Steering Wheel: Service and Repair

STEERING WHEEL

REMOVAL
1. Position steering wheel so that tires are aimed straight-ahead.
2. Disconnect and isolate battery negative remote cable.
3. Remove speed control switch screws from back of steering wheel. Pull the switch pods out and disconnect wire connectors.
4. Remove Driver Airbag attaching bolts from steering wheel.





5. Lift airbag and disconnect airbag squib connectors using finger grip (Fig. 18). Use care not to pull on wires. Never use a metallic tool to pry on the connector.
6. Disconnect horn wire connector from airbag mounting bracket (Fig. 18). Remove driver airbag.





7. If equipped with remote audio control switches, disconnect 4-way connector between clockspring and steering wheel wiring harness (Fig. 19).





8. Unscrew steering wheel retaining bolt (Fig. 20) almost all the way out (approximately 15 mm). Do not completely remove the bolt at this time.

CAUTION: When installing the wheel puller on the steering wheel, be sure puller bolts are hand threaded no more than 5 revolutions in the threaded holes of the steering wheel. Avoid contact between the bolts and the face of the clockspring, otherwise damage to the clockspring may result.

9. Install puller on steering wheel.

10. While holding steering wheel firmly in straight-ahead position, loosen steering wheel using wheel puller. Remove puller from wheel.
11. Remove retaining bolt, then steering wheel. Carefully feed all wires through steering wheel armature to avoid damaging wires as steering wheel is removed.

INSTALLATION

CAUTION: Do not install steering wheel by driving it onto the shaft. Pull steering wheel down onto steering column shaft using ONLY the steering wheel retaining bolt.

1. Ensure that road wheels are aimed straight-ahead.
2. Ensure that clockspring is centered by using centering indicator. Refer to Clockspring Centering Procedure.
3. Ensure that turn signal stalk is in neutral position.
4. As steering wheel is installed onto steering shaft, pay special attention to following:
a) Carefully route clockspring wires over top of the steering wheel armature, through wheel.
b) Ensure that pocket in rear of steering wheel hub lines up with drive pin on clockspring rotor.
c) Ensure that block tooth in steering wheel hub lines up with missing tooth on steering column shaft.
5. Install and tighten steering wheel retaining bolt (Fig. 20) to 54 Nm (40 ft. lbs.) torque.
6. If equipped with remote audio control switches, connect 4-way connector between clockspring and steering wheel wiring harness (Fig. 19). Store connection behind tab in steering wheel housing.
7. Connect horn lead wiring connector at driver airbag bracket (Fig. 18).
8. Route speed control wires under mechanism and through speed control switch pockets.
9. Connect airbag squib leads to Driver Airbag (Fig. 18). Be sure squib wiring connectors are securely latched into airbag connectors. Check that wires do not get pinched during installation.
10. Place airbag into mounted position. Install airbag mounting bolts and tighten the left side first. Tighten to 9.6 ± 1.0 Nm (85 ± 10 inch lbs.) torque.
11. Connect speed control wires to switches and install switches. Tighten screws to 1.4 ± .3 Nm (12 ± 3 inch lbs.) torque.
12. To properly connect battery and test airbag system.