What are the 4 causes of heavy car steering?
3 Answers
The 4 causes of heavy car steering are as follows: 1. Bearing damage, mainly including steering gear bearing and steering column bearing damage. 2. Insufficient tire pressure. If the tire is flat, the contact area between the vehicle and the ground will increase, resulting in increased friction. 3. Ball joint issues, where the steering tie rod ball joint lacks lubrication or is damaged. 4. Lack of power steering fluid. The solutions are as follows: 1. Replace the damaged bearings in the vehicle. 2. Inflate the car tires promptly. If the tires are severely worn or punctured, repair or replace them. 3. Inspect the vehicle; if it lacks lubrication, replenish the lubricating oil promptly. If damaged, replace it at a repair shop. 4. Add power steering fluid.
I remain particularly vigilant when encountering heavy steering, as it directly impacts driving safety. There are four common causes: first, issues with the power steering system, such as low hydraulic fluid or a damaged power steering pump, which can cause the steering wheel to lose assistive power; second, severely low tire pressure—when it's 1.0 or more below the standard value, resistance increases significantly; third, binding or wear in the steering tie rod ball joint, where lack of lubrication directly limits steering flexibility; and fourth, abnormal front wheel alignment parameters, such as excessive toe deviation, which can intensify steering resistance. These issues may compound each other—for instance, I once experienced both power steering fluid leakage and low tire pressure simultaneously. If you notice the steering wheel becoming heavier, I recommend checking it immediately rather than waiting until it fails completely.
I know exactly how it feels when the steering gets heavy. Just last week, I had to send my car for repairs because turning the wheel was like pushing a millstone. The mechanic explained four main reasons: the most common is a failure in the power steering system—if the motor or wiring in an electric power steering system malfunctions, it stops working; low tire pressure drastically increases the contact area between the tires and the road, doubling the resistance; lack of lubrication in the universal joints or bearings of the steering mechanism can cause them to seize up, mechanically restricting movement; and deformed chassis suspension, such as damaged shock absorbers altering wheel angles. In my case, it was due to tire pressure dropping to 1.6 (normal is 2.3) combined with slight stiffness in the ball joint. Now, I've made it a habit to check tire pressure every month.
