1999 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA Section 8D

YH4
GRAND
VITARA
14
15
1. Driver air bag (inflator) module
2. Steering wheel
3. Steering wheel nut
4. Contact coil and combination switch assembly
5. Steering column upper cover
6. Steering column lower cover
7. Steering column assembly
8. Steering lock assembly
9. Steering column hole cover
10. Steering shaft joint
11. Steering lower shaft assembly
12. Adjustable steering column release lever
(if equipped)
13. Steering column lower seal
14. With adjustable steering column release lever type
15. Without adjustable steering column release lever type
3C1-2 AIR BAG STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
This double tube type steering column has the following three important features in addition to the steering function:

The column is energy absorbing, designed to compress in a front-end collision.

The ignition switch and lock are mounted conveniently on this column.

With the column mounted lock, the ignition and steering operations can be locked to inhibit theft of the vehicle.
To insure the energy absorbing action, it is important that only the specified screws, bolts, and nuts be used as
designated and that they are tightened to the specified torque. When the column assembly is removed from the
vehicle, special care must be taken in handling it. Use of a steering wheel puller other than the one recommended
in this manual or a sharp blow on the end of the steering shaft, leaning on the assembly, or dropping the assembly
could shear the plastic shear pins which maintain column length and position.
The driver air bag (inflator) module is one of the supplemental restraint (air bag) system components and is
mounted to the center of the steering wheel. During certain frontal crashes, the air bag system supplements the
restraint of the driver's and passenger's seat belts by deploying the air bags. The air bag (inflator) module should
be handled with care to prevent accidental deployment. When servicing, be sure to observe all WARNINGS in this
section. Refer to ªSERVICE PRECAUTIONSº in Section 10B.

YH4
GRAND
VITARA
AIR BAG STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN 3C1-3
DIAGNOSIS
For diagnosis of the steering wheel and steering column, refer to
Section 3. For diagnosis of the air bag system, refer to Section 10B.
INSPECTION AND REPAIR REQUIRED AFTER
ACCIDENT
After an accident, whether the air bag has been deployed or not, be
sure to perform checks, inspections and repairs described under
ªCHECKING STEERING COLUMN FOR ACCIDENT DAMAGEº in
this section as well as ªREPAIRS AND INSPECTIONS REQUIRED
AFTER ACCIDENTº in Section 10B.
ON-VEHICLE SERVICE
SERVICE PRECAUTIONS
For service precautions, refer to ªSERVICE PRECAUTIONSº un-
der ªON-VEHICLE SERVICEº in Section 10B.
DIAGNOSIS AND SERVICING
For diagnosis and servicing, refer to ªDIAGNOSIS AND SERVIC-
INGº under ªSERVICE PRECAUTIONSº in Section 10B.
DISABLING AIR BAG SYSTEM
For disabling air bag system, refer to ªDISABLING AIR BAG SYS-
TEMº under ªSERVICE PRECAUTIONSº in Section 10B.
ENABLING AIR BAG SYSTEM
For enabling air bag system, refer to ªENABLING AIR BAG SYS-
TEMº under ªSERVICE PRECAUTIONSº in Section 10B.
HANDLING AND STORAGE
For handling and storage, refer to ªHANDLING AND STORAGEº
under ªSERVICE PRECAUTIONSº in Section 10B.
DISPOSAL
For disposal, refer to ªDISPOSALº under ªSERVICE PRECAU-
TIONSº in Section 10B.

YH4
GRAND
VITARA
1 11
1. Mounting bolt
1. Driver air bag (inflator) module connector
2. Horn connector
3. Driver air bag (inflator) module
4. Steering wheel
3C1-4 AIR BAG STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN
DRIVE AIR BAG (INFLATOR) MODULE
WARNING:
When handling an air bag (inflator) module, be sure to read
ªSERVICE PRECAUTIONSº under ªON-VEHICLE SERVICEº
in Section 10B and observe each instruction. Failure to fol-
low them could cause a damage to the air bag (inflator) mod-
ule or result in personal injury.
REMOVAL
1) Disconnect negative battery cable at battery terminal.
2) Disable air bag system. Refer to ªDISABLING AIR BAG SYS-
TEMº under ªSERVICE PRECAUTIONSº in Section 10B.
3) Loosen 2 bolts mounting driver air bag (inflator) module till it
turns freely, pull them out and fix them to bolt clamps.
4) Remove air bag (inflator) module from steering wheel.
5) Remove driver air bag (inflator) module (yellow) connector and
horn connector from steering wheel.
6) Disconnect driver air bag (inflator) module (yellow) connector of
driver air bag (inflator) module and horn connector as shown in
the figure.
ii) Release locking of lever.
ii) After unlocked, disconnect connector.
WARNING:
Special care is necessary when handling and storing a
live (undeployed) air bag (inflator) module. Observe
ªSERVICE PRECAUTIONSº under ªON-VEHICLE SER-
VICEº in Section 10B. Otherwise, personal injury may re-
sult.

YH4
GRAND
VITARA
6, (a)
1. Trim cover (pad surface)
2. Inflator case
3. Wire harness
1. Driver air bag (inflator) module connector
2. Horn connector
3. Driver air bag (inflator) module
4. Steering wheel
5. Mounting bolt (left side)
6. Mounting bolt (right side)
AIR BAG STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN 3C1-5
INSPECTION
WARNING:
Never disassemble air bag (inflator) module or measure its
resistance. Otherwise, personal injury may result.
CAUTION:
If air bag (inflator) module was dropped from a height of
90 cm (3 ft) or more, it should be replaced.
Check air bag (inflator) module visually and if any of the following
is found, replace it with a new one.

Air bag being deployed.

Trim cover (pad surface) being cracked.

Wire harness or connector being damaged.

Air bag (inflator) module being damaged or having been exposed
to strong impact (dropped).
INSTALLATION
1) Connect horn connector securely.
2) Connect yellow connector of driver air bag (inflator) module con-
nector as shown in the figure securely.
ii) Connect connector.
ii) Lock connector with lock lever.
3) Install horn connector and driver air bag (inflator) module con-
nector.
4) Install driver air bag (inflator) module to steering wheel, taking
care so that no part of wire harness is caught between them.
5) Make sure that clearance between module and steering wheel
is uniform all the way.
6) Tighten driver air bag (inflator) module mounting bolt (left side)
to specified torque first and then driver air bag (inflator) module
mounting bolt (right side) to specified torque.
Tightening Torque
(a): 9 N
.m (0.9 kg-m, 6.5 lb-ft)
7) Connect negative battery cable.
8) Enable air bag system. Refer to ªENABLING AIR BAG SYS-
TEMº under ªSERVICE PRECAUTIONSº in Section 10B.

YH4
GRAND
VITARA
(A)
1
1. Make alignment marks
1. Steering wheel
Turn slowly till coil stops
Turn contact coil back about 2 and
a half turns
1. Align marks
3C1-6 AIR BAG STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN
STEERING WHEEL
CAUTION:
Removal of the steering wheel allows the contact coil to turn
freely but do not turn the contact coil (on the combination
switch) more than allowable number of turns (about two and
a half turns from the center position clockwise or counter-
clockwise respectively), or coil will break.
REMOVAL
1) Remove driver air bag (inflator) module from steering wheel re-
ferring to ªDRIVER AIR BAG (INFLATOR) MODULEº earlier in
this section.
2) Remove steering shaft nut.
3) Make alignment marks on steering wheel and shaft for a guide
during reinstallation.
4) Remove steering wheel with special tool.
Special Tool
(A): 09944-36011
CAUTION:
Do not hammer the end of the shaft. Hammering it will
loosen the plastic shear pins which maintain the column
length and impair the collapsible design of the column.
CENTERING CONTACT COIL
1) Check that vehicle's wheels (front tires) are set at straight-ahead
position.
2) Check that ignition switch is at ªLOCKº position.
3) Turn contact coil counterclockwise slowly with a light force till
contact coil will not turn any further.
NOTE:
Contact coil can turn about 5 turns at maximum, that is, if
it is at the center position, can turn about two and a half
turns both clockwise and counterclockwise.
4) From the position where contact coil became unable to turn any
further (it stopped), turn it back clockwise about two and a half
rotations and align center mark with alignment mark.

YH4
GRAND
VITARA
1
1. Lugs
2. Grooves
3. Alignment marks
2. Steering column upper cover
3. Steering column lower cover 1. Steering column
cover screw
(a)
1. Steering column hole cover
AIR BAG STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN 3C1-7
INSTALLATION
1) Check that vehicle's front tires are at straight-ahead position and
contact coil is centered. Refer to ªCENTERING CONTACT
COILº in this section.
CAUTION:
These two conditions are prerequisite for installation of
steering wheel. If steering wheel has been installed with-
out these conditions, contact coil will break when steer-
ing wheel is turned.
2) Install steering wheel to steering shaft with 2 lugs on contact coil
fitted in two grooves in the back of steering wheel and also align-
ing marks on steering wheel and steering shaft.
3) Tighten steering shaft nut to specified torque.
Tightening Torque
(a): 33 N
.m (3.3 kg-m, 23.5 lb-ft)
4) Install driver air bag (inflator) module to steering wheel. Refer to
ªDRIVER AIR BAG (INFLATOR) MODULEº in this section.
CONTACT COIL AND COMBINATION SWITCH
ASSEMBLY
CAUTION:
Do not turn contact coil (on combination switch) more than
allowable number of turns (about two and a half turns from
the center position clockwise or counterclockwise respec-
tively), or coil will break.
REMOVAL
1) Remove steering wheel from steering column. Refer to
ªSTEERING WHEELº in this section.
2) Remove steering column hole cover.
3) Remove steering column cover screws (3 pieces).
4) Separate upper cover and lower cover, then remove them.
5) Disconnect all connectors for contact coil and combination
switch assembly.

YH4
GRAND
VITARA
1
1. Steering column hole cover 1. Steering column cover screw
2. Steering column upper cover
3. Steering column lower cover: Standard screw
: Tapping screw
*
* *
AIR BAG STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN 3C1-9
3) Connect all connectors that have been removed in removal.
4) Install steering column upper and lower cover, and then tighten
steering column cover screws.
CAUTION:
When installing lower cover and upper cover, be careful
so that contact coil and combination switch lead wire is
not caught between covers.
5) Install steering column hole cover.
6) Install steering wheel to steering column. Refer to ªSTEERING
WHEELº in this section.
STEERING COLUMN
CAUTION:
Once the steering column is removed from the vehicle, the
column is extremely susceptible to damage.
Dropping the column assembly on its end could collapse
the steering shaft or loosen the plastic shear pins which
maintain column length leaning on the column assembly
could cause it to bend or deform.
Any of the above damage could impair the column's col-
lapsible design.
When loosening steering column mounting bolts, make
sure that steering column assembly and steering shaft low-
er assembly have been separated. Loosening them with
steering column assembly and steering shaft lower assem-
bly assembled could cause damage to bearing in steering
shaft lower assembly.
NOTE:
When servicing steering column or any column-mounted
component, remove steering wheel. But when removing steer-
ing column simply to gain access to instrument panel compo-
nents, leave steering wheel installed on steering column.

YH4
GRAND
VITARA
1. Steering column assembly
2. Steering shaft joint
3. Marks
1. Steering column assembly
2. Steering shaft joint
3. Steering lower shaft assembly
4. Bolt (column side)
5. Bolt (lower shaft assembly side)1. Steering column hole cover
1
3C1-10 AIR BAG STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN
REMOVAL
WARNING:
Never rest a steering column assembly on the steering
wheel with air bag (inflator) module face down and column
vertical. Otherwise personal injury may result.
1) Disconnect negative battery cable at battery terminal.
2) Disable air bag system. Refer to ªDISABLING AIR BAG SYS-
TEMº under ªSERVICE PRECAUTIONSº in Section 10B.
3) Remove steering wheel and contact coil and combination switch
assembly, if necessary. Refer to ªSTEERING WHEELº and
ªCONTACT COIL AND COMBINATION SWITCH ASSEMBLYº
in this section.
Perform the following procedure if not removing steering wheel
and/or combination switch.
ii) Turn steering wheel so that vehicle's front tires are at straight-
ahead position.
ii) Turn ignition switch to ªLOCKº position and remove key.
4) Remove steering column hole cover.
5) Disconnect all connectors for the following parts.

Contact coil and combination switch

Ignition switch
6) Make alignment marks on shaft joint and shaft (column side) for
a guide during reinstallation.
7) After removing bolt on column side of shaft joint and loosening
bolt on its lower shaft assembly side, move shaft joint to lower
shaft assembly side (in arrow direction in the figure).