Steering Diagnosis

If wander or poor steering stability exists, inspect for the following conditions:
- Mismatched or uneven tires
- Incorrect front or rear wheel alignment
- Inadequate lubrication of ball joints or tie rod ends
- Worn tie rod ends
- Worn ball joints
- Worn strut dampers
- Broken or sagging springs
- Loose stabilizer shaft
- Incorrect power steering fluid pressure
- Loose rack and pinion gear attaching bolts
- Worn or binding rack and pinion gear
- Worn steering column friction damper

If hard steering or lack of assist exists, inspect for the following conditions:
- Magnasteer(R) system malfunction (at low speeds). Refer to Diagrams.
- Insufficient power steering fluid pressure
- Excessive rack and pinion gear rack bearing preload
- Stiff pinion spool valve assembly
- Worn or binding upper strut mount bearings
- Worn or binding rack and pinion gear
- If soft steering at high speeds exists, inspect for a Magnasteer(R) system malfunction. Refer to Diagrams.

If erratic steering assist exists, inspect for the following conditions:
- Magnasteer(R) system malfunction, refer to Diagrams.
- An intermittent vehicle speed signal

If erratic steering exists when braking, inspect for the following conditions:
- Worn strut dampers
- Broken or sagging springs
- Damaged master cylinder primary or secondary cups
- Leaking wheel cylinder or caliper
- Loose or binding caliper
- Loose control arm bolt

If too much play in the steering exists, inspect for the following conditions:
- Loose rack and pinion gear attachment
- Worn or loose steering intermediate shaft coupling
- Rack and pinion gear rack bearing preload below minimum

If poor steering wheel return exists, inspect for the following conditions:
- Inadequate lubrication of ball joints and tie rod ends Binding ball joints
- Binding in steering column (including steering column friction damper)
- Incorrect front wheel alignment
- Excessive rack and pinion gear rack bearing preload
- Sticking pinion spool valve assembly
- Worn or binding upper strut mount bearings