Anyone have this problem? I don't know whether it's in the steering column, or in the steering wheel, but there is play in my steering wheel at all times. Like loose, free play. It's not a side to side play or in and out play like in a bad turbo, but you can turn it left and right about 1.5" each way until you feel the tension turning the wheel. So it has about 3 inches of free play. Do I make sense? What is wrong here??

 

help?

 

sounds like a hydraulic seal in your steering rack.

 

Where exactly is that located?

 

I'd jack up the front of the car, grab the rim and shake it left to right, if you feel play then have a friend do it while you look for the loose part, inner or outer tie rod. If not, then it might be rack play like dleccord said and you'll need a new steering rack.

 

my accord has about .5 to an inch of play, swinging on the vertical axis that is when the wheels are off the ground. inspect the boots and see if there's any fluid leak around. the inside should have some kind of grease but not as much as you would expect from a cv joint. if there is a leak, the steering rack should be replaced; rebuilt ones are about 2-300 without labor.

 

forgot to mention you could do the seals yourself but expect a whole lot of heap though.