The steering wheel and column components include the following
parts:
The locking, energy-absorbing steering column includes 3 important
features in addition to the steering function:
| • | The column is energy-absorbing. The column is designed to compress
in a front-end collision in order to minimize the possibility of injury to
the driver of the vehicle. |
| • | The ignition switch and the lock are mounted conveniently on the
column. |
| • | With the column-mounted lock, the ignition, the steering, and
the gearshifting operation can be locked in order to deter a theft of the
vehicle. |
The column may be disassembled and reassembled. In order to ensure the
energy-absorbing action, use only the specified screws, bolts, and nuts. Tighten
the fasteners to the specified torque.
The following actions may result in shearing or loosening the plastic
fasteners that maintain column rigidity:
| • | A sharp blow on the end of the steering shaft or the shift lever |
| • | Leaning on the column assembly |
