17.0 Steering controls
The steering wheel is screwed to the steering shaft. The force applied by the driver to the steering wheel is transmitted to the steering mechanism.
In the steering mechanism, the gear rack moves in accordance with the direction of rotation of the steering wheel to the left or to the right. The transverse steering rods, fixed with grippers to the gear rack, transfer the rotational force to the wheels through the tips of the transverse steering rods, the knuckle, on the lever of which they are attached with a ball bearing.
The gear rack mechanism does not require maintenance. The exception is sealing collars, the condition of which should be checked.
Depending on the model and equipment, RENAULT MEGANE vehicles are equipped with a hydraulic power steering (servo control).
The power steering consists of an oil pump, expansion tank and oil circulation pipes. The oil pump is driven by a V-belt.
The pump draws hydraulic fluid from the expansion tank and pressurizes it jk to the valve stem on the steering box. It is mechanically connected to the steering column and, depending on the direction of the steering wheel, directs hydraulic fluid to the appropriate part of the working cylinder. There, the oil presses on the rack piston and thereby supports the driver's effort on the steering wheel.
The driver's airbag can be mounted on the steering wheel. The airbag is a folded bag that instantly fills with air in a frontal collision, thereby protecting the driver's torso and head from hitting the steering wheehp a sufficiently strong impact, the airbag control device ignites a small explosive charge and the gases resulting from the explosion of the charge inflate the airbag within a few milliseconds. This time is enough to soften the impact on the steering wheel. The air cushion then collapses within a few seconds as the gases are expelled through the outlets.
Attention! Work on the airbag must be carried out by a specialist workshop.
Attention! Welding and straightening work on steering elements is prohibited. Always replace self-locking nuts and rusted bolts and nuts with new ones when carrying out repairs.