Removal Procedure
- The steering column
- The intermediate shaft(s)
- The steering gear
- With the steering wheel in the straight ahead position, LOCK the steering column.
- Remove the upper trim cover and the lower trim cover from the steering column. Refer to Steering Column Lower Trim Cover Replacement .
- Remove the instrument panel lower trim pad cover. Refer to Instrument Panel Lower Trim Pad Cover Replacement (Without AAL) , Instrument Panel Lower Trim Pad Cover Replacement (With AAL) .
- Remove the left side floor air outlet duct. Refer to Floor Air Outlet Duct Replacement - Left Side (LHD) .
- Disconnect any electrical connectors as necessary.
- Use paint in order to place match marks on the intermediate steering shaft (1) and on the steering gear pinion shaft (3).
- Remove the intermediate steering shaft lower bolt (2).
- Disconnect the intermediate steering shaft from the steering gear pinion shaft.
- Support the steering column.
- Remove the 2 steering column lower support bracket bolts (1, 2).
- Remove the 2 steering column upper support bracket nuts (1, 2).
- Remove the steering column assembly (1) from the vehicle.
- Transfer components as necessary.
With wheels of the vehicle facing straight ahead, secure the steering wheel utilizing steering column anti-rotation pin, steering column lock, or a strap to prevent rotation. Locking of the steering column will prevent damage and a possible malfunction of the SIR system. The steering wheel must be secured in position before disconnecting the following components:
After disconnecting these components, do not rotate the steering wheel or move the front tires and wheels. Failure to follow this procedure may cause the SIR coil assembly to become un-centered and cause possible damage to the SIR coil. If you think the SIR coil has became un-centered, refer to your specific SIR coil's centering procedure to re-center SIR Coil.
Do not support the steering column by only the lower or upper support bracket. Damage to the column lower bearing adapter could result.
Once the steering column is removed from the vehicle, the column is extremely susceptible to damage. Dropping the column assembly on the end could collapse the steering shaft or loosen the plastic injections, which maintain column rigidity. Leaning on the column assembly could cause the jacket to bend or deform. Any of the above damage could impair the columns collapsible design. Do NOT hammer on the end of the shaft, because hammering could loosen the plastic injections, which maintain column rigidity. If you need to remove the steering wheel, refer to the Steering Wheel Replacement procedure in this section.