My steering on my car is making a loud squeaking noise when turning left or right while driving slowly or stopped. The noise isn't consistent and comes and goes depending on how far the wheel has been turned. I can feel a bit of roughness in the steering wheel when it makes the noise. It isn't the typical power steering pump noise. Also after taking a turn, my steering wheel only slightly returns to center. I have to steer the car back manually to the center.

The noise sounds like it is coming from the suspension and it sounds like something needs to be lubricated. The noise has started a few days ago and it is getting rapidly worse. I can hear it with the windows up or down.

No additional steering effort is necessary when driving, and my tire wear appears to be even.

There is a lot of suspension noise/clunking from under the car when driving over bumps and the car darts left and right on rough roads. I have already had the sway bar bushings replaced.

I have 103k miles on my car.

Any ideas?

UPDATE:

I found this loose clip and rubber cover when looking at the steering rack with the right wheel turned to full lock. I pulled off the metal clip before it could fall off somewhere. How important is this rubber cover and clip? I don't have access to a lift, so the best I can do is reach under and try to work on it. The noise is not heard as often now, but it's just as loud as before. It seems like it is coming from the rubber sliding around on the metal when it becomes compressed when I turn right. If this rubber is not important, is there a type of lubricant I can spray on the metal? This bare metal on an expensive steering system seems like it can rust easily.

 

My friend's BMW M5 had the same problem a few days ago (I found out our cars have the same exact power steering reservoir!)

Turned out to be low on power steering fluid, he said it was 2L low. An O"Reilly
was the only place that had his kind of fluid in stock.

He said that his steering felt "slotty, like you turned it against something" and it made
a slight noise. These differences would characterise the differences, of the same problem, between a rack and pinion (your Jag), and recirculating ball (the M5).

I'm sorry your car has had such problems, I'm happy to report that the steering is a
small issue that can be overcome with a funnel and $20!

Ian

 

One would hope you checked the fluid level. I'm more than amazed when I hear of someone having a problem for a few days and then discovering that it was low fluid?

You have to check the fluid levels on old car - and these are old ... lot of places can leak .......


Assuming the fluid level is Ok it sounds like the rack is failing -- lots of things can go wrong with it. Not many parts of the system -- the pumps can go also but you normally hear them all the time.

You need to have this looked at ASAP -- it can be a very dangerous situation. If the rack failed and it is not just a seal -- the steering can lock and you will not be able to turn the wheel.

 

The fluid level is ok. My mechanic said my ball joints are worn and my steering rack has a small leak. That was about 6 months ago and I didn't have these noises then. My steering wheel had a poor return to center back then. I have kept track of my fluid level for months and it has consistently been between the 2 lines on the cap.

It sounds like the squeaking noise you hear when you clean a window with windex, or like rubber against metal/glass. Nothing sounds like it is metal on metal scraping.


Do steering racks fail often on the X308? Could it be worn ball joints? If i turn the wheel from full lock to the left to full lock to the right, its silent for about a full turn, then it squeaks for about 1/8 turn, then it's silent until i reach full right lock. The noise is audible, but not deafening. The noise is strange but loud enough that I would expect pedestrians to hear it, but not expect it to be coming from a car.

If I grab the wheel and turn it quickly while stopped, I feel a bit of looseness. I don't feel this looseness when turning it slowly.

I'm thinking about spraying a little water on the front suspension with a water hose to see if the noise changes at all. Good or bad idea?

 

UPDATE:

I found this loose clip and rubber cover when looking at the steering rack with the right wheel turned to full lock. I pulled off the metal clip before it could fall off somewhere. How important is this rubber cover and clip? I don't have access to a lift, so the best I can do is reach under and try to work on it. The noise is not heard as often now, but it's just as loud as before. It seems like it is coming from the rubber sliding around on the metal when it becomes compressed when I turn right. If this rubber is not important, is there a type of lubricant I can spray on the metal? This bare metal on an expensive steering system seems like it can rust easily.



I attached a picture to the first post.

 

That is the dirt boot -- it is to keep dirt/water off of the shaft. The shaft need to be clean as it move in and out of the rack .......otherwise the seals will be damaged.


You want to see if you can get the boot replaced -- you don't want the steering rack to be damaged if it is still OK. You don't mention where the rack is leaking? -- If it is not a fitting it may already be damaged. The racks are robust - but whenever boots become damaged they need to be fixed asap.

Don't spray any water on it -- you don't need to do this to find the problem.


Sounds like you are at the point of a front end rebuild - It sounds like you have a few problem with the front end ...all of them can cause the tracking to change.