Cars steering has got really heavy

[gaz_jones]

Hi everyone

I drive a Peugeot 306 1.8 XS (2000).

Over the last few weeks my steering has really changed. The only way I could describe it would be that it seems heavier. Normally for instance if i'm giong round a corner then accelerate the wheels will turn to straight. Now however they just seem to stay in place.

Also, when i'm driving down the road the car feels like its pulling to one side then immediately to the other side etc... Snaking I guess is the word to describe it. Other than thats its just relaly heave when turning and doesn't feel anywhere near like it did a month ago.

The only think I can think of thats changed is whilst it was snowing heavily I did end up going up a curb slightly sideways. It wasn't very fast and wasn't dead sideways. More of half way between straight and sideways.

Sorry for my bad explanation. Hopefully someone on ehre will be able to work it out by the terrible description :rotfl:

[LandyAndy]

Possibly damage to the steering components from the impact and/or failure of the power steering.

If my car developed steering faults I'd get it checked out straight away.

Thanks for your pm. Give me a wave if you see me.

[djheath]

It could be brokwn steering pump - although that would feel really bad.

If you have had a knock you could have bent one of the track rods or put the wheels tracking out of alignment. I would check the tyres and pressures then get it to a wheel place and see what they say.

[Hintza]

Broken Spring? Take it into a garage. All we can do is give you ideas most of which will be wrong. Not sensible carrying on driving.

[Ebe Scrooge]

From what you've described, most likely the tracking / wheel camber has been knocked out of alignment. Any tyre place or local mechanic should be able to check this out for you. It may just need adjusting, or something may have been broken. But either way it needs looking at sharpish. At the very least you'll be chewing up the tyres like nobody's business, which are expensive enough anyway. And it potentially could be quite dangerous, especially at high speed.

[gaz_jones]

Cheers for the advice everyone. I've just rang my local garage and he said he'll have a look at it in the morning. Fingers crossed its only tracking and not anything actually broken :S

[swiftnick]

worth checking the tyre pressures from what you've described.

[Sirbendy]

My astra was doing that...and the wheel was offset post "criminal breakin and attempted theft". I was resigned to the wheel being skewed, and the steering being heavy and naff...it had been to 4 garages to be tracked and checked, every time coming back with a clean card (and I stay with it every time).

Took it to a local independant 5 minutes from my house on the offchance, he had it from 9am-6pm, it came back transformed. It seems that the "tracking" had NEVER been done...the trackrods siezed up solid. He said he had to gas-axe it and put it in a vice to free it.

When I said I'd been IN the car when the last guy had been under it doing the tracking, the chap said "but..the trackrods on Astras are INSIDE the engine bay"..so the other bods had been fiddling with...nothing really. Pulling the wool.

He fixed the skewed wheel, did the tracking, checked everything and road tested it, then delivered it back to me. Best £90 I've spent. He took me over the work done, showed me everything, and I drove away a happy man. I'll be using him again.

Always pays to get a few opinions from different outfits.

[goldspanners]

tyre pressures should be the first place to start.

[Hintza]

tyre pressures should be the first place to start.

I know one shouldn't assume, but a quick visual check will determine that and hopefully OP has at least had a walk around the car.

[vaio]

as you slid sideways into a curb my money would be on a bent something or other

As others have said get it checked sooner rather than later