Horrible Steering Noise

[RX7guy]

The steering is making this horrible creaking noise. It's embarrassing and driving me nuts. Where is the noise coming from, ball joints, bushings, the pump itself? What's this about strut bearings? The noise seems to only be present when the tempurature is 75F or warmer. Somebody help me on this before I just replace everything! It's making me not even want to drive it.

[Rory535i]

i get a creaking noise when i turn the wheels but only when the car is stationary. ideas??

[bmwrp8]

i get a creaking noise when i turn the wheels but only when the car is stationary. ideas??

is it A/T? mines the same its the breaks. if not probably the b.joints

[bmwrp8]

The steering is making this horrible creaking noise. It's embarrassing and driving me nuts. Where is the noise coming from, ball joints, bushings, the pump itself? What's this about strut bearings? The noise seems to only be present when the tempurature is 75F or warmer. Somebody help me on this before I just replace everything! It's making me not even want to drive it.

just check your bushings, usually they are the culprits. check your ATF level too.

[Rory535i]

no it's more like a squeaky/creaking noise or a groaning coming from the steering box. the whole front end has new suspension parts and the fluids are all topped up

??

[RX7guy]

just check your bushings, usually they are the culprits. check your ATF level too.

Which bushings?

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

Not sure what you call it on LHD cars but here its called a steering relay,undo bolt on top, drop and lubricate,jack back up and noise gone.

[RX7guy]

No one else has experienced this?

[RX7guy]

No one else has experienced this?

really

[525SEI BRIT]

Not sure what you call it on LHD cars but here its called a steering relay,undo bolt on top, drop and lubricate,jack back up and noise gone.

What exactly are you referring too? 'steering relay' do you mean the center tie rod?

[krazy00kanadian]

I had a problem quite like this, at just like Rory535i it was mostly when i was stationary.

first of all check your power steering fluid. If you've been having to top it off frequently you've got a leak somewhere, check hoses and everything. or you could have what i had.

What i had was a hole in my power steering fluid coolant system (a separate component from the pump which keeps the fluid cool)
Its basically useless, but the tiny hole was causing a drop in the pressure of the fluid for the pump. I bypassed it and removed it (weight reduction!) and problem solved.

hope this solves YOUR problem!

[RX7guy]

I don't think this is my pump making the noise. It doesn't sound like a squealing or whining power steering pump, it's a creaking sound. It makes the noise even when the car is turned off, stationary or moving. I'm gonna put it on ramps and see if I can isolate the noise.

[genphreak]

Check the bolts mounting the steering box to the frame- if they get loose bnad things happen, and if you are lucky you are informed by a strange groaning and creeking under load.

[RX7guy]

Check the bolts mounting the steering box to the frame- if they get loose bnad things happen, and if you are lucky you are informed by a strange groaning and creeking under load.


Well it's not the steering box mounting bolts. Those are tight.

It's hard to tell where the sound is coming from because it resonates off of everything. But seems like a ball joint on the center steering link. Would it make that bad of a sound? Idler arm bushing??

What sound does it make when the strut mounts go bad?

[RX7guy]

Well the sound was either a tie rod ball joint or the idler arm bushing. I replaced those last weekend and the sound is gone.

[whiskychaser]

Well the sound was either a tie rod ball joint or the idler arm bushing. I replaced those last weekend and the sound is gone.

Mine has started to make what sounds like the same creaking noise. Its not the power steering and the joints cant be worn or loose as its just passed the MOT. We seem to have different terms for the same item, so could someone help me out and confirm which bit is the 'idler arm' on here:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD68&mospid=47405&btnr=32_0338&hg=32&fg=25

Thanks

Edit: Never mind chaps. Found it. Link here for posterity
http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Maintenance/Steering/steering_link.htm

[Ferret]

Mine has started to make what sounds like the same creaking noise. Its not the power steering and the joints cant be worn or loose as its just passed the MOT. We seem to have different terms for the same item, so could someone help me out and confirm which bit is the 'idler arm' on here:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD68&mospid=47405&btnr=32_0338&hg=32&fg=25

Thanks

Edit: Never mind chaps. Found it. Link here for posterity
http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Maintenance/Steering/steering_link.htm

When mine started doing this it was a balljoint on the centre tie rod - it wouldnt have failed an MOT either because it was sezing solid rather than disintegrating!

[whiskychaser]

When mine started doing this it was a balljoint on the centre tie rod - it wouldnt have failed an MOT either because it was sezing solid rather than disintegrating!
The centre rod is only two years old but that means sfa. Should have asked him to have a look while he had it on the swivel plates:( But telling the MOT to look for a possible problem may not have been a wise move anyway. Bit difficult trying to pin it down with the engine running but I will find it and post the outcome