Warning: The vehicles described in this manual are equipped with a passive restraint system (SRS), also known as an air spring system. Before carrying out work in the area where the elements of this system are located, you should turn off its power, since accidental deployment of the airbags can result in serious injury (see chapter 12).
Removal
1. Park the car with its wheels in a straight direction. Disconnect the negative battery cable. Disable SRS (see chapter 12).
2. Remove the steering wheel (see subsection 17), then turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position to lock the steering column shaft.
Caution: Failure to do so may result in damage to the spring mechanism.
3. Remove the knee buffer and the reinforcement behind it (see chapter 11).
4. If your vehicle has a tilt steering column, pull the tilt lever out of the steering column.
5. Remove the steering column housing covers (see chapter 11).
6. Disconnect the steering column and body wiring harness connectors (see illustrations).
17.6a. Disconnect the steering wheel electrical connectors
17.6b. Disconnect the body wiring harness plug
7. Remove the screw that secures the left heater air duct (see illustration). Move the air duct so that you can disconnect its temperature sensor, then disconnect the sensor and remove the air duct.
17.7. unscrew the fastening screw and remove the left heater air duct
8. Unscrew the shaft screw nut and remove the bolt that secures the steering column shaft to the upper intermediate shaft (see illustration).
17.8. Bolt and nut securing the upper intermediate shaft to the steering column shaft; Do not try to remove the bolt as it has a locking mechanism. Unscrew the nut, then pull out the bolt
Note: Unscrew the nut without removing the bolt. Note the original position of the steering column shaft and the intermediate shaft.
9. Unscrew the steering column mounting nuts (see illustration), lower the column and pull it back, after making sure that nothing is connected to it. Separate the intermediate and steering shafts and remove the steering column.
17.9. Unscrew the steering column mounting nuts
Installation
Note: When installing a new steering column, check to see if it has a split pin.
Remove it if necessary.
10. Place the steering column in its original location, connect the intermediate shaft, then install the nuts, but do not tighten them yet.
11. Install the tie rod bolt and nut, then tighten the nut to the required torque.
12. Tighten the steering column mounting nuts to the required torque.
13. The remainder of the assembly is carried out in the reverse order of removal.