Steering gets jammed...
05-25-2013, 06:09 PM
#1
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Steering gets jammed...
So I've had this issue with my car for some time and its getting worse and worse.
Under sharp turns, my steering wheel literally gets jammed up in the middle of a turn so I have to slow down to prevent my car from understeering.
I can manage it and its not always always there but its an issue obviously and Im not really sure whats causing it.
One would think my shocks are blown and my wheels get stuck when the car weight shifts through the corner but I don't see any signs of shocks being blown...
Anyone ever experience similar issues?? My car steers fine at low speeds and I never had problems with my car being lowered. This only happens when Im taking a turn a bit faster then normal.
And also another puzzling thing that gets me thinking that its not my shocks is that it sometimes happens when my car is really really cold in the morning. Backing out of the driveway, I find it hard to steer at all until the car warms up. This only happened a few times though
Any help would be appreciated. I don't wanna go replacing shocks or my steering pump without being sure. Any way to diagnose the steering pump???
Under sharp turns, my steering wheel literally gets jammed up in the middle of a turn so I have to slow down to prevent my car from understeering.
I can manage it and its not always always there but its an issue obviously and Im not really sure whats causing it.
One would think my shocks are blown and my wheels get stuck when the car weight shifts through the corner but I don't see any signs of shocks being blown...
Anyone ever experience similar issues?? My car steers fine at low speeds and I never had problems with my car being lowered. This only happens when Im taking a turn a bit faster then normal.
And also another puzzling thing that gets me thinking that its not my shocks is that it sometimes happens when my car is really really cold in the morning. Backing out of the driveway, I find it hard to steer at all until the car warms up. This only happened a few times though
Any help would be appreciated. I don't wanna go replacing shocks or my steering pump without being sure. Any way to diagnose the steering pump???
05-26-2013, 10:39 PM
#5
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190D 2.5 (x2), 190E 2.6, W202 C240,W202 C43 (C55), W210 E55, W212 E250CDI
Firstly I'd stop driving the car until the problem is solved.
I'd suggest you jack up the front end and remove the steering damper and check for binding/freeplay, replace if worn. have a second person turn the wheel lock to lock with the engine off and check for binding of the drag link. If ok then put it back on the ground and recheck the wheel hitting anything in the guard. I doubt you'll find anything worn here but do these basic and free checks first.
If the above tests are normal then I would replace the power steering pump AND reservoir. Not much you can do to check it without the appropriate gauges (which few workshops have).
I had a BMW that had similar symptoms and we couldn't fault it until the pump seized (a single blade in the pump was intermittently jamming). Hard to fault, you wont necessarily hear it but a pump is cheap enough and it's dangerous to have heavy steering at the wrong moment.
I'd suggest you jack up the front end and remove the steering damper and check for binding/freeplay, replace if worn. have a second person turn the wheel lock to lock with the engine off and check for binding of the drag link. If ok then put it back on the ground and recheck the wheel hitting anything in the guard. I doubt you'll find anything worn here but do these basic and free checks first.
If the above tests are normal then I would replace the power steering pump AND reservoir. Not much you can do to check it without the appropriate gauges (which few workshops have).
I had a BMW that had similar symptoms and we couldn't fault it until the pump seized (a single blade in the pump was intermittently jamming). Hard to fault, you wont necessarily hear it but a pump is cheap enough and it's dangerous to have heavy steering at the wrong moment.
