Page 172 of 801
YH4
GRAND
VITARA
1. Steering wheel pad
2. Steering wheel pad screw
3. Steering wheel nut
4. Steering wheel
5. Combination switch
6. Steering column upper cover
7. Steering column lower cover
8. Steering column assembly
9. Steering lock assembly
10. Steering column hole cover
11. Steering shaft joint
12. Steering lower shaft assembly
13. Adjustable steering column release lever
14. Steering column lower seal
: If equipped
*
3C-2 STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN
DIAGNOSIS
For diagnosis of the steering wheel, steering column and steering shaft lower assembly, refer to Section 3.
INSPECTION AND REPAIR REQUIRED AFTER ACCIDENT
After an accident, be sure to perform checks, inspections and repairs described under ªCHECKING STEERING
COLUMN FOR ACCIDENT DAMAGEº in this section.
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1. Steering wheel
2. Steering wheel pad
3. Screw
1. Steering shaft nut
1. Steering wheel
1. Lugs
2. Grooves
3. Alignment marks
STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN 3C-3
ON-VEHICLE SERVICE
STEERING WHEEL
REMOVAL
1) Disconnect negative battery cable at battery terminal.
2) Remove steering wheel pad screw.
3) Remove steering wheel pad and disconnect horn harness.
4) Remove steering shaft nut.
5) Make alignment marks on steering wheel and shaft for a guide
during reinstallation.
6) 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.
INSTALLATION
1) Install steering wheel to steering shaft with 2 lugs on combina-
tion switch fitted in two grooves in the back of steering wheel and
also aligning marks on steering wheel and steering shaft.
2) Tighten steering shaft nut to specified torque.
Tightening Torque
(a): 33 N
.m (3.3 kg-m, 23.5 lb-ft)
3) Connect horn harness and install steering wheel pad.
4) Tighten steering wheel pad screw.
5) Connect negative battery cable.
Page 175 of 801

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VITARA
1. Steering column hole cover
2. If equipped
1. Steering column cover screw
2. Steering column lower cover
3. Steering column upper cover: Tapping screw
: Standard screw
*
* *
STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN 3C-5
3) Install steering column upper and lower cover.
4) Tighten steering column cover screws.
CAUTION:
When installing lower cover and upper cover, be careful
so that combination switch lead wire is not caught be-
tween covers.
5) Install steering column hole cover.
6) Install steering wheel to steering column. Refer to ªSTEERING
WHEELº in this section.
7) Connect battery negative cable.
STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY
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.
REMOVAL
1) Disconnect negative battery cable at battery terminal.
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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
: If equipped
*
3C-6 STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN
2) Remove steering wheel and combination switch, if necessary.
Refer to ªSTEERING WHEELº and ªCOMBINATION SWITCHº
in this section.
Perform the following procedure if not removing steering wheel
and / or combination switch.
i) Turn steering wheel so that vehicle's front tires are at straight-
ahead position.
ii) Turn ignition switch to ªLOCKº position and remove key.
3) Remove steering column hole cover.
4) Disconnect all connectors for the following parts.
Combination switch
Ignition switch
Immobilizer control system parts (if equipped)
5) Make alignment marks on shaft joint and shaft (column side) for
a guide during reinstallation.
6) 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).
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VITARA
1. Steering column
2. Mounting bolt
3. Steering column lower seal
4. Dash panel
1. Steering column lower seal
In engine room
In cabin
3C-8 STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN
4) Check steering column lower seal for breakage or deformation.
If found defective, replace.
5) Check steering shaft joints and shaft for any damages such as
crack, breakage, malfunction or excessive play.
If anything is found faulty, replace as steering lower shaft assem-
bly or steering column assembly.
6) Check steering shaft for smooth rotation.
If found defective, replace as column assembly.
7) Check steering shaft and column for bend, cracks or deforma-
tion.
If found defective, replace as column assembly.
INSTALLATION
CAUTION:
After tightening steering column mounting bolts, steering
shaft joint bolts should be tightened.
After tightening steering column lower bolts, steering col-
umn upper bolts should be tightened.
1) Be sure that front wheels and steering wheel are in straight-
ahead position.
2) If equipped with shift (key) interlock cable, install shift (key) inter-
lock cable to ignition switch.
3) Install steering column assembly to dash panel and upper
bracket so that boss of steering column lower seal and all around
it project out of hole in dash panel into engine room. Tighten
steering column lower bolts (4 pieces) first and then upper bolts
(2 pieces) to specified torque.
Tightening Torque
(a): 23 N
.m (2.3 kg-m, 17.0 lb-ft)
Page 179 of 801
YH4
GRAND
VITARA
1. Steering shaft joint
2. Steering shaft (column side)
3. Marks
1. Steering shaft joint
2. Bolt (column side)
3. Bolt (lower shaft assembly side)
1. Steering column hole cover
: If equipped
*
STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN 3C-9
4) Install steering shaft joint to steering shaft by matching it to
marks made before removal.
5) Install shaft joint bolt (column side) to steering shaft joint. Tighten
shaft joint bolt (column side) to specified torque first and then
shaft joint bolt (lower shaft assembly side) to specified torque.
Tightening Torque
(b): 25 N
.m (2.5 kg-m, 18.0 lb-ft)
6) If combination switch is removed, install combination switch.
Refer to ªCOMBINATION SWITCHº in this section.
7) Connect all connectors that have been removed in removal.
8) Install steering column hole cover.
9) If steering wheel is removed, install steering wheel. Refer to
ªSTEERING WHEELº in this section.
10) Connect negative battery cable.
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VITARA
1. Steering column
2. Steering lock
1. Center punch (with sharp point)
2. Steering lock mounting bolt
1. Steering column
2. Steering shaft
3C-10 STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN
STEERING LOCK ASSEMBLY (IGNITION
SWITCH)
REMOVAL
1) Remove steering column. Refer to ªSTEERING COLUMNº in
this section.
2) Using center punch as shown, loosen and remove steering lock
mounting bolts.
NOTE:
Use care not to damage aluminum part of steering lock
body with center punch.
3) Turn ignition key to ªACCº or ªONº position and remove steering
lock assembly from steering column.
INSTALLATION
1) Position oblong hole of steering shaft in the center of hole in col-
umn.
2) Turn ignition key to ªACCº or ªONº position and install steering
lock assembly onto column.
3) Now turn ignition key to ªLOCKº position and pull it out.
4) Align hub on lock with oblong hole of steering shaft and rotate
shaft to assure that steering shaft is locked.
5) Tighten new bolts until head of each bolt is broken off.
6) Turn ignition key to ªACCº or ªONº position and check to be sure
that steering shaft rotates smoothly. Also check for lock opera-
tion.
7) Install steering column. Refer to ªSTEERING COLUMNº in this
section.
Page 181 of 801

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 lower shaft assembly
2. Steering lower shaft assembly lower joint bolt
3. Steering shaft joint
STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN 3C-11
STEERING LOWER SHAFT ASSEMBLY
REMOVAL
1) Turn steering wheel so that vehicle's front tires are at straight-
ahead position.
2) Turn ignition switch to ªLOCKº position and remove key.
3) Make alignment marks on shaft joint and shaft (column side) for
a guide during reinstallation.
4) 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 figure).
5) Make alignment marks on lower shaft assembly lower joint and
pinion shaft for a guide during reinstallation.
6) Remove lower shaft assembly lower joint bolt and then remove
lower shaft assembly.
7) Remove shaft joint bolt (lower shaft assembly side) from shaft
joint and then remove shaft joint from lower shaft assembly.