Steering System Symptom Definitions

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Drift/Pull

Pull is described as a tugging sensation felt by the hands on the steering wheel that must be overcome to keep the vehicle going straight.

Drift describes what a vehicle with this condition does with the hands off the steering wheel.

A vehicle-related drift/pull on a flat road can cause a consistent deviation from the straight-ahead path and require constant steering input in the opposite direction to counteract the effect.
Drift/pull can be induced by conditions external to the vehicle, such as wind or road camber.

Excessive Steering Wheel Play

Excessive steering wheel play is a condition in which there is too much steering wheel movement before the wheels move. A small amount of steering wheel free play is considered normal.

Lack of Assist or Inconsistent Assist

Lack of assist or inconsistent assist is experienced when the steering wheel effort is higher than normal. Hard steering can remain constant through the full turn or occur near the end of a turn. It is important to know the difference between hard steering/lack of assist and poor returnability/sticky steering.

Hard steering or lack of assist can result from either hydraulic or mechanical conditions. It is extremely important to know if this concern occurs during driving or during high-effort parking maneuvers.

Poor Returnability/Sticky Steering

Poor returnability and sticky steering is used to describe the poor return of the steering wheel to center after a turn or steering correction is completed.

Wander

Wander is the tendency of the vehicle to require frequent, random left and right steering wheel corrections to maintain a straight path down a level road.