Steering wheel hard to turn to one side but easy (normal) to the other.

Hello,

To start off I believe it might be fault for letting someone else use my car, but thats done and now I have a problem.

I would like some help from anyone who has experienced this before and/or know what my possible problem can be.

I let someone use my car for the weekend to drive to work since their car had a broken coolant line. When he brought it back today, I went to go park in a different spot and noticed that my steering wheel was hard to turn left and easy (normal) to turn right. I thought maybe my powering steering was toast but I am still able to turn normal right with the car parked (belt to power steering pump is on and "looks fine", the pump makes no noises, and power steering fluid if topped full).

When I try to turn the steering wheel to the left while parked, it clunks (hits something) then gets hard to turn to the left, but I am able to take it to full left lock with considerable force. I went full lock to lock a couple times and it would either be hard to turn the wheels to the left or it wouldn't budge until I went right a bit then left.

I lifted the front on jack stands and it was easy to turn both ways without any clunking sound. I dropped the car and went for a drive around the block and I wasn't able to make a left turn onto a street. It didn't even feel like if my had no power steering, it felt like my steering wheel was locked as my car kept going mostly straight. I had to reverse, turning my wheels right, and then straighten them out again (with a lot of strength) in order to turn onto the street.

I did have a new steering rack put in two summers ago. Could that be the problem?

Maybe he hit something and bend the rods (he said he didn't)?

Maybe it's power steering pump or fluid? The fluid was flushed about 25k ago.

Or lastly, could it be something in my steering wheel column or shaft?

I don't know when I'll be able to have my car looked at, but I won't be driving it until I can take it somewhere. But when I do, I would like to have a better idea of what could be wrong to prepare my wallet for the expense.

Thank you for your time and knowledge in advance.

2005 LGT 5EAT approx. 157,500k

(for some reason I can't search the forum, it loads a blank page on chrome and firefox)

FYI, searching is much more efficient if you use Google use "(search term) site:legacygt.com"

Doesn't sound like a PS issue, since at the very worst you would have limited/no assist but would still be able to turn the wheel, albeit with a higher effort then normal. What you are describing sounds like something internal to the steering rack is jammed/broken, preventing you from turning the wheel to the left.

When you had the car on stands, how did everything up front look? Could you see any visual damage to wheels/links/steering rack? Any leaks from the steering rack? Debris lodged in the suspension (a long shot, but possible)?

Either way, you need to get the car to a shop.

FYI, searching is much more efficient if you use Google use "(search term) site:legacygt.com"

 

Doesn't sound like a PS issue, since at the very worst you would have limited/no assist but would still be able to turn the wheel, albeit with a higher effort then normal. What you are describing sounds like something internal to the steering rack is jammed/broken, preventing you from turning the wheel to the left.

 

When you had the car on stands, how did everything up front look? Could you see any visual damage to wheels/links/steering rack? Any leaks from the steering rack? Debris lodged in the suspension (a long shot, but possible)?

 

Either way, you need to get the car to a shop.

I've done that too. Maybe I don't know what to type in to search properly?

I do have assist steering to the right, but it takes considerable effort to turn to the left even when driving (if I have no power steering the moving car would be able to assist me, but it just won't turn to make a 90 degree left turn on a city street).

From what I have found searching the web without site:lgt.com, some people say it could be the something in the steering column.

I could not see any damage or debris, the rods looks straight for the most part. I saw no damage to the wheels either to show that something what hit then broken.

There was a small leak on the left rack boot where the rod is met, though my fluid is at a normal level? I would imagine that my fluid would be gone if it was a leak able to cause such damage.

The person who was driving my car said he noticed something after he paralleled parked; whether that's true or not, idk.

Just checking, as not everybody knows about the Google tricks.

I still think it's something internal to the steering rack. If you turn the wheel all the way to the right can you then center the steering wheel (by turning it left) with normal effort? This would rule out issues with the column, as you need about 1.3 turns to get from lock back to center and column issues would not let you do this. If it goes easily back to center from the right-hand lock and then suddenly locks up once centered if you keep turning left, then I would bet there's a portion of the rack that's internally damaged.

Ha. I learned that earlier on after many failed searches using the search function on here.

I took it to Smart Service, an independent Subaru repair shop near me, they told me what you concluded. Somehow the valve inside the steering rack that sends pressure to make the car turn left got damage/broken.

It could be wear and tear and/or an isolated incident; and since I didn't have the car when it happened, I will never know.

~$1100 for a new rack.

Just checking, as not everybody knows about the Google tricks.

 

I still think it's something internal to the steering rack. If you turn the wheel all the way to the right can you then center the steering wheel (by turning it left) with normal effort? This would rule out issues with the column, as you need about 1.3 turns to get from lock back to center and column issues would not let you do this. If it goes easily back to center from the right-hand lock and then suddenly locks up once centered if you keep turning left, then I would bet there's a portion of the rack that's internally damaged.

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Ha. I learned that earlier on after many failed searches using the search function on here.

 

I took it to Smart Service, an independent Subaru repair shop near me, they told me what you concluded. Somehow the valve inside the steering rack that sends pressure to make the car turn left got damage/broken.

 

It could be wear and tear and/or an isolated incident; and since I didn't have the car when it happened, I will never know.

 

~$1100 for a new rack.

 

 

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that's spendy. I was quoted well under $900 for my 2003 Legacy rack. Turns out that they did not need to replace the rack, they just put new boots on my old one and it has been fine ever since. That quote was from Whitebear Acura/Subaru in twin cities mn

The rack by itself was like $700.

I guess I never asked if I was repairable. Oh well. Sucks I had to pay so much. I'm just glad I have my car back.

Did the something similar happen to you?

that's spendy. I was quoted well under $900 for my 2003 Legacy rack. Turns out that they did not need to replace the rack, they just put new boots on my old one and it has been fine ever since. That quote was from Whitebear Acura/Subaru in twin cities mn

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