Causes of Loose Front End Steering in Your Mercedes
by wp_germanmotorspb February 26, 2019The Mercedes-Benz is one of the most comfortable cars found on the roads worldwide. Part of their appeal is in how well they handle the road regardless of the prevailing conditions on the road. This comfort is contributed to by the collaborative functions of the suspension system as well as the front end steering system.
The front end steering plays a huge role in ensuring the overall safety and comfort of a car on the road. This is because it is the steering that connects the chassis and the suspension of the car firmly and in turn makes your driving experience as comfortable as possible. Responsive steering gives the driver as much control of the vehicle as possible; the opposite can create a myriad of problems.
Functions of Front End Steering
The front end steering is made up of several connected components that need to be tightly secured for the steering to be fully responsive. Some of the parts that make up the front end steering include drag linkages, several arms, axial rods, and tie rod ends.
Some of the main functions of the steering as implied by the name include controlling the relationship between the tires on the car and the road surface. Together with the suspension in your Mercedes-Benz, the steering will absorb shocks from the surface of the road and allow the car to have the best possible handling and navigation of the road. Essentially, the front end steering will determine where you take the car and how well you get it there.
Causes of Loose Front End Steering
Because of all the movable parts that make up the front end steering system, there are several reasons that can cause loosening of the parts. Some of the most common causes of this problem include worn out tie rods. These are rods that are located at the end of linkage rods. These linkage rods serve the purpose of connecting the wheel hubs to the steering wheel. Because of the constant movement, these rods need to be thoroughly lubricated, otherwise they become worn out much faster than is predicted by the manufacturer.
Change or poor adjustment of the tooth contact within the steering gear box or between the rack and pinion may also cause the steering to become loose. This also happens over a period of time after covering lots of mileage.
Symptoms of a Loose Front End Steering System
A loose front end system will be easy to spot because of the many symptoms that you are bound to notice in the course of your driving. Some of these signs include:
Free play
This is the term that is commonly used to describe a steering wheel that makes turns without moving the wheels of the car. Should the steering wheel in your car move more than an inch without affecting the position of the wheels, the steering gear box parts may be worn out and in need of repair.
Skidding car when turning the wheel
When the car skids to the side when in motion and especially when you try to turn, there is probably a problem in the front end steering system causing the poor control.
Loose steering wheel
A loose steering wheel will keep slipping when you hold it down or turn it. This will also point to looseness in the rods or wear in the steering racks.
Abnormal vibrations in the wheel
While this may also point to an alignment problem, it is also a sign that the steering wheel parts may have become loose, in turn causing the wheel to have excessive vibrations when navigating corners.
Strange noises
These will become apparent when turning the wheel, especially when navigating corners. The noises will include grinding noises as well as squeaking noises, all as a result of the loosening of the components of the front end steering system.
Fixing Your Front End Steering
While your Mercedes-Benz will provide you with the maximum level of comfort and excellent performance, without regular servicing you may end up with a loose front end system problem. However, you can worry less if you are in or around San Diego, La Jolla, Pacific Beach and Clairemont, CA because German Motors and Imports has got you covered. We provide original quality parts for your Mercedes-Benz and equally excellent services to keep your Mercedes in top shape.