A car's steering wheel has many symptoms of malfunctions, such as misaligned steering wheel, steering deviation, direction shaking, and other common faults, and most people also know what is going on. There are also a few faults that are not particularly common, such as the steering wheel being unable to turn, the direction sinking, and the direction not automatically returning to normal after turning around. Let's elaborate on these issues and have a rough judgment once encountered.

1. The direction cannot be changed. There are two situations. The first is when the vehicle is in a stalled state, and the key has been removed, it is a normal phenomenon that the direction cannot be turned. At this point, not only is the direction unable to rotate, but the key cannot rotate even when inserted and ignited. This is because the steering wheel is locked, which is considered an anti-theft feature. How can I lock the steering wheel? After turning off the engine, pulling out the key and then turning the steering wheel will automatically lock it, and if it locks, it will not be able to rotate at all. How to unlock? You need a car key to work with, insert the key, and while shaking the steering wheel left and right, turn the key to unlock it.

The second situation is when the engine is on fire or when the direction cannot be moved while driving, there are two possibilities. One is that the power system has malfunctioned and there is no power at all, which is the greatest possibility. Without assistance, the direction becomes very heavy, and I feel like I can't move it anymore. In fact, if I hit hard, I can still move it. The second possibility is that the steering gear may be damaged, or some cars may modify the wiring without permission, and the steering column may be entangled with wires, which can cause the steering to not move. However, the probability of this happening is very low and generally does not occur.

2. The direction can move, but it is heavier than before. The most likely scenario is that the booster oil is dirty or deteriorated, which prevents the establishment of sufficient pressure and leads to a decrease in the direction of the booster. Replacing the booster oil can solve this problem. It is also possible that the booster pump is about to be damaged, or that insufficient pump oil pressure causes the booster to decrease and the direction to sink. The last situation is when the tire pressure is insufficient, the contact area between the tire and the ground increases, and the frictional force in the direction of travel increases, resulting in heaviness.

3. The engine makes a buzzing sound when turning the direction. This noise comes from the booster pump, and the most likely cause is a lack of booster oil. When the oil is low and the oil system enters the air, it can sometimes cause the booster pump to not receive oil or a large amount of oil lubrication, resulting in a noise. Many cars may experience this situation after just changing the booster oil, which is caused by air entering. However, there is no need for special treatment, as air can be expelled by hitting the direction more, and there will be no noise.

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4. The steering wheel does not automatically return to normal. What does automatic correction mean? It is generally easy to feel when turning around. When turning around and preparing to return to the right direction, there is no need for the driver to turn the direction forcefully. With refueling, the steering wheel will automatically return to the right direction, and the driver only needs to gently support the steering wheel to turn it. The principle of automatic return is due to the presence of kingpin tilt back and kingpin tilt inward, which can increase the stability of straight driving and enhance handling. If there is a small jolt that causes a change in wheel direction, it will automatically return to normal without the need for the driver to constantly correct the direction. If there is no automatic correction, it is mostly due to errors in the positioning data and requires four wheel positioning. Of course, it may also be related to loose pull rod ball joints, abnormal tire wear, and steering gear malfunctions, which require a comprehensive inspection.

From: WONDEE Autoparts 2023-10-12