So quite a few things are happening, here's a breakdown of it all.

Engine: My check engine light will come on every now and then, but occasionally it will come on and my engine will start tacking RPM's at around 1500 and won't gain any speed no matter how much throttle. It starts and idles fine at around 800-1000. But when it starts tacking out high, it seems like it doesn't want to shift into 2nd gear (auto trans) and it makes a high pitched whining noise (gets higher pitched the more I put the throttle down). The truck smells like it's running rich and has somewhat of a burnt smell everytime I start it and turn it off.

Electrical: My airbag light blinks three times, then stops, and blinks two more times then stops for a few seconds. Any idea what this code is?

Thanks guys for taking the time to read this, and I appreciate anyone who can help me in the slightest!


- SP

 

airbag is a clockspring code

 

What am I looking at cost/labor wise?

 

couple hundred

 

How crucial would it be to fix it?

 

Very. Because if that light is on the airbag is disabled and won't be there if you need it

 

I agree with previous posts on the airbag.

Engine? You said the check engine light comes on so read the sticky thread on how to read codes and get back to us.

 

Yep! Also list the year model and engine of the truck

 

Alright l check those stickies guys, also it's a 1994 F150 XLT 5.0 302

 

If you buy the clock spring from autozone it's $50, you can get a loaner steering wheel puller and change it yourself. There are hundreds of youtube videos on replacing the clock spring (it's a very easy and basic change out). Just disconnect the battery, let it sit for a little while (10-30 minutes just to loose any charge), unbolt the air bag, column cover, unhook the connector on the column, pull the wheel, replace the clock spring.
I had never done it and it would have only taken an hour if I hadn't stripped the steering wheel threads with the puller ( I used PB blaster, let it sit a day, then the steering wheel just popped off by hand). Just be sure not to hook the battery back up until you are done. I installed a new stereo while I was waiting on PB Blaster to work and hooked the battery up to ensure the radio worked and it fried the ACM thermal fuse ($2 fix but had to special order the thermal fuse and solder it into the ACM). Def. do it yourself it's very easy.

I may be wrong about the next statement but this is what I was told: If the air bag light is flashing codes it limits the codes you can pull from the CEL.

Also: by fixing the clock spring your horn and cruise control will be functional again, the two of those are more important to me than the airbag. I've never had an airbag deploy in 20 years of driving but have used the horn and/or CC almost daily.