STEERING & SUSPENSION
MANUAL STEERING GEAR 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 MANUAL STEERING GEAR TROUBLESHOOTING CHART
| CONDITION & POSSIBLE CAUSE | CORRECTION | |
|---|---|---|
| Rattle or Chucking Noise in Rack and Pinion | ||
| Rack and pinion mounting bracket loose | Tighten all mounting bolts | |
| Lack of/or incorrect lubricant | Correct as necessary | |
| Steering gear mounting bolts loose | Tighten all mounting bolts | |
| Excessive Play | ||
| Front wheel bearing improperly adjusted | See FRONT SUSPENSION article | |
| Loose or worn steering linkage | See STEERING LINKAGE article | |
| Loose or worn steering gear shift | See MANUAL STEERING GEAR article | |
| Steering arm loose on gear shaft | See MANUAL STEERING GEAR article | |
| Steering gear housing bolts loose | Tighten all mounting bolts | |
| Steering gear adjustment too loose | See MANUAL STEERING GEAR article | |
| Steering arms loose on knuckles | Tighten and check steering linkage | |
| Rack and pinion mounting loose | Tighten all mounting bolts | |
| Rack and pinion out of adjustment | See adjustment in STEERING article | |
| Tie rod end loose | Tighten and check steering linkage | |
| Excessive Pitman shaft-to-ball nut lash | Repair as necessary | |
| Poor Return ability | ||
| Lack of lubricant in ball joint or linkage | Lubricate and service systems | |
| Binding in linkage or ball joints | See STEERING LINKAGE and SUSPENSION article | |
| Improper front end alignment | See WHEEL ALIGNMENT article | |
| Improper tire pressure | Inflate to proper pressure | |
| Tie rod binding | Inflate to proper pressure | |
| Shaft seal rubbing shaft | See STEERING COLUMN article | |
| Excessive Vertical Motion | ||
| Improper tire pressure | Inflate to proper pressure | |
| Tires, wheels or rotors out of balance | Balance tires then check wheels and rotors | |
| Worn or faulty shock absorbers | Check and replace if necessary | |
| Loose tie rod ends or steering | Tighten or replace if necessary | |
| Loose or worn wheel bearings | See SUSPENSION article | |
| Steering Pulls to One Side | ||
| Improper tire pressure | Inflate to proper pressure | |
| Front tires are different sizes | Rotate or replace if necessary | |
| Wheel bearings not adjusted properly | See FRONT SUSPENSION article | |
| Bent or broken suspension components | See FRONT SUSPENSION article | |
| Improper wheel alignment | See WHEEL ALIGNMENT article | |
| Brakes dragging | See BRAKES article | |
| Instability | ||
| Low or uneven tire pressure | Inflate to proper pressure | |
| Loose or worn wheel bearings | See FRONT SUSPENSION article | |
| Loose or worn idler arm bushing | See FRONT SUSPENSION article | |
| Loose or worn strut bushings | See FRONT SUSPENSION article | |
| Incorrect front wheel alignment | See WHEEL ALIGNMENT article | |
| Steering gear not centered | See MANUAL STEERING GEARS article | |
| Springs or shock | Check and replace if necessary | |
| Improper cross shaft | See MANUAL STEERING GEARS article | |
