Manufacturer’s Professional Repair Information for the “Car Savvy Do it Yourselfer” Over 90 years of service.

STEERING COLUMN TROUBLESHOOTING

NOTE: This is GENERAL information. This article is not intended to be specific to any unique situation or individual vehicle configuration. The purpose of this Troubleshooting information is to provide a list of common causes to problem symptoms. For model-specific Troubleshooting, refer to SUBJECT, DIAGNOSTIC, or TESTING articles available in the section(s) you are accessing.

BASIC STEERING COLUMN TROUBLESHOOTING CHART


CONDITION & POSSIBLE CAUSE CORRECTION
Noise in Steering
Coupling pulled apart See STEERING COLUMNS article
Column not correctly aligned See STEERING COLUMNS article
Broken lower joint Replace joint
Horn contact ring not See STEERING COLUMN article
Bearing not lubricated See STEERING COLUMN article
Shaft snap ring not properly seated Reseat or replace snap ring
Plastic spherical joint not lubricated See STEERING COLUMN article
Shroud or housing loose Tighten holding screws
Lock plate retaining ring not seated See STEERING COLUMN article
Loose sight shield Tighten holding screws
High Steering Shaft Effort
Column assembly misaligned See STEERING COLUMN article
Improperly installed dust shield Adjust or replace
Tight steering universal joint See STEERING COLUMN article
High Shift Effort
Column is out of alignment See STEERING COLUMN article
Improperly installed dust shield Adjust or replace
Seals or bearings not lubricated See STEERING COLUMNS article
Mounting bracket screws too long Replace with new shorter screws
Burrs on shift tube Remove burrs or replace tube
Lower bowl bearing assembled wrong See STEERING COLUMN article
Shift tube bent or broken Replace as necessary
Improper adjustment of shift levers See STEERING COLUMN article
Improper Trans. Shifting
Sheared shift tube joint Replace as necessary
Sheared lower shaft lever Replace as necessary
Improper shift lever adjustment See STEERING COLUMN article
Improper gate plate adjustment See STEERING COLUMN article
Excess Play in Column
Instrument panel bracket bolts loose Tighten bolts and check bracket
Broken weld nut on jacket See STEERING COLUMN article
Instrument bracket capsule sheared See STEERING COLUMN article
Column bracket/jacket bolts loose Tighten bolts and check bracket
Steering Locks in Gear
Release lever mechanism See STEERING COLUMN article
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