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No. You can remove the entire column with the steering wheel still attached.
The plastic cover around your 1996 Oldsmobile Are Aurora steering column is held in place with retaining clips. Pry outward on each retaining clip and the plastic cover will come off.
Usually, the bolt to remove the steering wheel from the column is located at the point where it attached to the column. If your steering wheel has a pressure switch for the city horn located in the center of the steering wheel, you'll have to remove it to access that bolt.
Remove the lower dash panel and steering column cover. Disconnect all harnesses going to the column. There is a metal bracket attached to the steering column with brass-colored bolts, and attached to the underside of the dash with chrome-colored bolts. Remove only the chrome bolts. They're fairly long. Once completely removed, the entire steering column will drop slightly. Now pull back the plastic boot from the bottom of the steering column and look for the small bolt securing it in place. I believe it is 11mm. Loosen the bolt only enough for the column to slide out.
Unplug the wiring harness from the steering column. Remove the cover plate under the column. Remove shift linkage. Remove two bolts under the dash that hold the column up. Remove the two nuts that connect the column to the steering knuckle. Slide it out.
To remove the steering column in a 1986 Chevy Celebrity: 1. Remove the trim panel under the steering column. 2. Remove the noise panel. 3. If the car has column shift remove the gear indicator from the shift bowl. 4. Unplug electrical connectors. 5. Remove the four bolts that hold the steering column up. 6. At this point the steering column should pull out.
Disconnect battery. Remove air bag. Remove bolt holding steering wheel to column. Use a steering wheel puller to remove wheel from column.
Unplug the wiring harness from the steering column. Remove the cover plate under the column. Remove shift linkage. Remove two bolts under the dash that hold the column up. Remove the two nuts that connect the column to the steering knuckle. Slide it out.
How to remove and replace a steering column on a 95 Cadillac Sedan Deville?
Disconnect battery. Wait 10 minutes, then remove airbag module (if equipped) and horn pad. Remove steering wheel. Pull off plastic trim panel below steering column. Turn ignition key to run (not start) and press lock tang to remove lock cylinder. Remove steering column lower shroud. Remove steering column upper shroud. Remove multi-function (turn signal/wiper/hazard) switch. Remove metal 'knee brace' bracket below steering column. Disconnect all affected wiring including wiring to ignition switch. Remove pinch bolt at bottom of steering column. Remove 2 nuts and t bolts mounting steering column. Note that it will now drop down and may pinch fingers or toes. Remove column from vehicle.
# Disable airbag system. # Remove steering column covers and lower instrument panel cover # Lower steering column # Disconnect the shift interlock cable from ignition lock housing # The lock assembly is clamped to the steering column by two shear-head bolts. Drill heads off each bolt and remove the bracket. # Remove the steering lock assembly from the steering column
I believe that on the fintails all you have to do is remove 2 bolts and a nut (it appears to be attached at the dashboard and not the steering column). I don't think you even need the key! The later cars have an anti-theft pin that keeps the switch locked to the steering column unless you have the key in and turned to position 1. You DO need the key to remove the lock cylinder(unless you drill it out).