Recently, the steering wheel would drop a couple of cm, with ignition and indicator pivoting slightly when hauling on the wheel round a corner.
Pulled column apart to find the following....
Inner shaft "breakaway" pin has broken away. Two parts of inner shaft sliding in and out. Ok, old column, you get that.
Top bearing completely collapsed. Shaft flopping in top bearing. Ok, old column, you get that.
Outer coulmn where top pot screws on is made of 1 mm metal. Is torn from cutout below steering wheel around to within 1 cm of centre seam. i.e. 1 more centimetre of tearing, top pot now attached to about 6 inches of outer shaft, rest of outer shaft attached to car.

Slight freak out follows. With inner shaft already separated, if that goes, left with steering wheel, top pot and top part of inner shaft in lap. Car pleasing itself where it goes. Yikes.

If your wheel is able to move up and down, and your ignition key and indicator pivot with it, check now!

Edited by user Friday, 30 September 2011 8:18:29 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified