Loose Steering???!!!

[Unseenspirit2002]

Hey guys, what going on? Ok, so here's my issue, you know how when you buy your car and it rides great and it handles like a train on rails and you can just cruise down the highway with the car tracking just right? You know how the steering is crisp and tight? Ok my 2002 Touring Edition has 26,400 miles on it, that's all!!! Now all of a sudden my steering wheel feels looser and if I'm driving down the highway I'm back and forth with the steering wheel. As well if I hit a bump the steering seems to go dead or feels even more loose while I travel over the bumps. Bottom line it steers like a banged up 74 Fleetwood, literally. I want my new car feel back, how do I get it? I've looked under the car and everything looks fine bushing wise, if I could find the rack I'd be looking at that as well. Does anybody know if these vehicles have inner tie-rod bushings on the rack like the Dodge Intrepids do? Could I need new outter tie rod ends already? The car is hardly driven and barely has 26k on it! Thanks in advance for your help

[Hooligan]

How about taking it either to a dealer or to a mechanic you trust. Let them check it out.

[Unseenspirit2002]

Because that would be too simple. Besides who trusts a dealer or a mechanic?

[Hooligan]

Originally Posted by Unseenspirit2002

Because that would be too simple. Besides who trusts a dealer or a mechanic?

I TRUST both my dealer and the mechanic that works on my car. They have always treated me well with the vehicles I have taken and purchased there. I have been lucky dealing with them.

[tpscruiser]

My first thought was Lower Control Arm Bushings, but you said they were good. How about low air pressure in the tires?

[Cartman]

get the front tires off the ground and see if there is any play by shaking the wheels back and forth. if there is none, then see if the steering wheel turns before the wheels start turning. should help you narrow down the problem.

[ucantcme]

Originally Posted by Cartman

get the front tires off the ground and see if there is any play by shaking the wheels back and forth. if there is none, then see if the steering wheel turns before the wheels start turning. should help you narrow down the problem.

Yup, The hub bearings may be shot...But I just had mine replaced and my steering wasn't loose at all.


Maybe you just have a really good Power Steering pump, hah.

[quicksilverdon]

Throw in a strut bar. You probably have some other problem, but a strut bar will tighten up steering and not stress anything.

[Unseenspirit2002]

So, basically, in response to a bunch of questions:

When I looked under the car the bushings looked to be ok, not that they actually are, I wouldn't know, I'm not a mechanic.

The purpose of a strut tower bar is to reduce flex that the towers experience during hard cornering. When taking a turn a car's strut towers normally flex, resulting in bodyflex and losing some traction. It doesn't do anything to tighten up your steering.

I lifted the car up off the ground and moved the tires to check for play and there is no play to indicate the need to replace either of the front hub bearings.

There is in fact play in the steering wheel, what causes there to be play in the wheel?

Lastly, my car has only 26,468 miles on it as of today. I fail to understand the premature failures that Chrysler cars have with their front ends. Anybody want a PT Cruiser $11k and it's yours!

[Cartman]

if the problem came on all of a sudden like you are describing, it might be the steering rack itself. wouldnt hurt to at least have it checked by a professional.