A heavy tubular housing extending from the dashboard down to the firewall, containing the main steering shaft. It transmits the driver's rotational input from the steering wheel down to the steering mechanism. The column also houses the ignition lock cylinder, turn signal switches, clockspring, and collapsible crash-safety joints designed to absorb impact energy during a frontal collision.
Heard on the job
The customer complained of a rattle over bumps, and it turns out the upper bearing in the steering column is completely shot.
Insider tip
Steering columns are engineered to collapse at specific loads. Dropping or hammering on a removed column can shear the internal safety pins and ruin the assembly.