Yellow connector on steering column

lunchbox3

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2018
Messages
90
Location
Denver
I’m in the final stages of replacing the heater core. Need help with two things:
  1. The two wires in a yellow connector on the steering column fell out of the connector (it was mostly destroyed by a PO, really!) can anyone tell me which colors go to which side? Here’s a pic of the connector and the wires below.
  2. Second, I can’t get the steering shaft to go back together. The male and female parts by that retaining bolt won’t go together more than 1/4”. What can I do there?

94024


Edit: In case anyone else runs into this, the yellow connector is the drivers airbag connector. And here is the pinout info:
94134
 
Last edited:
I haven’t looked at the TJ steering shaft, but from my experience with other vehicles there’s usually a notch or some other retaining method besides the pinch bolt. The pinch bolt is often just a safeguard.

The two sides that the pinch bolt pull together can get bent closer together, and may prevent disassembly or reassembly. Wedge something in the gap like a flat screwdriver and pry them further apart just enough to get the shafts back together.
 
Thanks for the info. Still wondering which side each wire goes into on the connector. There’s a flair on one side, for reference.
 
Once you find its mate, the colors may line up.

it would be easier to help if we knew the year and info on your jeep.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lunchbox3
Thanks guys. ‘97 2.5L. I’ll check the FSM tonight.

Any ideas for reassembling the shaft? I couldn’t find anything here or on YouTube about it.
 
Have you fully removed the pinch bolt? Or is it just loose in the hole? If you haven’t tried already, completely remove the pinch bolt before inserting the male end into the female end. Most shafts have a notch for the bolt that won’t allow the shaft to come out even if the bolt is loose
 
Have you fully removed the pinch bolt? Or is it just loose in the hole? If you haven’t tried already, completely remove the pinch bolt before inserting the male end into the female end. Most shafts have a notch for the bolt that won’t allow the shaft to come out even if the bolt is loose
Yep, the pinch bolt was completely removed when I removed the steering column on my way to replacing the heater core. It’s like the female end is still pinched or something? I see the notch, and I’m lining that up with the area where the pinch bolt slides in, but I just can’t get the two halves together, and I’m hesitant to just start banging away with a hammer.
 
Yeah my first instinct would be to wedge something like a screwdriver in the gap between the two halves of the female side and expand the opening a bit, and trying to insert the shaft while the gap is held open. I wouldn’t recommend using so much force as to permanently enlarge the gap, but you probably could expand the gap a bit without deforming it permanently
 
  • Like
Reactions: lunchbox3
Yeah my first instinct would be to wedge something like a screwdriver in the gap between the two halves of the female side and expand the opening a bit, and trying to insert the shaft while the gap is held open. I wouldn’t recommend using so much force as to permanently enlarge the gap, but you probably could expand the gap a bit without deforming it permanently
Good idea - I’ll give this a shot tonight.