Steering Column crooked??

ErickW · October 30, 2015

So when I bought my new LT a couple weeks ago it was dark, and I didn't notice it at the time, but the steering column appears to be angled toward the driver door. I thought it was just me, but after two weeks of driving it, I am truly convinced that it is indeed angled. If I look down at the front of the seat from above, the bottom of the steering wheel doesn't line up straight, but again angles toward driver door. Is this in the design, or do I need to get it back to the dealer and get it addressed?

ScreaminChevy · October 30, 2015

So when I bought my new LT a couple weeks ago it was dark, and I didn't notice it at the time, but the steering column appears to be angled toward the driver door. I thought it was just me, but after two weeks of driving it, I am truly convinced that it is indeed angled. If I look down at the front of the seat from above, the bottom of the steering wheel doesn't line up straight, but again angles toward driver door. Is this in the design, or do I need to get it back to the dealer and get it addressed?

You could get dealer to do an alignment to fix it.

ErickW · October 30, 2015

Its the column, not wheel off center. Here is a rudimentary drawing lol. _______ The straight line is the dash, the angle would be the column. Make sense now? /

Fasthotrod · October 30, 2015

It's normal... part of the design for crash impact safety. In the event of a severe crash where high forces are generated, the column being at an angle will bend in that direction and away from your body. If it were straight, it could impale you.

rshad · October 30, 2015

These have been made like this for a while. Back when I got my fist Sierra (2013) I noticed this and found out that they are all like this. After a few weeks you will not even notice it. I have heard some say the same thing about the 2015's and I just got one of those and did not even notice it until I looked for it because I was so use to my 2013 model.

Gmcant33 · October 30, 2015

Straight doesn't exist like it did before...

redwngr · October 30, 2015

FWIW, they're also not centred. They are slightly to the left, and have been that way for years.

crafferty · October 30, 2015

Straight doesn't exist like it did before...

It sure doesn't

Clocked92 · October 30, 2015

FWIW, they're also not centred. They are slightly to the left, and have been that way for years.

I've always thought my steering column was slightly right of center and angled towards the drivers door.

When I first test drove a Sierra, I noticed it big time! After the first day, it's normal. Now when I go to drive my girlfriends car or dads jeep, those steering wheels feel off. Funny how your brain works.

Gmcant33 · October 30, 2015

It sure doesn't

Should mention no pun intended but I agree as well lol

Cosmic Charlie · October 30, 2015

It's normal... part of the design for crash impact safety. In the event of a severe crash where high forces are generated, the column being at an angle will bend in that direction and away from your body. If it were straight, it could impale you.

Hmmm - never heard that ... other cars are straight (?) steering columns are designed collapsable

Although the first collapsible steering column was invented in 1934, it was never brought to market. However, in recent years, the need for increased safety in vehicles has led to the development of innovative steering columns which collapse on frontal impact for all types of vehicles, including commercial ones.

http://pailton.com/2015/05/collapsible-steering-columns-explained/

My guess back 15 years ago was the dash / column was designed for 3 people across the front seat (traditional pick up) but as time went on more bucket seats sold in the US vs world sales (3 across work truck) ... so they increased the center console size and shrunk the drivers bucket to push the driver over closer to the steering column center ...

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv22/22ESV-000262.pdf