WRX "Notchy Steering" Solved
About a week ago the steering started acting up on my '02 Subura Impreza WRX.
The only way I could describe it is, "notchy." It would be very stiff for half a rotation of the wheel, then very loose for the next rotation.
My first thought was that power steering fluid was probably low, but a quick look at the reservoir showed it right where it should be.
I then began to worry about the differential, or some other component of the AWD, but I was able to rule that out since it did the same thing while cranking the wheel without moving the car.
It this point I put the front of the car on jackstands, started the car, and had my wife turn the steering wheel while I looked under the hood for bubbles in the power steering fluid, a slipping belt, or any other issues.
Nothing.
Finally, I shut the car off and turned the steering wheel myself with the front wheels in the air and the engine off. Still notchy. At that point there was nothing left to cause it but the steering rack or the steering linkage itself, essentially a drive rod with a U-joint at each end.
I crawled back under my car, this time armed with a can of good old American WD40, and had my wife turn the wheel again. As I doused the U-joints with solvent, sure enough the wheel began to loosen up, turning as normal wtihin a few minutes.
It's only been a week, but so far so good.
The steering linkage appears to be held onto splined shafts with clamp collars, so hopefully even if the problem returns replacing them won't be too big of a job.
The only way I could describe it is, "notchy." It would be very stiff for half a rotation of the wheel, then very loose for the next rotation.
My first thought was that power steering fluid was probably low, but a quick look at the reservoir showed it right where it should be.
I then began to worry about the differential, or some other component of the AWD, but I was able to rule that out since it did the same thing while cranking the wheel without moving the car.
It this point I put the front of the car on jackstands, started the car, and had my wife turn the steering wheel while I looked under the hood for bubbles in the power steering fluid, a slipping belt, or any other issues.
Nothing.
Finally, I shut the car off and turned the steering wheel myself with the front wheels in the air and the engine off. Still notchy. At that point there was nothing left to cause it but the steering rack or the steering linkage itself, essentially a drive rod with a U-joint at each end.
I crawled back under my car, this time armed with a can of good old American WD40, and had my wife turn the wheel again. As I doused the U-joints with solvent, sure enough the wheel began to loosen up, turning as normal wtihin a few minutes.
It's only been a week, but so far so good.
The steering linkage appears to be held onto splined shafts with clamp collars, so hopefully even if the problem returns replacing them won't be too big of a job.
UPDATE: The issue returned about a month ago, not quite as bad as before. I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and replace the steering linkage once the weather warms up.
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