Steering Wheel Locks When slowing Down

[JavierG]

My friend has a 2008 Hyundai Sonata GLS w/AT. She has had several scary moments regarding her steering wheel locking up as she is coming off of the freeway and starting to slow down. It doesn't happen all of the time but it has happened about a dozen times in the past year. Thankfully it has only happened on a straightaway offramp.

Any ideas as to what may be causing this issue?

 

[eljefino]

Could be the rack & pinion locking up, but that would only be in one direction, usually.

Could be the power steering going fishy-- low on fluid sloshing around. Much more likely. That would not be a true lockup, as it could be manhandled, but some things get lost in the translation.

 

[JavierG]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Could be the rack & pinion locking up, but that would only be in one direction, usually.

Could be the power steering going fishy-- low on fluid sloshing around. Much more likely. That would not be a true lockup, as it could be manhandled, but some things get lost in the translation.


Just spoke to her to clarify if it was a true locking of the steering. She said it's not but it only has the slightest give. It becomes really, really, really difficult to even get the steering wheel to turn ever so slightly. If she was coming around a corner she wouldn't stand a chance.

 

[Chris142]

I dunno but this needs to be addressed yesterday. This could be deadly vs something like a ck engine light on.

 

[Kuato]

Sounds like low fluid level, since there's resistance but she can still turn it.

If the level is ok, then something's going bad in the system.

 

[The Critic]

It's a conventional p/s system, not EPS, so that may make it a bit easier to diagnose.

Aside from checking the steering and suspension components for binding, a scan of all ECUs is probably a good idea.

 

[lenjack]

Tell her to get it fixed, or to stay out of my neighborhood.

 

[Kuato]

Any update here? I'm wondering what the fluid level was when you checked it.