Note: Before diagnosing damage to the suspension or steering, check tire pressure, tire type, and brake function. When checking the power steering system, always check the pump drive belt first.
Symptom/Cause
The car is unstable on the road or pulls to one side
- Improper wheel alignment
- Wear in parts of the front suspension or steering
- Wear in rear suspension parts
- Weak suspension struts
- Defective tire or incorrect tire pressures
- Damage to body parts, suspension or steering
Steering is stiff and heavy (direct action steering)
- Improper wheel alignment
- Steering column or rack is bent or damaged
- Seized steering or front suspension ball joints
- Damaged suspension strut
- Defective tire or incorrect tire pressures
Steering is stiff and heavy (power steering)
- Pump drive belt slipping
- Low fluid level
- The pump or steering gear is faulty
- Improper wheel alignment
- Steering column or rack is bent or damaged
- Steering or front suspension ball joint seized
- Damaged suspension strut
- Defective tire or incorrect tire pressures
Excessive play in steering
- Worn steering or suspension connections
- Worn lower steering column connection
- The steering gear is worn out or the mechanism is sagging
Excessive rolling or rotation
- Weak suspension struts
- Worn anti-roll bar settings
Wheel runout and vibration
- Wheel nuts are loose
- Wheels are unbalanced, damaged or distorted
- Defective, damaged or incorrectly installed tires
- Worn steering or suspension connections
- Weak suspension struts
Wheel bearings worn out
- Excessive or uneven tire wear
- Incorrect tire pressures
- Improper wheel alignment
- Wheels are unbalanced
- Worn steering or suspension parts
- Weak suspension struts
- Damage to body parts, suspension or steering