Steering wheel play

[Weasel]

Yep. I would go with the steering joint(s). To confirm which one it is you can have someone else shake the wheel for you while you put your hands/eyes on it under the hood.

[JBF]

Good idea, would I be best to check from the top or from underneath the car?

The car was supplied as an Approved vehicle just under a month ago so I will insist that the dealer fixes it. Just need to reproduce it with their shop foreman as the car was with them last week to have two PDC sensors replaced and they said they couldn't find anything wrong with the steering.

Also get a feint squeak/scrape from the rear drivers side wheel. It can be heard with the window open at low speed, especially if there's a fence or wall on the drivers side. I only noticed it in the last week as the weather has been hot and I had the windows open for the first time. Again, the dealer said they couldn't reproduce it but I have multiple times in the few days I've had the car back. Seems like it's either down to corroded discs or shoe/drum rubbing as it's related to rotation of the wheel and can still be heard if rolling in neutral.

[Weasel]

You might be able to get to it from the top, just do it with a cold engine... But if you mention to the foreman that it feels like it is in the steering spindle before the rack, they should be able to track it down easily. Some techs forget about that and only look at the wheel end of the suspension.

And for the noise problem, if you can reproduce it relatively easily, just have the foreman ride along with you and show it to him. That is the easiest and most surefire way.

[JBF]

I wonder whether I'm going to be able to get them to address this or not. I can see the dealers claiming that it can't be felt whilst driving and the play in the steering felt with the engine off is 'normal'. Do you notice anything similar in your X with the engine off?

[Weasel]

Not really, mine's pretty tight. I fix this complaint for customers any time it comes up, so it shouldn't be a problem. If they try to say it is normal just ask them if they can show you exactly where the slack felt is... if it is in the steering shaft joints, it is not normal.

[JBF]

Thanks Weasle; will call them today and try to book an appointment for next week.

Have any of your customers had problems with a squeak/scrape from one of the rear wheels? It's quite intermittent and only noticeable with the window open at low speed, particularly if there is a fence or wall to the side for the sound to bounce off. If I have my foot on the brake and shift from D to R or R to D I get a whole load of squeaking/creaking as you feel the gearbox engage and take up any slack. May be unrelated but though it's worth mentioning.

[Weasel]

Not to the point that there's a common problem or fix... you would do best to replicate it for the foreman and he will be able to tell you if it is anything they can fix. And if it is he can then show the tech. (our service drive down here is covered and has solid sides, so is perfect for that kind of thing)

[JBF]

Demonstrated both issues to the tech this morning. With regards to the steering play he mentioned part #8 as discussed earlier in this thread.

He also agreed that the intermittent scrape/squeak sounded like something rubbing or sticking in the rear drum. Driving at low speed with the handbrake very lightly under tension would reproduce the sound exactly. I think one of the shoes or the drum is heavily worn and has been adjusted to the limit in order for the handbrake to work.

They can't investigate further and repair for two weeks due to availability of loan cars. It's booked in for two days in a fortnight and hopefully that'll be the end of it. Thanks for verifying that it wasn't normal. After the dealer had claimed they couldn't reproduce it last time I had thought I'm being too picky and it was just a normal amount of play

[Naz24]

my 4.4 has a little bit of play..and it does have a little click when i go back and forth quickly..

..just wait till i try to tell my SA somethings wrong, i think he hates my guts

[JBF]

I intend to make full use of my Approved Warranty

Now how on earth do I reproduce the random, late and sporadic gear changes it makes sometimes when the gearbox seems to be in a bad mood. On good days it's as smooth as silk.