Totally messed up steering
#1
08-21-2021, 11:04 AM
Totally messed up steering
This is a 2007 2 wheel drive
Since this car was bought a year ago it seems to be nothing but problems on the passenger front.
We have replaced the control arm, tie rods, and other stuff.
So my daughter went in for a tune up before she went off to school, the mechanic said her alignment was off and to bring it back to the guy who did it. He says her R&P was shot, which is why it was hitting the stop, this stop that has been giving us issues from day one but everyone says it was fine, no big deal.
So we fixed the R&P, then there was a problem during the repair, they said the subframe was off and was trying to move it over.
The mechanic says they got it over as much as they can, but...they couldn't get the wheel to level out, so to drive straight the steering wheel is at 10 and 4. I drove it, the wheel is sluggish and stiffer, there is no snap back, worse than before, and when I put the steering wheel at the level it is supposed to be, there was no difference in the tire position as to when the wheel was in 10-4 position. That's a good 4-5 inches you can turn the wheel without the tires moving.
Any clue as to what the issue is?
Since this car was bought a year ago it seems to be nothing but problems on the passenger front.
We have replaced the control arm, tie rods, and other stuff.
So my daughter went in for a tune up before she went off to school, the mechanic said her alignment was off and to bring it back to the guy who did it. He says her R&P was shot, which is why it was hitting the stop, this stop that has been giving us issues from day one but everyone says it was fine, no big deal.
So we fixed the R&P, then there was a problem during the repair, they said the subframe was off and was trying to move it over.
The mechanic says they got it over as much as they can, but...they couldn't get the wheel to level out, so to drive straight the steering wheel is at 10 and 4. I drove it, the wheel is sluggish and stiffer, there is no snap back, worse than before, and when I put the steering wheel at the level it is supposed to be, there was no difference in the tire position as to when the wheel was in 10-4 position. That's a good 4-5 inches you can turn the wheel without the tires moving.
Any clue as to what the issue is?
#3
08-21-2021, 01:11 PM
There may be more here than we know.
Has this vehicle to your knowledge been in any kind of accident? If so,might explain problem with sub frame,,,,,,,,,,,,,if that ,,,, is true.
You might consider starting with a GOOD alignment shop do a thorough inspection of entire front end incl steering components. Then based on their findings, decide if you want to either go the suggested route or get another estimate. At least you should know pretty much what is going on.
A proper alignment will take care of the steering wheel position. To do a proper alignment , tire pressure and condition get checked and corrected Depending on the findings will determine what can be done. If you choose to, please post the findings here so we can see what may be involved before shelling out more $$$.
Has this vehicle to your knowledge been in any kind of accident? If so,might explain problem with sub frame,,,,,,,,,,,,,if that ,,,, is true.
You might consider starting with a GOOD alignment shop do a thorough inspection of entire front end incl steering components. Then based on their findings, decide if you want to either go the suggested route or get another estimate. At least you should know pretty much what is going on.
A proper alignment will take care of the steering wheel position. To do a proper alignment , tire pressure and condition get checked and corrected Depending on the findings will determine what can be done. If you choose to, please post the findings here so we can see what may be involved before shelling out more $$$.
#4
08-21-2021, 02:53 PM
We've been to the three best mechanics in the area, had 4 alignments done, plus all the other things.
I don't know the history, but I do know that when we bought the car it had these issues on the passenger front, which we fixed, and there was no alignment issues. I also knew the rack was bad, because I've had the same issues in my car.
It seems sometime after the last repairs, in which the alignment was fine, it went off kilter.
But with that said, my daughter did go over the curb onto the drain grate, flat tire. I think whatever the problem was became worse because of that.
But all that was fixed.
I want to bring it back, I have a right to, but these guys are difficult, but for $600 i will go to court if they refuse, or make it worse, which I feel they have.
I don't know the history, but I do know that when we bought the car it had these issues on the passenger front, which we fixed, and there was no alignment issues. I also knew the rack was bad, because I've had the same issues in my car.
It seems sometime after the last repairs, in which the alignment was fine, it went off kilter.
But with that said, my daughter did go over the curb onto the drain grate, flat tire. I think whatever the problem was became worse because of that.
But all that was fixed.
I want to bring it back, I have a right to, but these guys are difficult, but for $600 i will go to court if they refuse, or make it worse, which I feel they have.
#5
08-21-2021, 08:05 PM
And where do you live? Reason - I just gave my son an OK car, and he hasn't disposed of his reliable clunker yet.
Last edited by uhoh; 08-21-2021 at 08:08 PM.
#6
08-21-2021, 09:14 PM
We/she, bought a car from a trusted mechanic, the car had issues, as they all do, we repaired them. It seems no one was able to detect the the shifted subframe until we had the R&P replaced, though I'm not sure why the person who did the first alignment had no clue, I'm not even sure if that was an actual issue. We paid $600 for the R&P last Wed, I want to bring it back for them to figure out what they did wrong, cause they clearly did something wrong. And we live in Va..
#7
08-22-2021, 11:49 AM
We can throw all sorts of things into the mix and possibly none of them could be of any value.
If you can or want to,
could you tell us , in detail EVERYTHING EACH PLACE CLAIMED THEY DID ,? Sometimes there is a little item that goes unnoticed and maybe another examination from an unsuspecting person(s) can stumble on to something.. Sometimes it costs us more to pursue legal means than having a good shop straighten it out.
Need to know what was damaged from the curb incident . Just what was involved in the repair. I ask this because if something completely unrelated got passed the person(s) doing the repairs , NOW, it shows up and we are looking to place fault when it may not be the case. Everything involving diagnosis and repair is not always cut and dried.
Could there be more to this whole thing than we believe we know?
If you can or want to,
could you tell us , in detail EVERYTHING EACH PLACE CLAIMED THEY DID ,? Sometimes there is a little item that goes unnoticed and maybe another examination from an unsuspecting person(s) can stumble on to something.. Sometimes it costs us more to pursue legal means than having a good shop straighten it out.
Need to know what was damaged from the curb incident . Just what was involved in the repair. I ask this because if something completely unrelated got passed the person(s) doing the repairs , NOW, it shows up and we are looking to place fault when it may not be the case. Everything involving diagnosis and repair is not always cut and dried.
Could there be more to this whole thing than we believe we know?
#8
08-22-2021, 09:01 PM
To be clear in the issue I am now having the wheel will turn a good 4-5 inches before the wheels react, the wheel does not automatically turn back after turning, the steering is stiff.
I'll do my best.
Bought the car the end of July, was given a 30 day warranty on everything but the engine and tranny.
Primary complaint, noise on front right, humming, clunking. I brought it to 3 different mechanics, including Ford. I only have the paperwork from Ford who says wheel bearing, to start. #2 said motor mount, and tie rods, #3 said the same, as well as wheel bearing and ball joint. Mind you, everyone including the seller all said the bang on sharp left turn in parking lot was the stop, from day one, and that it was not a big deal, just don't turn all the way. After each mechanic I brought it back to the seller, mechanic #1, they said none of those problems existed, warranty expired.
One day in a lot, in Sept., while turning right there was a lot of clanking and grinding, This was fixed, but can't find the paperwork, but there was a repair on the right front, something was loose or hanging, think it was the ball joint.
Around 10/26 my daughter went over the curb in our lot, hit the drain, got a flat, and continued to drive to work. Yes, she felt an issue but had no clue, all she cared about is getting to work. Fixed the flat, balanced the tire. I was mad because we just fixed that side.
Still complaining about the noise, still told it's the stop.
3/12 Still making noise, mechanic #1 says the tire and wheel contacting control arm due to bent lower control arm, and inner and outer tie rods from going over the curb. Fixed lower control arm, lower ball joint, both tie rods, and an alignment.
7/29 went for a tune up and was told that we may have a wheel bearing issue, which was told a year ago, by Ford and this guy, #3. He looked at the car another day and said the alignment was off, took it back for another alignment, Mechanic #4, they said the rack was worn, needed to be replaced.
8/18, took it to mechanic #5 they verified that it was the rack, they repaired it, kept it another day claiming the subframe was shifted. Got the car back and they said they could not for the life of them find a solution to why they can't align the wheel.
So there were issues with the front right from day one, but there were no alignment issues till 8/5, out of nowhere, and now the car is messed up.
I'll do my best.
Bought the car the end of July, was given a 30 day warranty on everything but the engine and tranny.
Primary complaint, noise on front right, humming, clunking. I brought it to 3 different mechanics, including Ford. I only have the paperwork from Ford who says wheel bearing, to start. #2 said motor mount, and tie rods, #3 said the same, as well as wheel bearing and ball joint. Mind you, everyone including the seller all said the bang on sharp left turn in parking lot was the stop, from day one, and that it was not a big deal, just don't turn all the way. After each mechanic I brought it back to the seller, mechanic #1, they said none of those problems existed, warranty expired.
One day in a lot, in Sept., while turning right there was a lot of clanking and grinding, This was fixed, but can't find the paperwork, but there was a repair on the right front, something was loose or hanging, think it was the ball joint.
Around 10/26 my daughter went over the curb in our lot, hit the drain, got a flat, and continued to drive to work. Yes, she felt an issue but had no clue, all she cared about is getting to work. Fixed the flat, balanced the tire. I was mad because we just fixed that side.
Still complaining about the noise, still told it's the stop.
3/12 Still making noise, mechanic #1 says the tire and wheel contacting control arm due to bent lower control arm, and inner and outer tie rods from going over the curb. Fixed lower control arm, lower ball joint, both tie rods, and an alignment.
7/29 went for a tune up and was told that we may have a wheel bearing issue, which was told a year ago, by Ford and this guy, #3. He looked at the car another day and said the alignment was off, took it back for another alignment, Mechanic #4, they said the rack was worn, needed to be replaced.
8/18, took it to mechanic #5 they verified that it was the rack, they repaired it, kept it another day claiming the subframe was shifted. Got the car back and they said they could not for the life of them find a solution to why they can't align the wheel.
So there were issues with the front right from day one, but there were no alignment issues till 8/5, out of nowhere, and now the car is messed up.
Last edited by hev; 08-23-2021 at 08:27 AM.
#9
08-23-2021, 11:03 AM
If the previous alignment shops didn't pick up on a problem, doesn't mean it wasn't there.
I can understand your reasoning, but It may not be the last shops fault.
Dealerships are required to have certain equip and parts to do a correct alignment. If it wasn't right after they worked on it ,you should have brought it back, and they would normally recheck everything..
From what info you have presented so far, there is still something drastically wrong up there that they cannot do a correct alignment..Lets hope it can be found and corrected.
I can understand your reasoning, but It may not be the last shops fault.
Dealerships are required to have certain equip and parts to do a correct alignment. If it wasn't right after they worked on it ,you should have brought it back, and they would normally recheck everything..
From what info you have presented so far, there is still something drastically wrong up there that they cannot do a correct alignment..Lets hope it can be found and corrected.
#10
08-23-2021, 11:19 AM
Could it be that the beating the control arms have taken over time has also bent the tabs on the frame rail that they mount to, to where enough shims can't be used to get the two sides in alignment with one another anymore?
The wheel not returning to center is a caster issue is it not?
Could also be that the impacts to the front suspension have twisted the body where the front subframe mounts to it as well. A little here and a little there can add up to where it doesn't visually look all that bad, but is enough where the small amount of adjustment at the front suspension is not enough to correct it.
Also, what alignment spec are they unable to get correct? Toe, camber, or caster?
The wheel not returning to center is a caster issue is it not?
Could also be that the impacts to the front suspension have twisted the body where the front subframe mounts to it as well. A little here and a little there can add up to where it doesn't visually look all that bad, but is enough where the small amount of adjustment at the front suspension is not enough to correct it.
Also, what alignment spec are they unable to get correct? Toe, camber, or caster?