Top Six Causes of Hard Steering Wheel and Solutions

TIPS OF THE WEEK

The steering system is an important part of the control mechanism of a vehicle. It provides control over the direction the driver wants to guide the car. A problem like steering wheel hard to turn is dangerous because it can lead to accidents when you are driving on a highway or a street filled with cars or people. Just imagine a situation when you need to change lanes or take a turn but steering wheel sticks or moves slowly. It could be a deadly situation if you are driving on a treacherous, mountainous road.

Steering Wheel Hard to Turn – What Are the Reasons?

Irregular maintenance and late servicing coupled with the wearing off of some components are the reasons of the stiff steering wheel. It is important to know about them as it will help you to spot the signs early and take the car to servicing before they become worse.

1. Tire Pressure

Surprisingly, bad air pressure could be a cause for steering wheel hard to turn. Improper tire pressure, especially deflated tires, can trigger this problem. All the tires of your vehicle should have been inflated according to the manufacturer’s recommended PSI.

Also, the front-end alignment is another important thing. Uneven wear on the front tires will make your car pull to a side while driving or taking a turn. Uneven tire tread leads to misalignment of the wheels, which can also a reason that triggers hard and stiff steering at the time of making turns on the road.

2. Bad Steering Rack

The steering rack is connected to the wheel through a series of shafts and U-joints. These parts and the rack itself get damaged and worn simply because of everyday driving. If you find the stiffed wheel just after starting the car, the problem is definitely with the steering rack. The wheel will gradually feel free to move when you continue driving. It happens because the rack gets hotter with the running of the engine, allowing the lubricant to settle in. you can keep driving with this condition but leaving the deteriorated rack as it is will escalate the problem.

3. Damaged Serpentine Belt

Another common cause of steering wheel hard to turn is a cracked or broken serpentine belt. The belt gets worn out over time because it works all the time when you drive the car. The wheel starts showing the sign of stiffness when the belt begins to erode and becomes loose. Delaying the repair or replacement will cause the belt to break, making the steering wheel to go kaput.

4. Fluid Leakage

Inadequate level of fluid in the steering system is another top reason. It happens when the pressurized hose area develops a leak or gets loose. Fluid leaks through that crack, leading to reducing pressure in the system and drying out the pump. As a result, the wheel does not get enough supply of fluid to perform freely.

5. Pump Malfunction

Along with the fluid, the pump also has a major role in creating the right amount of pressure in the power steering system. If the pump gets damaged or stops working for any reason, it will be difficult to turn the steering wheel. An impaired pump will not stall the wheel completely. You will still be able to move it but it will need much more effort, which could be dangerous when you need to take a sharp turn on the road.

6. Thick Fluid

Like all other types of fluid in a vehicle, the power steering fluid also collects dirt and debris over time. It becomes too thick to flow freely and lubricate all the parts of the system if you don’t change it within the specified period. It especially causes steering wheel hard to turn at low speeds. The only solution is to flush the old fluid out of the system and refill it with new, fresh liquid.

Steering Wheel Hard to Turn at Low Speeds

The problem of steering wheel hard to turn becomes most noticeable when you are driving at low speeds because most people lower the car’s speed while making a turn. When this issue occurs, you could be certain that there is a glitch in your power steering system. It could be the fluid, pump, or the serpentine belt. All of these things work together to reduce the resistance of the wheel at the time of turning. When any or all of these things fail to function properly, you will experience a stiff steering wheel because of the high-level of resistance.

The solutions for Steering Wheel Hard To Turn

Here are some solutions to handle with steering wheel hard to turn:

1. Check air pressure of your car tires

If you find out that your steering wheel hard to turn at low speeds, the first thing you should check will be the air pressure of all your tires. All tires of a car should be filled with equal air and stayed at automaker’s recommended PSI (Pound per Square Inch) in order to prevent improper air amount in tires that leads to stiff steering.

2. Check power steering condition and fluid level

Steering wheel hard to turn at low speeds can happen due to some problems related to power steering fluid level and condition. Therefore, if this case occurs, you need to check both power steering condition and fluid level. (Note: You can easily found the power steering fluid in a cylindrical reservoir which is close to a power-steering belt and being labeled clearly. The cylinder may be a plastic cylinder or a metal one). Inadequate fluid is the reason makes hard and stiff steering. Thus, you need to keep the fluid at accurate full level and the color should be a dark red. If you observe that the fluid color is too dark and old, it’s time for you to change the fluid.

3. Check the pulley on the power steering unit

When your steering wheel hard to turn, inspecting the pulley on the power steering unit is what you should do. Notice that you only check the pulley when the engine of your car off to ensure the safety. Normally, proper tension doesn’t exceed one inch of play or three quarters. For checking tension, you just press your thumb down on the belt. Make sure that the pulley belt condition is good enough with no cracks or frayed edges.

Moreover, you also take a visual check with the car engine running to ensure that the pulley belt is running well. If you observe that the belt is slipping, you can face stiff and erratic steering.

4. Check the power steering unit

Next thing to do is inspecting the power steering unit. As a leak from connecting pressure hoses will decrease your pressure and thus leads to hard steering. Hence, a visual check for fluid leaks here is what you should do.

5. Check the front end parts

Check the front end parts like tie rod ends and ball joints for wear and lubrication. Too much wear on ball joints or tie rod ends is too dangerous and can cause steering wheel to turn as well. Inspecting these parts to make sure that your car has got proper front end alignment. A warning sign would be irregular front tire wear and your car will pull to one side when you drive it. You can face stiff steering, particularly when you make a turn if all the wheels of your car are not aligned precisely.

Moreover, regular maintenance and scheduled servicing are the best ways to keep your car free of this problem. You should check the fluid level at regular intervals. Also, make sure to have the power steering system diagnosed every time you send the car to a servicing shop for the schedule checkup. (Source: Car From Japan)