Steering Gear Replacement

Fig 1: Steering Gear

Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY

Callout	Component Name
CAUTION: Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage many solid-state electrical components. ESD susceptible components may or may not be labeled with the ESD symbol. Handle all electrical components carefully. Use the following precautions in order to avoid ESD damage: Touch a metal ground point in order to remove your body's static charge before servicing any electronic component; especially after sliding across the vehicle seat. Do not touch exposed terminals. Terminals may connect to circuits susceptible the ESD damage. Do not allow tools to contact exposed terminals when servicing connectors. Do not remove components from their protective packaging until required to do so. Avoid the following actions unless required by the diagnostic procedure: Jumpering or grounding of the components or connectors. Connecting test equipment probes to components or connectors. Connect the ground lead first when using test probes. Ground the protective packaging of any component before opening. Do not rest solid-state components on metal workbenches or on top of TVs, radios or other electrical devices. CAUTION: With wheels of the vehicle facing straight ahead, secure the steering wheel utilizing steering column anti-rotation pin, steering column lock or a strap to prevent rotation. Locking of the steering column will prevent damage and a possible malfunction of the SIR system. The steering wheel must be secured in position before disconnecting the following components: The steering column The intermediate shaft(s) The steering gear After disconnecting these components, do not rotate the steering wheel or move the front tires and wheels. Failure to follow this procedure may cause the SIR coil assembly to become un-centered and cause possible damage to the SIR coil. If you think the SIR coil has become un-centered, refer to your specific SIR coil's centering procedure to re-center SIR Coil. Preliminary Procedures With the front wheels in the straight ahead position, pull the driver's seat belt between the spokes on the steering wheel and buckle the seat belt in order to lock the steering column. Raise and support the vehicle. Refer to Lifting and Jacking the Vehicle . Disconnect the outer tie rods from the steering knuckles. Refer to Steering Linkage Outer Tie Rod Replacement . Disconnect the intermediate steering shaft from the steering gear. Refer to Intermediate Steering Shaft Replacement . Disconnect the steering column dash seal from the dash panel. Lower the drivetrain and front suspension frame in order to gain clearance for the steering gear. Refer to Drivetrain and Front Suspension Frame Replacement (Volt) . Disconnect the front stabilizer shaft insulator clamps from the frame and reposition the shaft in order to gain clearance for the steering gear. Refer to Stabilizer Shaft Replacement .
1	Steering Gear Nut (Qty: 2) CAUTION: Refer to Fastener Caution . Procedure Remove the 2 steering gear nuts. Install 2 steering gear nuts. Hold the steering gear nuts while tightening the steering gear bolts.
2	Steering Gear Washer (Qty: 2)
3	Steering Gear Bolt (Qty: 2) WARNING: This component is equipped with torque-to-yield fasteners. Install a NEW torque-to-yield fastener when installing this component. Failure to replace the torque-to-yield fastener could cause bodily injury and damage to the vehicle or component. Procedure Remove the 2 steering gear bolts. Discard the bolts. Install 2 NEW steering gear bolts. Hold the steering gear nuts while tightening the steering gear bolts using the EN-45059 meter. Tighten 110 N.m (81 lb ft) 160 degrees Special Tools EN-45059 Angle Meter For equivalent regional tools, refer to Special Tools .
4	Steering Gear Procedure Disconnect the electrical connectors. Refer to FEP Connectors (Steering Gear) . After the installation is complete, measure the wheel alignment and adjust the alignment as necessary. Refer to Wheel Alignment Measurement . Program the power steering control module. Refer to Power Steering Control Module Programming and Setup . Center the steering angle sensor and learn the software end stops. Refer to Power Steering Control Module Calibration .