What's Wrong With My Steering Wheel?

Every time you get in the driver’s seat of your vehicle, you want to feel safe and confident that you will arrive safely at your destination. A crucial aspect in ensuring that this happens is having a properly working steering system. Not being able to correctly maneuver your vehicle can be extremely scary, especially when trying to navigate rush hour traffic or an especially winding road. It is important that you feel completely in control of your vehicle, and Wrench is here to make sure that this is the case.

Your steering wheel is probably one of two things: loose and hard to control, or stiff and hard to turn. Both of these are common, especially if you have been driving your vehicle for several years. A Wrench mobile mechanic would be happy to come to your home or office and check out your steering system to get your vehicle running as smoothly as possible. There are a few different problems that can cause this system to be faulty.

Loose steering wheel

If your vehicle is not responding correctly, this is probably due to a looseness in the steering gear or steering linkage sockets, or a wearing down of one of the other components. One example of this is a damaged pitman arm, which helps the steering wheel turn right and left smoothly. As this part wears down, it can cause you to have trouble controlling your steering. Other issues could involve worn tie rods or a failing ball joint, but it is not a good idea to assume that you know what is wrong. Have your vehicle checked out by one of our mobile mechanics, who can determine where the problem is coming from and take the necessary steps to get your steering system back in shape.

Stiff steering wheel

If you are having trouble turning your steering wheel at all, there are a lot more potential culprits.

• You may be running low on power steering fluid. This fluid lubricates the power steering pump, which allows you to turn seamlessly wherever you need to go. Refilling this fluid may help the steering get easier in the short-term, but it often is a sign of a bigger problem, like a loose or leaking pressurized hose. It is not a good idea to simply assume that you can fix the problem by repeatedly filling up your fluid. Get the hose and the power steering pump checked out by a mobile mechanic before you risk putting yourself or others in danger. It also may be an issue with the fluid entirely. If you have been driving your vehicle for a while, you run the risk of your power steering fluid getting old and thick, which can cause your steering to be tight and make it harder to turn when you are driving slow. Getting the fluid flushed and replaced can solve this problem.
• You might have a bad steering rack. This can cause your steering wheel to be stiff or loose depending on what the problem is. The steering rack gets worn out over the years and should be replaced before the issue escalates.
• You have a broken, loose, or old serpentine belt. If the belt lacks the right tension, this can cause the steering wheel to be stiff and not function properly.
• Check your tire pressure. Having low tire pressure can also contribute to a stiff steering wheel, and this is one thing that you can check yourself to make sure your tires are at the proper level.

There are a large variety of explanations for your faulty steering wheel, but the best piece of advice we can give you is to never assume you know what is wrong and get your vehicle checked out by a mechanic at your earliest convenience. Driving with a faulty steering wheel is not only dangerous for you as the driver and the passengers inside your vehicle, but puts everyone else on the road at risk as well.