Odd steering issue

What's up folks. Maybe you've seen this before. 07 Gen1. So, I'm trying to sort out this odd thing with my steering. It's hard to describe. It's like all of a sudden when I turn the wheel it feels "loose". Not loose like the actual steering wheel is loose. But it's like I have to turn the wheel further to get the same amount of turn? Or when I come out of a turn, the steering wheel is still turned a bit, but the wheels are straight?

No power steering pump whine. No, it's not hard to turn the wheel. The rack & pinion has not been touched. The only thing that's been done is I had the OEM shocks / struts replaced with Koni Reds and I left the stock springs. New end links and bushing in the rear. New Moog Sway bar links in the front. Other than that, stock down to the wheels. But all that was done last summer. This is a new issue.

I had a mechanic put it up on a lift to check it out. He saw nothing. He told me I needed an alignment. The same ish is happening after it was aligned. Nothing visibly broken, that I can see with it on the ground. I do have the front end clunk though. Front sway bar bushings going in soon. What else am I missing?

 

What year?

 

What up @Raider 07 Gen 1

 

Can you take a video of the steering wheel slack, and also of the steering tie rods moving the tire?

Kind of hard to troubleshoot the way you are describing it.

 

how long has this been happening? I think my speed 6 started doing this a few days ago. Also had it checked out only to find nothing. I am set for an alignment on Tuesday too so this sounds like exactly what I am experiencing.

The only thing I can think is that the rack is messed up. I now have noticed a feeling in my pedals when I get it turned completely and then work it a 1/4 turn back and forth.

 

I thought about that. But I felt silly. The video doesn't do it justice. its like you would have to be hand on the wheel to see what i'm talking about. Maybe I'll try again.

It just started like a month ago. No events. No accident. Just normal dailying. It's stressing me out though lol. I've put off a couple of trips to LA because I was worried whatever it is, might completely fail, while I was on the road. Crazy though. Two mechanics have had it in the air and not found a thing except worn sway bar bushings.

 

Yeah I don’t know what has caused mine either but once I realized why it felt different I decided to just keep driving it and see if it changes anymore. So far everything seems normal just can’t feel the road as much and the response isn’t quite as quick but not bad.

 

Does the car pull at all in one direction ehen engine braking?

I had a similar feeling in my steering on my gen 1, but in addition it would pull to the right ehen engine braking only. Searched high and low...ended up being the bolts holding the steering rack to the subframe had backed out a bit

 

Oh wow, Sho I have this exact issue during engine braking. Had no clue what it was. Thank you for posting this.

 

I’ll check on the way home from work today but I haven’t noticed it on mine. That would be an easy fix tho compared to most of the alternatives lol