Steering Column Repair: GM tilt steering column loose - 1998 Grand Am, turn signal switch, pivot pins

Question
The tilt column in my daughter's 1998 Grand Am is loose.  The steering wheel will rock about 0.5in left and right.  The looseness appears to be in the tilt mechanism.  The steering wheel appears to be tight on the column and the column forward of the tilt pivot appears to be rigid.  I can not see under the column shroud enough to tell if there are any fasteners or anything that could be loose.  The looseness is unaffected by tilting the column up/down or when holding the tilt release lever in.  Any idea what is wrong or if this is a common or known problem? Any idea if it can be repaired without replacing the entire column? If so, where/how can I get more info?  Thanks.

Answer
Hi Mike:
This is a very common problem with vehicles approaching and exceeding 10 yrs old.  The tilt housing is made of steel; the housing it mounts on is aluminum; the pins that hold it together are steel.  After time and continued pulling to get in and out of the vehicle, the housing begins to wear and create free space for the pins to move.  This makes the tilt and everything above it loose.

On this particular design, the pivot pins actually begin to work their way out of the housing allowing more free play and looseness.  Usually it's the left side that this happens to.  You can actually remove the upper and lower covers, remove the turn signal switch and then you can see the pin half in-half out.  With a small hammer, tap it back into place.  Then using a center punch or a chisel, peen over some of the aluminum housing over the top of the pin to stop it form re-exiting.  this will buy you some time (months maybe), but ultimately it will work it's way back out again.
If you want to, check the right side also and do the same on that side as well.

When you reinstall the turns signal switch, be careful of the spring loaded horn contact.  It needs to seat behind the horn cancel ring (Copper & plastic).  Do not force it into place.  Depress the contact so it slides in and the switch will seat itself smoothly.
I looked for a good photo, but could not find one.  

Good Luck