steering broke???? help
levi5940
07-19-2010, 11:05 PM
hi there, so i came up to a red light a hour ago, went to take a left turn and car wouldnt turn...... serioussly wouldnt turn so i backed up to turn into a parking lot, again no steering !! so i jumped out and turned tires to left by hand, they actually moved by me pushing them to the left. once i got it parked, i pushed drivers front tire and sure enuff it let me push it just like it was not hooked to anything... i checked power steering fluid its full. i have been hearing a clunk when i turn for last couple weeks... i suspect cv joint?? any feedback would be apreciated.
there is absoulutely no steering control in this car i turn steerring wheel and wheels dont move
there is absoulutely no steering control in this car i turn steerring wheel and wheels dont move
denisond3
07-25-2010, 01:23 PM
A bad CV joint wouldnt do that. You have something that has come 'undone' in the steering system. It could be a u-joint at the lower part of the steering column, a broken pinion in the rack and pinion assembly, even a pair of broken tie rods or tie rod ends.
If the steering wheel turns the shaft you see from under the dash but inside the car, you will need to have someone look under the car while you turn the steering wheel, or vice versa. The rack & pinion assembly is bolted to the firewall behind the engine, and down low. I dont think it will be visible by looking down from under the hood. It it were a broken tie rod, it would have to be both of them broken - or one wheel would still steer.
There is a u-joint somewhere at the lower part of the steering column. I dont know if its visible from inside the car (under a boot?) or not. If its outside of the passenger compartment it might only be visible with the front of the car lifted up, so someone can snake under it and look up. But that disconnection is one that wouldnt involve two things breaking, only one. There may be a slider joint in the steering column too, halfway up from the floor, but they usually keep working even when the anti-rattle stuff has fallen out. On other cars the rack and pinion assembly can begin to come loose, and be able to slide back and forth. Usually thats progressive though, not a sudden total loss of steering.
Least likely would be a steering shaft (from steering wheel to u-joint at bottom of the steering shaft) that had snapped in two.
If the steering wheel turns the shaft you see from under the dash but inside the car, you will need to have someone look under the car while you turn the steering wheel, or vice versa. The rack & pinion assembly is bolted to the firewall behind the engine, and down low. I dont think it will be visible by looking down from under the hood. It it were a broken tie rod, it would have to be both of them broken - or one wheel would still steer.
There is a u-joint somewhere at the lower part of the steering column. I dont know if its visible from inside the car (under a boot?) or not. If its outside of the passenger compartment it might only be visible with the front of the car lifted up, so someone can snake under it and look up. But that disconnection is one that wouldnt involve two things breaking, only one. There may be a slider joint in the steering column too, halfway up from the floor, but they usually keep working even when the anti-rattle stuff has fallen out. On other cars the rack and pinion assembly can begin to come loose, and be able to slide back and forth. Usually thats progressive though, not a sudden total loss of steering.
Least likely would be a steering shaft (from steering wheel to u-joint at bottom of the steering shaft) that had snapped in two.
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