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(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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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AIR BAG STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN 3C1-11
1. Steering column
2. Steering column mounting bolt
3. Steering column lower seal
1. Shift (key) interlock cable
2. Screw
1. Capsule
2. Steering column bracket
3. Plate
1. Steering column assembly ªaº
8) Remove steering column mounting bolts (6 pieces).
9) If equipped with shift (key) interlock cable, remove shift (key)
interlock cable screw and then disconnect its cable from igni-
tion switch.
10) Remove steering column from vehicle.
INSPECTION
NOTE:
Vehicles involved in accidents resulting in body damage,
where steering column has been impacted or air bag
deployed, may have a damaged or misaligned steering col-
umn.
CHECKING PROCEDURE
1) Check that two capsules are attached to steering column brack-
et securely. Check clearance between capsules and steering
column bracket. Clearance should be 0 mm (0 in.) on both sides.
If found loose or clearance, replace steering column assembly.
2) Check two plates for any damages such as crack or breakage.
If anything is found faulty, replace as steering column assembly.
3) Take measurement ªaº as shown. If it is shorter than specified
length, replace column assembly with new one.
Length ªaº: 895 0.8 mm (35.24 0.03 in.)
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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
1
AIR BAG STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN 3C1-13
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
(c): 25 N
.m (2.5 kg-m, 18.0 lb-ft)
6) If contact coil and combination switch assembly is removed,
install it, referring to ªCONTACT COIL AND COMBINATION
SWITCH ASSEMBLYº 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 it by referring to ªSTEER-
ING WHEELº in this section.
10) Connect negative battery cable.
11) After installing steering column assembly, be sure to enable air
bag system by referring to ªENABLING AIR BAG SYSTEMº un-
der ªSERVICE PRECAUTIONSº in Section 10B.
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VITARA
3C1-14 AIR BAG STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN
1. Steering column
2. Steering lock 1
2
1. Center punch (with sharp point)
2. Steering lock mounting bolt
1. Steering column
2. Steering shaft
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.
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VITARA
AIR BAG STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN 3C1-17
1. Capsule
2. Steering column bracket
3. Plate
1. Steering column assembly
1. Steering column lower seal ªaº
CHECKING STEERING COLUMN FOR
ACCIDENT DAMAGE
NOTE:
Vehicles involved in accidents resulting in body damage,
where steering column has been impacted or air bag
deployed, may have a damaged or misaligned steering col-
umn.
CHECKING PROCEDURE
1) Check that two capsules are attached to steering column brack-
et securely. Check clearance between capsules and steering
column bracket. Clearance should be 0 mm (0 in.) on both sides.
If found loose or clearance, replace steering column assembly.
2) Check two plates for any damages such as crack or breakage.
If anything is found faulty, replace as steering column assembly.
3) Take measurement ªaº as shown. If it is shorter than specified
length, replace column assembly with new one.
Length ªaº: 895 0.8 mm (35.24 0.03 in.)
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 shaft lower 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.