a quick fix for this or do i need to pay somebody to pull the airbag to fix the wire? thanks

 

You should be able to pull the airbag yourself and check the wire. There's a video on YouTube that can help you if you're unfamiliar.. It's grounded to the steering wheel itself.

If the wire is not broken there then you have to replace the clockspring.

 

A couple years ago I fixed my first horn issue by installing O-rings on two of the posts inside the steering wheel (circled in green below). The red wire you see connected to the vertical bar on the right is what runs into the clock spring. After being parked for most of the last two years I put a new battery in the Maxima and found new issues with the horn. The plastic around the bottom two posts has now deteriorated as well, so I replaced that with more O-rings. No dice. Horn still blares when moving the wheel. For now I have wired a toggle switch in the spot next to the security light on the dash which interrupts the connection at the horn itself. RockAuto does not carry a clock spring for these cars. Courtesy Nissan lists one as out of stock for $445. With the Maxima needing some other mechanical parts to satisfy some new CEL codes, I don't think I'll be investing in a new clock spring anytime soon. I'm hoping my patch is sufficient to pass inspection.

As for the actual process of pulling the airbag, it's really easy, though it does require "tamper proof" torx bits which can be found at most tool stores. I have removed and installed the airbag in this Maxima numerous times over the years to change steering wheels, turn signal switches, etc. Completely disconnect the battery and wait an hour. Pop the covers off the sides and bottom of the steering wheel. Unplug the airbag at the bottom, remove one bolt on each side, and the airbag easily slides out to set aside. Just be sure to reconnect the airbag before you reconnect your battery or the airbag computer will read an error and keep the airbag light on your dash. Unplugging the battery again does not reset this. The reset process involves pressing the driver's door switch some number of times. I messed this up once and found the answer not just here on the forum, but in one of my own posts. Still, I do not remember the exact process. It's easier to just connect the airbag first, then the battery.