rattle in steering column

[8380 Labs]

when i hit certain bumps, there seems to be a rattle coming from the steering column, as though the steering wheel is slightly loose or the column itself.

something work its way loose over time? common issue?

thoughts?

thanks.

[delatlanta1281]

There is a relay on the left side of the steering column

[clavinZERO]

BIG nut on the lower shaft itself near the pedals.

Remove covers, get big wrench, hold it on nut, turn steering wheel clockwise I believe.

Helped my rattle rediculously. Steering is so much quieter and responsive.

[8380 Labs]

excellent, thanks dudes. ill give that a try.

[hoveringuy]

steering rattle

anyone replaced the lower guibo by the steering rack? I think my shaft extenion is clunking against the guibo bushing there.

What does that shaft extension do, anyway? Theoretically I would guess that it keeps the steering column aligned but how much would it move without it???

[Motorsports]

The joint that connects the steering colum to the steering rack might have play. Probably needs to be changed. I bought that part for about $137 from the dealer.

[hoveringuy]

Did it help? How was your worn? How did you diagnose it?

[robspeed325i]

I have this problem! Yet to look into it though. It happens when i hit the brakes and my warped rotors vibrate the wheel. :pimp:

[tim]

just for good measures check the sub frame bolts. i had a wierd noise in my steering wheel that showed up a week after inspection. i jacked the car up by the frame. checked everything and couldnt find anything wrong. the noise was still there so the next day i jacked it up and put it on stands on the body. when i let it off the jack the whole frame and motor started to drop with it. My driverside bolts where gone. i was lucky to find some metric studs in my shop which i replaced them with. I know when i put the motor in that al the bolts where torged to spec. either vibration or tampering was involved here.

but the strange rattle in my steering column was coming from extension on the shaft at the frame.

[Nic01101011]

I have an odd symptom: At times it feels like the steering is "skipping" if I turn the wheel quickly I hear a click and it feels springier than it should. any ideas?

[emi325i]

I replaced the guibo-joint a couple years ago, the noise came back in 6 months. It has a stupid plastic sleeve that wears.

[Butler]

BIG nut on the lower shaft itself near the pedals.

Remove covers, get big wrench, hold it on nut, turn steering wheel clockwise I believe.

Helped my rattle rediculously. Steering is so much quieter and responsive.

Going to try this! Mine seems to have gotten a lot worse since putting in new control arm bushings/suspension.

[jdt10768]

I had to put a spacer/big oval washer between the steering wheel and the attachment nut to get rid of a rattle there. It worked like a champ and silenced the wheel rattle. There must be a slight difference between the orig air-bag wheel and a MTech wheel. It needed that washer

[audiquattrot]

BIG nut on the lower shaft itself near the pedals.

Remove covers, get big wrench, hold it on nut, turn steering wheel clockwise I believe.

Helped my rattle rediculously. Steering is so much quieter and responsive.

by doing this, won't it put the steering wheel out of alignment if you're spinning the wheel itself, while holding the nut?

I need to resolve this issue as well.

[dirty30]

The nut works like a big chuck on a drill, just tightens the slip fit joint in the lower column. The later airbag columns rattled a lot because of that nut.