I had a problem sometime back with my 88 GT as described below. I am now experiencing a similar problem with a recently acquired 1990 Buick Reatta. I posted the info below on the best known Reatta specific forum I have found in hopes of getting some help. The problem is that with a total 4 year production run (1988 - 1991) of less that 21,000 cars the site has a very limited readership and inquires often receive no replies. Since I believe both cars (Fiero and Reatta) share the same steering column I thought I would post this request for help here as well. Perhaps it might also help a Fiero owner with the same problem. I've always gotten very knowledgeable and helpful advice from the mechanically savvy on this site and I am hoping you folks can help me out on this problem. Thanks!

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My 1990 coupe has a problem with the tilt wheel steering column. I acquired the car several weeks ago but had not noticed the problem until later. I believe this is the same "saginaw" column that was used through out the GM product lines at this time. The steering wheel has a wobble that is clearly wrong. Let me state clearly that it is NOT the entire column that is moving. It is clearly visible to be isolated to the upper portion of the column at the same point where the tilt operates.

The wobble only presents itself in one direction and is most noticeable when climbing into the drivers seat. It is only showing movement in one specific diagonal direction. There is no looseness or movement in any other direction. If you put your right hand at the upper right (2 o'clock) position and pull the wheel towards the lower left (8 o'clock) position it has a somewhat spongy feel and definite noticeable abnormal movement. But there is no mechanical clunkyness to the feel that you might expect from loose bolts.

The reason I am describing the problem in such detail is that this is a common problem as these columns have aged. I have had a problem with the Saginaw column in my 1988 Pontiac Fiero. It had a definite mechanical clunkyness in multiple directions as if it was hitting the limits allowed by the loose bolts deep inside the column at the tilt point. There are 4 bolts that are accessed by removing several layers of components inside the column. The bolts are removed one at a time, loctite applied, and then re-torqued. I had a friend with a special pivot pin tool (required) that fixed me up in a couple of hours. I was thinking of trying the repair on this column myself but I made a call to a local steering column specialist company to get a quote first.

He surprised me by offering two quotes. One was to repair the problem of the loose bolts as I expected ($250). The other was to remove and rebuild the column. He said this might be necessary as the problem is sometimes cause by a broken piece inside the column which would have to be removed and welded to repair ($450). He said he would not be able to diagnosis it without disassembly, at which time the specific problem would be revealed.

So, my concern is that the bolt tightening procedure I would attempt myself would reveal the greater problem which would be beyond my capability to repair. I tend to think that this might be the case since the spongy wobble feels very different from the problem I had with my Fiero.

I would appreciate any help, observations or outcomes from anyone that has been faced with this problem. Obviously it has to be resolved before continuing to drive the car on a daily basis as the risk of loss of control is very present.

The columns are essentially the same. The only difference being a taller lock housing to accommodate the air bag clockspring (gm called it an SIR coil). The repair procedure is the same as your fiero column. Most common is the 4 bolts on the tilt anchor coming loose. Less common is the steel tilt pin wearing the aluminum around the bore in the tilt housing or tilt anchor. I have both parts laying around so if you take it apart and find out it's something broken vs loose bolts, I got you covered.

Edit: Question, when you pull on the steering wheel and feel the spongyness does the upper column move independent of the lower column with the flex at the tilt pivot area. Or does the entire column move as a whole?

[This message has been edited by seajai (edited 09-24-2016).]

I had the pot metal housing cracked which sounds similar to your problem. It was binding only in the direction of the crack and felt very "spongy". No mechanical feel at all.

Yes all of those columns have the same symptoms.
If it is the 4 bolt issue, it won't have the "spring feel". It will just be loose. There is no spring force against the "4 bolt" assembly.
The "spring feel" has to be in the pivot point areas. Where the "weight spring" (bottom of upper housing, held with square cap) is pushing against the amount of movement in the pivot area.
Either one of the pivot pins has backed out (easy fix) or the holes in one of the housings are egged out. Most of the time it is the lower housing that gets egged out. (Total disassembly).
Because of being made of "pot metal" welding/brazing does not hold up well. Replacing the housing in question is the best repair.
At one time, when these were more common, there were over sized pins. That you could drill the housings to a larger size. But I haven't seen the "repair pins" in quite a while.