is this normal for the steering wheel (pic)
 

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...9039093398.jpg

at the bottom of the steering wheel the airbag cover doesn't sit flush with the the rest of the wheel, it sits up @ 3/8" of so

Mine is the same, I guess it's normal.

i think so, cos mine sits the same as yours and i believe most people driving the earlier models have the same thing

This was a common problem with this year x type. The material that they used for the dash and the steering wheel changes in size depending on temperature. The picture above and the common problem of defroster vents popping out in cold or warm weather are both symptoms from this.

When I first bought my x type I was worried just like you were, but now I can sleep easy knowing I still have an airbag behind there :D

thanks, seems for this to be a high end name brand they used some crap materials and parts

My 2004 is the same, I am sure Arizona temperature doesn't help! I wish it was possible to replace it but I think it's an all or nothing deal with the airbag.

my 2005 sport is made a little different but is still doing the same on the top part. i used commercial grade double sided tape to tack it down. not sure what effect it will have in air bag. hope i dont have to find out either:icon_nut:

I have looked into replacing mine and it is completely over kill to pull the airbag and risk faulty connection for a cosmetic problem

One word: Ford

Our '03 with 77,000+ miles on it doesn't look anything like this. All parts inside and out fit flush just the way they should. The vents are flush with the dash pad also.

My 2003 x-type with 100,000 miles on it has this problem also. I bought it that way though. I just thought it was supposed to be that way! My defroster vents popped out also. Working on that problem now.

My 2003 X-Type is tha same way as well as my defroster vents popping out.

My 2004 looks the same way.

yea I gotta do the defroster vents. Already replaced the cheap ass headlights to the tune of $850

If your defroster vents keep popping out and making a bunch of noise, run electrical tape around the sides of where the vent is supposed to go in on the dash. Seemed to do the trick for me with keeping the noise down and having them not pop out all the time.

Horn Pad
 

Yep mine is the same way. My dealer told me very frankly the air bag interferes with the horn pad and they all stick out like that. My friend the parts manager told me privately that it is a poorly designed piece. I have seen later X's and one and 07 had a better fitting horn pad. But it still stuck out a bit. Hey don't feel bad I saw a Porsche with the same problem.:icon_sultan: The Sultan of Doo Wop

Wow...thought I was alone...obviously not....my steering wheel on my 03 2.5 is exactly the same...and my defroster vent is totally out of the place where it should go...gonna try the electrical tape and see what happens. It seems like the dash gets melted out of shape or something because nothing seems to be wrong with the vent itself. Cheap design for sure....

I fought these demister vents every day shortly after the X-Type was introduced!!!!

bob gauff

Hi Guys, I have a 2007 SE and mine sits flush..............I think.

Hope this helps

Re: Rattling Defroster Vents

What's a Sunload Sensor?
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