My Mk2 JTD HLX has been a bit poorly lately. In the last two months I have replaced the thermostat (Not a nice job especially as the proper Fiat manual I have was wrong about a few things ), brake pads (+ Fluid) and both the control arms (The bushes and the ball joints on both arms just disintegrated on removal of the old ones ).

Now it seems after removing all the squeeks and groans from the front end I have a new noise. The steering column itself has a "clicking" noise coming from it almost like a bearing has gone (You know that grindy clicking type noise a bit like when the crank bearings go on a pushbike). You can feel it when you turn the steering wheel, it's fairly close to the top of the column. There is no other fault with the steering and I have had the codes read bringing up nothing (Which is not surprising) but I don't know enough about the system to make a call on it.

Is it likely to be a bearing? Will this involve replacing the whole column? Anyone have any ideas?

thanks

Hi mate,

Does the steering wheel move about at all? (ie wobble a bit like when a wheel bearing has gone) I believe there was a recall some time ago for the steering column mounts cracking (although i will have to check that--- bare with me)

EDIT: Yep, there was a recall on the steering wheel bearings. May be worth contacting fiat to see if yours has been done!

1/05/2001R/2001/072FIATNew Puntopossible failure of steering column bearingsZFA188000000299008 to ZFA18800000359182
01/02/200128/05/2001
Never know, might get it done free!!

Hope that helps,
Alan

Good info! Many thanks!

Ill check the numbers.

Ahhh, mine seems a bit older than that

It's not actually loose, there isn't any play in it, it just feels like it's wrong!

At least it's answered one question, if the bearings have gone it's a new column. And that means Ill be punting the Punto.

Probably wont be covered under the recall then, but still could be the bearing. Is it a noise, or do you actually feel the wheel grinding as such? As the motor does make a noise sometimes.

Alan

It feels like an occasional grinding. The motor sometimes makes a noise but it's not often. The solution to the issue listed on the VOSA site is to replace the column