Section 21 (Steering Column): Description
WARNING: This page does not describe the selected car, but rather 24 other vehicles, including the 1992 Pontiac Sunbird, 1992 Pontiac Firebird, 1992 Pontiac Bonneville, 1992 Oldsmobile Toronado, and 1992 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
Steering columns are designated as fixed or tilt column, and as column shift or floor shift. Column shift and floor shift columns are the same except for a shift tube on column shift steering columns.
The steering column is designed to collapse if impacted by the driver during a collision. The steering shaft, column jacket and shift tube (column shift) are 2-piece units that are injected with plastic. The plastic protrudes from holes in the unit. This keeps the 2 pieces rigidly together as a unit. If the column is impacted, the plastic pieces break off, allowing the column to collapse.