Weird Steering Issue..

[fannyj]

Hi Guys,

My car was fine this morning.. but now the steering feels heavier than usual.
Symptoms:

When i go around a corner, the steering wheel doesn't auto-correct back to the centre..Or it does but not
as quickly as it did before.
Also my steering was dead centre before, now is seems as if my wheels are out of alignment.

I thought it was the power-steering pump, but that wouldn't cause the "alignment" issue.

What you guys reckon? Steering rack? Steering column bearing?

[smithy318i]

imbalance in tyre pressure?

[fannyj]

I thought it was that, all tyres checked.
2.3 front
2.4 rear

[blitz877]

or 32psi all round, blockage in the rack possibly?

[BreadBin]

It could be a knackered ball joint

[fannyj]

Ball-joint on the lower control arm? didn't think of that...
How would one remove the blockage from the rack?
I also checked the powersteering fluid, it's spot on...

[fannyj]

It actually feels as if one of my front wheels is totally flat. That's the feeling i get when i'm driving. I actually mentioned it to the wife while we were cruizing..."Damn wheel has puncture"
When i checked, the tyre pressure it was spot on all round.
Now, a failing PS pump wouldn't cause the alignment issue, but could simulate the feeling of a flat..right?
Could a failing rack cause this? or both?

[daimlerman]

Car pulling to one side? Vibration when braking? Just a wild guess,but have a look at the wishbone bush on the side the car pulls to.

[E30Mark]

I'd jack up the front of the car to get both wheels off the ground, and then see if you can turn the wheel lock to lock with out any issues.

[fannyj]

Will have a look in the morning, thanks guys

[hammoj28]

I had this problem with mine, Steering went heavy and when i went round a corner you had to turn it back to get it straight. Replaced the rack and that sorted it. If you do need a good rack see if DanThe has one as thats where i got mine.

[fannyj]

Thanks hammoj28, that's exactly what my car is doing.