Steering Column: Description and Operation

Steering Column, Pedal Box
- More sophisticated methods are used to measure the forces acting on the human body in a collision. This has led to the introduction of a new steering column which will meet the ever more stringent safety requirements being laid down (although the present steering column is well within current standards).

Steering Column
- Consists of two heavy duty steel profiles (1 and 2) fastened each other by two bolts (3). The bolts are each mounted in a longitudinal groove against a fixed washer on either side of the profiles. The top of the outer profile (2) is mounted onto the cowl member. The bottom of this profile is mounted onto a heavy cross member. The cross member is secured to the A-post and is also mounted with a heavy bracket to the transmission tunnel (cars with knee bolsters have a new reinforced knee bolster which acts as a cross member). On top is an metal energy absorber secured between the outer and inner profiles. This absorbs the force of a collision.

In The Event Of A Collision
- The steering column is pressed forward by the driver, overcoming the resistance of screws (3) and of the top energy absorber.
The inner profile (1) slides forward in its grooves and the steering wheel is pushed forward (approximately 100 mm).

Ignition Lock
- The anti-theft features of the ignition switch have been improved. The lock cylinder has a stronger mounting and the pin in the ignition switch is larger. It is now harder to use an extractor to pull the lock cylinder out of the ignition switch to unlock the steering wheel.
- When replacing the lock cylinder the entire ignition switch assembly must be replaced (the ignition switch mounting remains largely unchanged).

Pedal Box
- The new steering column has a new pedal box with a new type of return mechanism for the clutch. The mechanism consists of a cylinder, piston and spring. The piston is mounted on the clutch pedal while the cylinder is mounted on the pedal box. The piston runs in the cylinder inside a spring which is compressed as the angle of the clutch pedal changes. The stiffness of the return spring depends on the engine type.