Knocking in Steering Wheel When Going over Bumps - Why?

The knocking in the steering wheel when going over bumps may mean steering rack or steering column issues, also this can denote some suspension problems. Don't forget about steering rods and rod ends as well as about some fasteners that may have got loose. You still need a proper diagnosis to locate the issue.

Front suspension problems highlights

• Level of importance:high
• Common reasons:road potholes, speed bumps, age, mileage
• DIY inspection:possible but complicated
• DIY repair:usually,impossible
• Average price in shops:$250 - $800
• Average time:2 - 8 hours
• If ignored:fatal failure, no drive, expensive repairs

Reasons for the knocking in the steering wheel when you drive

Before I explain what it can lead to and how to deal with it, I want to tell you about several of the most common reasons that lead to this problem. It's not always that obvious, so you should read through the reasons to understand how you can cope with them.

I won't describe all of the possible breakdowns that can cause knocking in the steering wheel. But I will try to touch on the most common ones. Here they are:

1. Steering rack is broken

One of the most common problems that may lead to knocking in the steering wheel is the faulty steering rack. This is the mechanism that uses the turning of the steering wheel to actually turn the wheels. It's usually mounted on the partition between the engine compartment and the interior of your car. It's located in the engine bay.

The steering rack is pretty vulnerable. If you often drive on bad roads, or on bumps, especially at high speed, you risk damaging the steering rack fatally. Also, sharp steering in an average car will gradually kill the rack.

On average, steering racks live as long as the car lives, but in some vehicles, they may fail. It feels like something is loose in the suspension but you also feel this knocking on the steering wheel which is quite weird.

2. Steering rods and rod ends

Another part that is connected to your steering rack and can send its knocking directly to the steering wheel is the steering rod. Together with the rod end, it forms the joint between the steering rack and the wheel. So, there are two steering rods and rod ends in each vehicle.

These parts may go bad if you drive a lot over bumps or maybe have a habit of hitting a curb when you are parking your car. Also, aftermarket steering rods and rod ends may have quite short life just because of their poor quality.

The knocking in the steering wheel will be much lighter than if the culprit is the rack. But still, you will be able to feel it.

3. Steering column and its parts

Modern steering columns have a kind of small cardan to allow you to adjust the steering wheel position. This cardan may start knocking in some cars. It's a very common problem for the Ford Fiesta and Ford Focus, but this may happen to almost any vehicle.

While the steering column will not usually knock when you go over bumps, it may create some kind of knocking if its condition is too bad. You should have noticed some symptoms before. For example, it may have knocked when you were turning the steering wheel. And the knocking is felt like inside the car's interior, right above your feet.

4. Steering rack mount

I want to pay attention to this part because it's very often the culprit of knocks in the steering wheel. The mounts of the steering rack may go bad after some time. They are made of rubber material and may just dry out and change in shape. Replacing them is not that hard or expensive. But some bad repair shops may falsely diagnose this as a steering rack problem and take a lot more money from you for repair.

You may check if the steering rack mount is OK just by reaching the steering rack with your hand and trying to shake it. If it sits firmly, there is no way the mount is broken. But if it has some free play, some of the mounts need replacement.

5. Suspension problems

The steering system and suspension basically form a single unit. So, if something is heavily knocking in the suspension, it means that you may feel this knocking in the steering wheel. Although this won't be so bright and strong as with the steering rack problems, you can feel all different kinds of problems with the suspension on your steering wheel.

This can be wheel hub problems, ball joints issues, coil or spring problems, shock absorbers going bad, suspension arms malfunctioning, silent blocks asking for a replacement, etc. To diagnose the suspension, you will need a good car lift and some free time to touch each possible culprit and look at it carefully.

Some ways to check the vehicle on your own

Once you've noticed that there is a knocking in the steering wheel when you drive over bumps, you should try and locate the problem first. Looking at several common reasons for this that I've listed above, you can come up with some important DIY inspection ideas.

Here's what you can check on your own:

• Move the steering wheel from side to side

Each steering wheel has some free play. Turn off the engine but leave the key in accessory mode (or turn on the accessory mode with the engine start button). Then move the steering wheel from one side to another several times. Do you hear any knocking this way? If yes, the most possible culprit is the steering rack.

Also, you may start the engine and repeat this test. You will see that now the steering wheel is much lighter because the power steering kicks in. But the knocking may also be more intensive.

• Check the steering tack with your hand

It's not that hard to locate the steering rack - it's mounted right on the partition that divides the engine bay and the interior. Reach it with your hand and shake it. You shouldn't feel any free play or knocking when you are doing this. Does it shake? Then, you need to buy new steering rack mounts and have them replaced.

• Turn the steering wheel slowly from end to end

Turn on the engine and turn the steering wheel to the left till the end. Then slowly turn the steering wheel to the right till the end and try to get any kind of knocks or sounds. Repeat this procedure several times. If you hear some knocking, chances are that the problem is in the steering column. And you can completely exclude suspension from your culprits at this point.

• Get under your car and shake all suspension parts with your hand

Everything in the suspension should sit firmly and shouldn't make any knocking sounds when you are shaking it with your hand. If you find a part that shakes and knocks, it may be the culprit of your problem. Unfortunately, replacing parts of the suspension is not a DIY task, so you will still need to go to the specialists.

Can you still drive if the steering wheel knocks on the bumps?

In most cases, you can still drive and you don't have to call a tow truck to deliver your car to the repair shop. It's enough to just be careful and drive slowly till you understand what the problem is. Also, it's advisable to plan your visit to the repair shop as soon as possible.

But you should stop driving if the problem is escalating quickly. 5 minutes ago it was just a small knock that was barely present in the steering wheel, but now it's a huge and frightening knock that takes all your attention. In this case, you better stop the vehicle and don't drive till you figure out what the problem is.

Are there any cheap repairs?

The cheap repair, in this case, is only possible if there is a problem with some fastener that you need to tighten. But unfortunately, this doesn't happen that often. In most cases, you will need to replace some parts and pay for the diagnosis.

Also, if the steering column is the culprit, in some cars, you can use special lubricants to grease it. Maybe, it's just dry and needs some lubrication.

In all other cases, you will have to pay for the proper diagnosis and repair. Without this, even locating the problem will be quite hard.