Alero :: Steering Doesn't Center After Turn With New Struts?
Jun 18, 2012
I got new struts installed and seems the steering does not center after left/right turns but will stop about 5 deg to the center.
I have taken it back to the shop and they say since it is new it must be broken in and would take about a week.
Does this make sense or is there something else wrong/not installed properly?
it also makes creaking sounds on right turns too. i heard this is normal as well.
I don't want to go back and tell them they are wrong and look like an idiot but it doesn't feel right to me and i don't want to go on a long trip if it is dangerous.
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I have a 1987 ford ranger 4x4 with automatic hubs. My automatic hubs completely destroyed themselves and are being replaced with manuals as soon as this new problem is solved. Initially the truck seemed to go in and out of 4 wheel on the hubs and jumped, snapped and ultimately destroyed the retaining clips in the hub itself so that those gears fell out when wheel was removed. I removed both sides and that stopped, but now when I turn the vehicle, this worse at lower speeds, it doesn't want to return to center and will stay in the turn without much effort to turn back to straight.
The pump seems fine on the power steering system. A mechanic friend of mine told me that my universal and upper and lower ball joints where shot on the front axle, but I feel that this might have more to do with the steering rods etc. The originals have been replaced and I am able to grease them, after doing this it seemed really loose for a bit, then by second day of driving it was back to the usual. I just am looking for some verification before replacing tie rods etc and then eventually the hubs, but winter over so there is less concern right now for that.
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Purchased a Prius C II last weekend. I noticed that when not accelerating hard the steering wheel needs to be nudged back to center after making a turn. Or, put another way, if I move the wheel 5 degrees to the left or the right from dead center, it stays that way, and the car veers off in that direction instead of straightening out on its own.
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Ok try this. On your 2011-13 Elantra if your driving below 60 on backroads and the road slightly turns to the left or right when you get back to a straightaway does the wheel automatically center itself or will it stay turned in the direction you just slightly turned? My wheel stays turned in the direction of the turn and I have to manually move it back to go straight. I have a 2013 Elantra GLS Auto.
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Today, I just picked up my 2014 prius. Basically, when I do a right/left turn on the car, when accelerating out of the turn, the steering wheel does not fully return to the center position (its approximately in the one/eleven o'clock position). Also, if I leave the wheel straight, and drive straight, the car will drive straight and not pull towards the side so I don't think its an alignment issue. I'm not sure if this is normal, or if its happening just because they car is new or just because I'm not accelerating hard enough out of the turn (I always stayed in the eco range with the HSI. )
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I took my truck to work and needed a pitman arm. So took it home put a new one on and the steering wheel was crooked which didn't bother me. but after in cranking the torsion bars I noticed how Badly I needed an alignment. So took it back in for an alignment and I cant turn the steering wheel back to center because the tie rods are maxed out. I tried to take the pitman arm back off center the wheel and everything but the key ways just line up the same way. Any chance the after market pitman arm is off or any clues?
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I have a 2009 screw with ~60k miles. It is used for DD and tows our small camper or my flat deck w/jeep.
The other day I noticed an issue when turning right. The wheel gets hard to turn and does not want to return to center. There is also a low speed clunk you can feel in the steering wheel/column itself.
The truck is at the dealer now and they said the rack needs to be replaced and there is something in the column they need to replace too. I have the extended warranty, so this is all but covered 100%. I just have a deductible to pay.
I have not hit anything with the truck, so I am not sure what caused these issues.
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For a while now when i would turn my fan on, from off, the lights showing the air inflow, etc. fade out and i get no air intake what so ever. The light is on when the dial is switched into the off position, but when i go from level 1 and up the power dies out. Intermittently it will turn on, but often for brief moments of time. Also when it IS on i get a permanent "cruise" light that stays on however my cruise control doesnt work when this is going on.
The light is just on. When it does decide to work and i turn my cruise control on it works up until my fan dies out again (they are on and off at the same times) and thus, the cruise control dies again. I took apart my heater circuit board in hopes that it would solve the problem, and for about a week it did. However it ceased to work yet again. I went and pulled one from a scrapped car to see if replacing the unit would solve the problem, but this one is not having any better luck.
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I've had my 2008 RX350 for 2.5 yrs now and just love it! However, over the last 8 months or so, I've been having a strange annoying problem. And a few times, the car has left me stranded. What happens is I turn the key and my first indicator is that the steering wheel doesn't adjust and I know the car is not going to start. However, the radio may work, dash lights work, steering wheel is not locked. It seems entirely dead as if the battery is dead. The car may start 15 min later or may take 3 hours then decide to start.
A strange thing is, is the windows don't work following these episodes which normally signify a battery failure, however the battery is not very old, otherwise performs perfectly and the dealership tested it and say it's good. Because this is so intermittent, they couldn't re-enact the problem so I'm stuck with being stranded again....usually 6 weeks later. The dealership has no answers. I was lucky last night because the car started after 15 min. 6 weeks ago, I was stranded 50 miles away from home where I had to leave the car overnight after trying for 3 hours to get is started.
The next morning, it promptly started. I am at a total loss and it makes me nervous to drive. My husband who works for a chevy dealer and knowledgeable with cars is stumped. He asks the question, could there be a computer malfunction after so many starts which would answer the 6 wk consistency for which this happens? Should we just replace the battery even though we have no reason to suspect?
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Here's a little more info on the truck I'll be working on:
-2001 Ford F-150 XLT Supercrew Cab 5.4L Triton.
-Has been used as a work truck so it has some miles on it 200,000+ and it shows. He showed me the lower control arm and the upper control arms bushings are a worn. Some coming apart and others with cracks in the (the bushings).
-So might need some more things replace but need to learn more about the truck to figure out exactly what?
Anyway, I'm probably just scratching the surface of the work needing to be done on this truck but for now I'll focus on the more important issues since without a functioning steering wheel he cant drive the beast. Might end up doing some customizing to the truck in the future such as changing the headlights to give the truck a more meaner look, along with the grill.
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Just bought this '08 F250 CCSB 4X4 5.4 Problem is the steering seems heavy, it tends to wander at higher speeds and won't return to center after a turn. I've searched on here and found a few possibilities (axle u joints, ball joints, steering gear, etc). I have an appointment with the dealer on Friday to fix it under warranty but he is convinced it's the u joints in the steering shaft seizing. When my F150 steering shaft began to seize, it would be hard to turn then break free then be hard then break free and this is not what is happening on the SD. I haven't had a chance to check the front end myself but not sure how you would check the axle u joints if there was no play in them. How would you check to see if they were seizing up.
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The steering on my truck has become a little heavy after making a turn and bringing the steering wheel back to center. The steering feels heavy like I had a front tire half way down. There's a lot of drag then once on center it's gone. Could it be the beginning of the end for my ball joints?
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My 2005 RX330 has 140,000 kms...and I am now witnessing frequent periods of hard steering. I even sometimes find that after I turn a corner, the steering wheel doesn't return back to straight as I move through the turn - I have to forcefully return the steering back to straight steering. There is plenty of power steering fluid, and there are no abnormal whining noises from the power steering assembly. And since the ease of power steering does still work...I suspect that a ball joint needs looked at.
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I have a 1998 Lexus GS300 with 178,000 miles. I feel a shimmy in the steering wheel at about 60-65 MPH. I don't feel it at slower or faster speeds than the 60-65 MPH range. It also seems it's worse at the beginning of a drive and improves with time, but never really goes away. It has been going on for a few years.
I thought a when I bought new tires few months ago and had them balanced and aligned that the shimmy would go away. It did improve, but it didn't go away completely. My mechanic said to put 500 miles on the car to break in the tires then bring it back in to re-balance them. That didn't work.
He said that it could be the struts, but that they aren't leaking. I plan to keep this car for another 60,000 miles. Have the struts gone bad? Does it need to be replaced? Is it safe to drive if I don't replace them? Any consequences if I don't replace them? Is it worth it?
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Got a 2001 Alero 4 cyl. Couple. Almost a month ago that car wouldn't turn over. Did the 10 min passlock procedure and it started. Been OK til today. So now the key won't turn in the ignition. Won't turn at all. Steering wheel is not locked, car is locked in park. Tried to turn it while moving wheel, shifter, etc. to no avail.
Is this a bad ignition lock cylinder? If so, I've read some procedures on how to replace this thing. It looks horrible. And it seems that one needs to turn the key to get the cylinder out. Is this correct? Remember, my key won't turn at all. Also, is there any way to key it to match the existing keys without taking it to a stealer/dealer? I saw a part on Rock Auto that comes with 2 keys. But I guess then the ignition keys would be different from door/trunk.
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I have a power steering pump that makes a moaning noise when turning. Normally this means your fluid is low, but mine is full. Is it possible the reservoir is clogged not allowing fluid into the pump? When you take the cover off the reservoir the fluid is frothy so you know the pump is cavitating.
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I have a 2002 and i just recently started having a problem with my turn signal. It seems that when its hot outside, my turn signals wont work, left or right signal. could it be the fuse, or would it be within the steering wheel.
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My girl has a 20004 Alero and she has the security problem at least one time almost everyday. When she tries to crank it, the sec light will be flashing. She turns the key to the on position for 10 mins. The light becomes solid. Then she can crank it.I have seen a video on YouTube of someone putting a toggle switch on the security wire on a Grand Am. Can I put this toggle bypass on her vehicle or is there a better fix?
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We have a 2005 Camry XLE, with 102,00 miles on it. It has been very well cared for, and only serviced by our Dealer. We would like to keep the vehicle for another 50,000 miles. We have had an assessment of the vehicle done by the Dealer, because our brakes were very soft.
He found a great deal of air in the lines and flushed them out. He also found:
1.) Leaks in the power steering rack, which he graded as a level 8 severity on a 10 point scale. Repair estimate is $1100 to replace and align.
2.) Both front struts are cracked and graded for severity as an 8 on a scale of 10.
What do you think:
A.) Are these safety issues ?
B.) What are the consequences of delay ?
C.) Are these problems indicative of other likely problems ?
D.) Is it better to have a Dealer perform the repairs ?
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