Golf R Loose Steering on Centre - help

[Man In Black (MIB)]

Hi Guys,

need some help. After a recent wheel alignment I noticed that my steering wheel was quite lose on centre. I could jiggle it up and down with two fingers without any resistance, until past a certain point then the resistance would start. It wasn't like this before the wheel alignment.

I took it to a steering specialised who said it is probably a "steper motor" failure and that VW should be able to see a fault code for it. The dealer found no fault code but could see it was lose on centre and installed a new steering rack. The wheel now feels a little firmer but is still lose on centre.

Anyone come across this before and/or knows how to fix it?

Thanks very much.

[THE_EGG]

Hi Guys,

need some help. After a recent wheel alignment I noticed that my steering wheel was quite lose on centre. I could jiggle it up and down with two fingers without any resistance, until past a certain point then the resistance would start. It wasn't like this before the wheel alignment.

I took it to a steering specialised who said it is probably a "steper motor" failure and that VW should be able to see a fault code for it. The dealer found no fault code but could see it was lose on centre and installed a new steering rack. The wheel now feels a little firmer but is still lose on centre.

Anyone come across this before and/or knows how to fix it?

Thanks very much.

My Dad had this happen with his Freelander 2 but it was fixed with a new steering rack and pinion. But it was damaged from off-roading so it's obviously not the same cause as yours. I would perhaps bring it up with the people that did the wheel alignment. Quite strange the replacement of the steering rack didn't help. Maybe the problem is power steering related.

[Umai Naa!!]

Perhaps the steering wheel was removed to centre it post-wheel alignment. It sounds to me that the steering wheel or coloumn are loose.

[Man In Black (MIB)]

Guys,

after much investigation my loose steering issue is now fixed. To recap, the wheel was quite loose on centre and could move without moving the wheels until it got a certain distance from centre. I had the dealer in Belconnen in Canberra compare it with a new Golf R and they agreed there was something wrong. Another dealer in Canberra replaced the steering rack last year but to no avail.

Turns out the steering shaft was warped. Put a new shaft in and the car rejected it so it had to be recoded. Now the car feels like a proper Golf R again. Steering response is sharp and engaging.

Speaking to a wheel alignment specialist he feels that the car's first wheel alignment may have crushed the shaft. I did notice the steering went loose right after its first alignment.

Any way now very happy and wanted to share this with all as my previous Mk-5 GTI developed exactly the same problem after its first wheel alignment.

[Umai Naa!!]

Good to see this got sorted.

Was it the same place who performed the wheel alignment on both cars?

[Man In Black (MIB)]

Yes. It was. A Jax no less.

Both my VW's will now go to a sole trader bloke in Queanbeyan who specialises in these sorts of things (should see the number of Porsche, Ferrari, BMWs, Audis etc parked out the front). He has quite a good rep.

[Guy_H]

There is a plastic bush inside the column where it joins onto the steering rack, when it cracks, you get play in the steering wheel. Have seen this a couple of times now, quite often after an impact through the steering rack.

Its not available separately and only part of the column.

[MadWorm]

If they're in Canberra/Qbn do you care to name their location so I can avoid them? PM is fine.

[Umai Naa!!]

There is a plastic bush inside the column where it joins onto the steering rack, when it cracks, you get play in the steering wheel. Have seen this a couple of times now, quite often after an impact through the steering rack.

Its not available separately and only part of the column.

The thing that gets me is, at what point do you inflinct such an impact on the steering column in performing a wheel alignment, that breaks the bushing?

[Guy_H]

The thing that gets me is, at what point do you inflinct such an impact on the steering column in performing a wheel alignment, that breaks the bushing?

Good question, there is obviously more to it - certainly seen it in our workshop twice recently.