What Causes a Heavy Car Steering Wheel?

[DelBrooke]

There are several reasons why a car's steering wheel may feel heavy: 1. Dirty power steering fluid. This situation is similar to how dirty engine oil can affect engine power and performance. Dirty power steering fluid can cause the steering wheel to become increasingly heavy, and insufficient power steering fluid can also make the steering wheel feel heavier. 2. If the car has electric power steering, check whether the fuse is blown or if there are any open circuits or short circuits to ground in the wiring. Repeatedly turning the steering wheel while stationary or at low speeds places a significant load on the power steering system, which can easily cause the steering gear to overheat and enter a protective mode, making the steering feel heavy. It will return to normal after cooling down, which is a normal phenomenon.