Wacko steering issue
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,969
Likes: 202
From: Lyons Il
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Wacko steering issue
Before I say anything I must add that I saw the following myself first hand. I met a guy at a cruise in with a 99. When he starts his car the wheels turn back and forth all by themselves! I am looking for any clues to the source of the problem. I will list what I know about the car and hope for advice.
Like I said it is a 99. It has 19,000 miles on it. It never sees rain or snow. He added an aftermarket air box and a 3.42:1 gear. He said he had the Hypertech tune but since removed it because he thought it wasn't running any better. He did also mention that his car was calibrated for the gear swap but not sure if the Hypertech does that. He has no "check engine" light and sees no warnings on the display. It starts, runs and drives just fine otherwise. The wheels will stop turning if he grabs the wheel and will stop on their own after about 30 seconds. I did notice a "notch" feeling in the wheel when you turned it from being perfectly straight but once you get past it the steering seemed too light compared to my own 99.
I am hoping for some advice here. I have never seen or heard of anything like it before.
Like I said it is a 99. It has 19,000 miles on it. It never sees rain or snow. He added an aftermarket air box and a 3.42:1 gear. He said he had the Hypertech tune but since removed it because he thought it wasn't running any better. He did also mention that his car was calibrated for the gear swap but not sure if the Hypertech does that. He has no "check engine" light and sees no warnings on the display. It starts, runs and drives just fine otherwise. The wheels will stop turning if he grabs the wheel and will stop on their own after about 30 seconds. I did notice a "notch" feeling in the wheel when you turned it from being perfectly straight but once you get past it the steering seemed too light compared to my own 99.
I am hoping for some advice here. I have never seen or heard of anything like it before.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 464
Likes: 2
From: New Bern NC
I saw something kind of like this on an off road truck once. I finally found out that the piston head in the steering cylinder had come off the rod. I've never heard of a car doing that though, it takes a lot of force to break a hydraulic piston. That is just my previous experience I'm thinking his rack and pinion gears are worn out but if he's only got 19k miles on it...... it shouldn't be worn out at all. 
Theres also a steering wheel position sensor that could be the culprit but I'm not too sure how that system works.
Theres also a steering wheel position sensor that could be the culprit but I'm not too sure how that system works.
