General Hello/Slight (annoying) Problem

[Freddy152]

Hi,

Been a long time reader but this will be my first proper post as a proud Bravo owner. Had a T-Jet 150 sport for about 7 months now (maserati blue), and it's been a pleasure to drive/own thus far.

As well as a quick introduction, I'm posting to see if anyone can help or offer a little advice. My Bravo seems to have developed a minor (hopefully), but quite irritating problem. When turning the steering wheel fairly far at low speeds, for example when parking up, quite a strange squeaking/slight grinding noise seems to be coming from the steering column. It's fairly hard to pinpoint where it's coming from, but it does seem to be from inside the cabin and sounds like it's coming from the lower end of the column (near the clutch).

I haven't taken it to a garage as yet as I was hoping somebody here might recognise the issue and be able to advice of a cheap fix .

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Cheers,
Callum

 

[s130]

Try dropping or raising the steering column height a little and even all the way.

You may find the noise goes away.

If it does then it is normally a simple rubbing of the steering column plastic shroud against the dash/other component.

 

[Charnwood Fox]

Is the noise when the steering wheel is being turned or when the steering wheel is static but the wheels turning?

 

[s130]

Reading your post again....

I don't own a Bravo so can not comment from experience, but does the Bravo have a General Motors power steering fluid pump attached to the steering rack? This would be centrally located, above the rack and behind the engine/gearbox.

If you have this and it is making noises in the area you are describing then we have a possible cause/contender to look at.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Reading your post again....

I don't own a Bravo so can not comment from experience, but does the Bravo have a General Motors power steering fluid pump attached to the steering rack? This would be centrally located, above the rack and behind the engine/gearbox.

If you have this and it is making noises in the area you are describing then we have a possible cause/contender to look at.

Nope, the Bravo has an EPS system within the steering column.

 

[decypha77]

Any chance you had your car parked in the sun? It could just be the steering column rubbing up against something. Mine had an annoying noise squeak yesterday as well; I had it parked in the sun. I assume there was an expansion of materials and, with that, friction against these materials. The noise was gone in the morning.

 

[Freddy152]

Thanks for the tip s130, I've tried moving the steering column but it still seems to be making the same noise.

Charnwood, the noise is when the steering wheel is being turned. However, somehow it doesn't really sound like a leather catching noise (if that makes sense?), sounds a little bit lower than the actual wheel.

Unfortunately I haven't seen any sun for the last 2 weeks so I don't think it's that!

Thanks,
Callum.

 

[Bigbrother]

Thanks for the tip s130, I've tried moving the steering column but it still seems to be making the same noise.

Charnwood, the noise is when the steering wheel is being turned. However, somehow it doesn't really sound like a leather catching noise (if that makes sense?), sounds a little bit lower than the actual wheel.

Unfortunately I haven't seen any sun for the last 2 weeks so I don't think it's that!

Thanks,
Callum.

Your steering box needs to be replaced. Mine had the same problem. After changing the box, all has been well for over a year now...

 

[Chris Stefani]

Your steering box needs to be replaced. Mine had the same problem. After changing the box, all has been well for over a year now...

Nothing like jumping in at the deep end!

Although it's a possibility that the steering rack (steering boxes are only found on bigger motors now such as trucks, very rarely on a modern car), I would do a lot more diagnostic work before condemning the rack.

Check the whole column for anywhere it might be rubbing, be it on the steering linkage itself, even the steering wheel, check where the steering column goes through the floor to see if there's anything there causing the problem.

Check the power steering fluid level. If it's low, then you have a leak somewhere and you need to get underneath it to find out where.

Those are the easy DIY options, really. Beyond that I would say you are into garage territory unless you are a very confident mechanic.

 

[neilshep]

Check the power steering fluid level. If it's low, then you have a leak somewhere and you need to get underneath it to find out where.

All Bravos are ELECTRIC power steering. No more hydraulic pumps sapping power all the time, so no fluid to check.

 

[Chris Stefani]

All Bravos are ELECTRIC power steering. No more hydraulic pumps sapping power all the time, so no fluid to check.

:bang: D'OH!

Yup, should've thought of that! lol. Old habits die hard ;-)

 

[Big Black Stilo]

not sure about the bravo as never had one off but the stilo wiring to the horn and airbag worked on to plates, like a gyro on a bmx (spin the handle bars without tangling the brake cables) and these used to get noisy with age.

cant say i have noticed anything in my sport, but my old stilo used to have a slight click on it due to the part above

 

[KHALED25]

i had the same problem and the engineer at the dealer thought he had it figured. when you remove the steering wheel, there's this spring thats located right behind it (wish i had taken a picture). Anyway this spring causes exaclty the sound you're describing when steering at very low speeds. he told me changing the part that contains the handles for cruise control, windshield wipers, and beams would do the job but when i got home the sound was back again.

when i told him that the squeeking sound didnt go away he requested to check out the car again.