I think I may have a problem with my steering. About a week now, my car has started to vibrate whenever I'm driving over rough roads... and it's only getting worse everyday. I immediately discarded unbalanced tires or the alignment cause it doesn't happened on smooth roads. So I checked the lugnuts, suspension, etc., and none of that seems to be it. I also noticed that the steering wheel makes a clanking noise whenever I turn it quickly back and forth while the car's parked. Can anyone help me out?? Thanks.

wo0t!
um, a rough ride over rough terrain? shoot i dont know what it could be, time to buy a whole new car

try jacking up the car and see if the tires wobble. If it wobble then it could be a tie rod problem. Also, have you done the ball joint recall yet.

Nope, I haven't done the ball joint recall... since I have an aftermarket coilover suspension and shocks, I figured they probably wouldn't wanna cover that. Plus it seemed like too much of a hassle for no big deal. Can I still go get that done?

I've jacked it up, removed both wheels and everything, and nothing seems loose. I'm thinking it might be where the tie rod connects to the pinion... but I'd really hate to take it to a mechanic only to get screwed a couple hundred bucks for a "loose bolt". This sucks.

wo0t!
are you running after market rims and tires? maybe they are too wide and when you pull the wheel, they hit the fender well, and when you said its rough over rough roads, and smooth over smooth roads, what do you think the problem is?

I'm on stock 16" wheels, lowered around 1.2 inches.

I took it to Pep Boys today so they could check it out. Man, they know less about cars than I do. At first they couldn't find anything wrong, so I showed them the clanking noise it makes and they blamed either the "shocks or springs or something"

Then another mechanic comes to have a look at it, and he concludes that it must be something in the rack and pinion. So I told him it's most likely just a loose tie-rod, but he didn't seem to care.

The first guy comes back and gives me an estimate for a new rack and pinion assembly for $525 plus $335 for labor. The catch is, according to him, "since it's lowered, we have to put an aftermarket assembly otherwise it'll only mess up again." What the heck is that?? If every lowered car required a new rack and pinion, no one would lower their cars! These guys are retards, I left.

GO get the recall first. They MUST do it regardless of suspension mods or they are liable. They did a lot of 2gnt members' cars already and most of us have modified suspension. Didn't say a thing about my coilovers and struts...

Do your ball joint recall. My car was lowered 2 inch. when i got it done, so they should'nt b##ch about it.

Well, since you hear clanking when you turn the wheel, it could be your CV joints.