I replaced the rack in my '99 Ford Taurus and like a bonehead forgot the part in the manual about not allowing the steering wheel to rotate while the rack was not attached to the steering knuckles on the steering shaft (I had rotated the wheel to get the through-bolt to line up after I got the rack all bolted up).
Anyway, now the airbag warning light flashes after startup and remains on while the car is driven. I know something got out of whack as now the cruise control doesn't work and neither does the horn.
What will it take to fix this problem? I have access to several same- year cars at the local junkyard. I imagine that something in the steering column will need to be replaced.
I feel foolish for letting this happen and my only excuse is that I was exhausted after pulling the old rack and installing the new one. I've been wrenching on cars for many years and I can say that pulling the rack and replacing it was the worst job I can remember.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.