Park the vehicle with the wheels pointing straight ahead and disconnect the cable from the negative terminal of the battery while disabling the airbag system. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK position to prevent the steering shaft from turning, as failure to do so could damage the airbag clockspring. Under the hood, mark the relationship of the upper intermediate shaft to the bolt securing the lower intermediate shaft, noting the direction of the bolt for reinstallation. Next, mark the relationship of the lower intermediate shaft to the steering gear input shaft and remove the intermediate shaft-to-steering gear pinch bolt. Slide the lower portion of the intermediate shaft downwards and off the upper intermediate shaft, then remove the lower shaft from the steering gear. If necessary, remove the upper portion of the intermediate shaft. For installation, reverse the removal process, ensuring to align the matchmarks and tighten the coupler bolt and the shaft-to-steering gear pinch bolt to the specified torque.