A loose steering wheel can be dangerous not only to the driver and passengers, but to everyone else on the road.
Quickly learn how to fix a loose steering wheel before you take your car back on the road.
You need to understand that your vehicle’s steering wheel controls the movement and direction of your car and is definitely considered one of the most important parts. The wheel and column are one component of a complex steering system that receives guidance directly from the driver. By controlling the steering wheel column, the driver controls the entire vehicle and all its components. That is why it is crucial that this entire system responds to the driver to ensure a safe, smooth and worry-free journey.
Although there are 2 types of steering wheels, most vehicles have tilt steering columns and that is where we will focus our quick fix instructions.
To begin with, you must park your vehicle on a flat surface away from traffic. Make sure you set the parking brake and remove the keys. Open the hood and use pliers to disconnect the battery cables.
Remove the piece that covers the center of the wheel with a screwdriver or other sharp flat-head tool. Be careful not to damage or break the center piece. You should be able to see the center bolt and you will need to loosen it with a wrench to be able to remove it completely.
Attach a flywheel puller to the wheel itself making sure to pay attention to the instructions in the manual for your specific vehicle and the model of the puller tool as well. You should now be able to remove the entire wheel and lock plate.
Find the retaining ring after you’ve removed the wheel, and then take a regular pair of pliers to remove it.
Unscrew the bolts that hold the turn signal assembly to the wheel. The total number of bolts can vary with each make and model of vehicle, which can range from 4 to 6 bolts. Put the screws in a safe area away from where you are working so you don’t lose them.
Find the column bracket that connects the column to the dashboard of your car. Take a screwdriver and unscrew the 2 large bolts at the bottom of the bracket. You don’t have to remove it completely, just enough to see and remove the wires. After that, insert the keys into the ignition hole and turn it to the ignition position.
Release the lock cylinder by taking out the 2 screws, and then remove the entire cylinder from the car. Next, unscrew the 3 large torque bolts from the flywheel column.
Remove the housing, then the bearing parts, and finally press in a retainer for the spring with a screwdriver tool. Take a moment to turn the retainer clockwise about a quarter of a turn.
Remove the spring assembly from the bottom of the steering shaft by taking a pair of pliers and removing the 2 pivot pins. You should be able to see the pivots within the actual tilt column.
Pull the tilt column arm to adjust the column and then move it up.
The next step would be to tilt the spine up and to the right again. You’ll need to pop the casing back out and then hold a metal spring clip and turn it clockwise until you can’t turn it any further.
Once this is complete, follow all the steps mentioned above to return all components to their original positions.
These are the basic steps to take when your address is loose. Remember that a loose steering wheel can affect the safety of your ride, so get it fixed as soon as possible.