What to Do When the Steering System Fails?

[DiBlakely]

When a car's steering system malfunctions, it should be inspected promptly. Common issues include excessive steering wheel rotation, unstable handling, front wheel wobbling, veering, and heavy steering. Key areas to check when the steering system fails are: 1. Inspect whether the worm gear and worm in the steering gear are severely worn or have excessive clearance; 2. Check if the connecting parts of the steering mechanism are severely worn or too loose; 3. Verify if the steering gear mounting points are loose; 4. Examine whether the steering arm is loose; 5. First, check the wheel's dynamic balance, ensuring the balance weights are correctly installed, then verify proper tire installation and even wear. Inspect if the wheel rim is deformed, if there's lateral or radial wobble, and if the tire pressure is correct; 7. Check for looseness in the steering knuckle bearings, looseness in the tie rod ball joints, and any assembly looseness in the steering gear. Also, inspect the U-bolts and center clamping bolts of the leaf springs for looseness or damage, and check for residual deformation in the leaf springs.