The steering wheel and column includes 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 the event of 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 on the column. |
| • | With the column-mounted lock, the ignition, the steering, and
the gearshifting operation can be locked in order to deter theft of the
vehicle. |
The column may be disassembled and reassembled. In order to ensure the
proper 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 of 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 |
