Ongoing steering issue

[Anthony28]

Hi everyone

I am hoping that someone out there may be able to shed a little light on a problem i am having with the steering on my mk6 fiesta zetec. It is on an 06 plate and i purchased it about 3 months ago. Firstly a little background that i feel may be relevant....
The garage that sold it to me told me it was a great runner with no faults and a full service history. This wasn't exactly true there was a grumble from the engine on the test drive and the FSH turned out to be a book of service stamps and the online MOT certificates (no originals ones except for the last 2). Despite this i bought the car and took it straight to my mechanic who told me there was some niggles that needed addressing under warranty. This included a snapped front spring (the bare metal where it had broken had rusted so it was definitely an old problem), a noise from the bearing on the rear drivers side and what they thought was a leaking power steering pump. I took it back and they remedied these problems. They said at the time that the power steering pump wasn't broke but the fluid was from a previous repair they had done, that they had simply failed to clean

A month or so out of warranty i got in the car and started to drive away and noticed the steering felt very loose and light, i quickly took the car to my mechanic who after looking at it decided the power steering pump was broken (it was making a noise when turning the steering wheel). He replaced it with a brand new one and new belt but it had a very loud whining sound that my mechanic said was air in the system and if it hadn't cleared in 48 hours to bring it back. I didn't clear and i brought it back in. He checked the old pump said there was actually nothing noticeably wrong with it and put it back in but replaced the power steering fluid with some very high quality fluid, this seemed to fix the issue. By the way my mechanic is an old friend so i trust his work.

Over the next fortnight or so i have noticed the steering was very loose and light again, my mechanic assures me he can not see anything noticeably wrong. He says the pump is fine, tie rods are good and steering rack was fine with no play at all. If i turn the wheel and look at the wheels they move in time as in there is no play/ delay between adjusting the steering wheels and the actual wheels moving. It is almost as if the steering ratio has changed. Also the steering wheel seems to be affected by every bump, hole and pebble i drive over, twitching significantly when i do. Finally if i turn the steering wheel to full lock it makes a low whining noise. 

Can anybody shed any light on this i am at a loss. I have googled this issue extensively and can't seem to get to the bottom of it.

Thanks in advance

[Ticktock]

2 things:-

1> Have you checked the tyre pressures and how much tread they have? Are they directional tyres, if so make sure that they go in the right direction.

2> My power steering pump makes a low whine when I put it on full lock but this is normal.

 

[Battersea418]

Whine noises often refers to wheel bearings. Get them checked on next Major service.

[Anthony28]

Strangely someone else said the tyres may be to blame. When purchasing the car i was informed they had a slight uneven wear and are a little hard. It is on my list of things to do. 
Could another owner clarify something for me. ... If turning a 90 degree corner how much would you have to turn your wheel to achieve this smoothly. Lets say you are doing this at an appropriate speed and are not throwing it around the corners?

Thank you for the help so far.

[Anthony28]

Also could another mk6 owner tell me how may turns/degrees of the steering wheel it takes  to get from lock to lock?

[Anthony28]

So the more i drive the car the more i am thinking it is the tyres. Can anybody recommend a tyre place that isn't going to cost the earth, never bought them before so not sure what to look for??

[Bobr]

Have a look round you local tyre dealers.   There can be a big difference in price for the same tyre.   Let them know that you are asking around and you can play them off against each other.

[isetta]

the ratio/number of turns from lock to lock can not change. you turn the streering wheel and it turns the pinion (cog) in the steering rack. as that cog turns, it moves the rack (it is rack and pinion steering) along left or right. the ends of the rack connect by rods to the chunky metal things that the wheel hubs fix to (can't recall name).   I agree tyres could make it feel odd (maybe they have worn unevenly and/or been switched around the car, end to end, side to side.    But also, has anyone checked the tracking? if it is out it could make it self centre too strongly or not self centre enough so any slight undulation/uneveness of road can seem to make it want to go off centre

[Luke4efc]

You should've taken it back to the dealer the first time around. You had 30 days from when you bought it to get a full refund. In the first 6 months it's up to them to prove the fault isn't something that was there when they sold it to you.

[Anthony28]

Cheers guys, now I know how my steering works. After that I am thinking that it is the tyres as there is a slight uneven wear on the passenger side front tyre. I am currently looking for somewhere to get all four changed and the tracking and balancing done. 

As for returning it, I did get a few bits done in he month warranty period but I never knew i could return it within 6 months with stipulations.... Good thing to know for next time. Cheers guys all of you have been a huge help. All that searching online and you guys sorted it in the end. 

[isetta]

for tyres you can often get a good deal by using tyreshopper or black circles or asda tyres. I think there are other similar companies.

I have used tyreshopper. you order the tyres on line and pay. the prices include shipping, fitting, balance, valve, disposal of old tyre (some tyre places charges extra for these). you pick the fitting centre on their website. Tyreshopper have one about half mile from where I work (National tyres). The tyres get sent to them. I then go there a couple of days later and have them fitted. I do not have to pay National anything as what I paid tyreshopper is the complete price for it all.

Which one of these companies might suit you best probably depends on where there is a fitting centre they have a deal with close to you..

If when you go on their website you put in your reg no and it tells you what size tyres your car has, make sure you check your tyre sizes on the car as it is not always correct due to different wheel options that the car makers fitted to different models.  

If you just turn up at a tyre place and ask about the tyres I get the feeling they look at you and decide to adjust the price according to what they think they can get away with and then add balance and valve on after they have got you committed. They don't seem to have a price list for you to look at yourself before they get their claws into you.  I am not saying all tyre fitters are like this, but some are.

[Ticktock]

I've used blackcircles before for uniroyal rainsport, they're just like tyreshopper. I use them because of the price.

[SamuelIJM]

Hey there I’m having light steering with my Ford Fiesta ST Line auto, 

 

I noticed the steering going light and loose when driving a month ago took it 2 mechanic both checked the rod end and bushings and they say A-Okay. 

 

I suspect power steering I turned off the Drift Pull Compensation on Forscan and that did the trick for a week before the issue returned.

 

It’s frustrating to know there is something up with your car but not knowing what any help here as what to do?