Removal Procedure
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:
- The steering column
- The intermediate shaft(s)
- The steering gear
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 become un-centered, refer to your specific SIR coil's centering procedure to re-center SIR Coil.
- Disable the SIR system. SIR Disabling and Enabling
- Remove Steering Column Shroud Steering Column Shroud Replacement
- With the front wheels in the straight ahead position, turn the ignition switch to the OFF position and remove the key from the ignition lock cylinder. Rotate the steering wheel in order to lock the steering column.
- Remove Driver Knee Bolster Panel Driver Knee Bolster Panel Replacement (Equinox)Driver Knee Bolster Panel Replacement (Terrain)
- Remove Driver Knee Bolster Driver Knee Bolster Reinforcement Replacement (Equinox)Driver Knee Bolster Reinforcement Replacement (Terrain)
- Remove Instrument Panel Insulator Panel - Left Side Instrument Panel Insulator Panel Replacement - Left Side (Equinox)Instrument Panel Insulator Panel Replacement - Left Side (Terrain)
- Place match marks on the steering column shaft and on the intermediate steering shaft to aid in installation.
- Separate Intermediate Steering Shaft @ Steering Column Intermediate Steering Shaft Replacement
- Disconnect the steering column electrical connectors as necessary.
- Remove Steering Column Nut (1) (Qty: 4)
- Remove the steering column (1) from the vehicle.
- If replacing the steering column, transfer components as necessary.
- If replacing the steering column, copy the match marks from the OLD steering column to the NEW steering column.
Refer to SIR Warning .
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.