MANUAL STEERING

N-5spec table

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

Manual steering troubleshooting guide

Problem	Possible Cause	Action	Page/Section
Steering heavy	Poor lubrication, foreign material, or abnormal wear of steering ball joint	Lubricate or replace	N-12
Steering heavy	Stuck or damaged lower arm ball joints	Replace	Section R
Steering heavy	Improper steering pinion preload	Replace gear	N-12
Steering heavy	Damaged steering gear	Replace	N-12
Steering heavy	Malfunction of steering shaft joint	Replace	N-9
Steering heavy	Improperly adjusted wheel alignment	Adjust	Section R
Steering heavy	Malfunctioning steering gear	Replace	N-12
Steering heavy	Incorrect tire pressure	Adjust	Section Q
Steering wheel pulls to one side	Incorrect tire pressure	Adjust	Section Q
Steering wheel pulls to one side	Unevenly worn tires	Replace	Section Q
Steering wheel pulls to one side	Weak front spring	Replace	Section R
Steering wheel pulls to one side	Worn or damaged stabilizer and/or suspension arm bushings	Replace	Section R
Steering wheel pulls to one side	Dragging brake	Repair	Section P
Steering wheel pulls to one side	Loose lower arm	Tighten	Section R
Steering wheel pulls to one side	Improperly adjusted wheel alignment	Adjust	Section R
General instability while driving	Incorrect tire pressure	Adjust	Section Q
General instability while driving	Damaged or unbalanced wheel	Adjust or replace	Section Q
General instability while driving	Worn or damaged steering joints	Replace	N-9
General instability while driving	Improper steering pinion preload	Replace gear	N-12
General instability while driving	Weak front coil spring	Replace	Section R
General instability while driving	Worn or damaged stabilizer and/or suspension arm bushings	Replace	Section R
General instability while driving	Malfunctioning shock absorber	Replace	Section R
General instability while driving	Improperly adjusted wheel alignment	Adjust	Section R
Shake (Steering wheel vibrates up/down)	Excessive tire and/or wheel runout	Replace	Section Q
Shake (Steering wheel vibrates up/down)	Loose lug nuts	Tighten	Section Q
Shake (Steering wheel vibrates up/down)	Unbalanced wheel(s)	Adjust or replace	Section Q
Shake (Steering wheel vibrates up/down)	Cracked or worn engine mount rubber	Replace	Section B
Shake (Steering wheel vibrates up/down)	Cracked or worn transmission mount rubber	Replace	Section J
Shimmy (Steering wheel vibrates left/right)	Cracked or worn steering mount rubber	Replace	N-12
Shimmy (Steering wheel vibrates left/right)	Loose steering gear mounting bolts	Tighten	N-12
Shimmy (Steering wheel vibrates left/right)	Stuck or damaged steering ball joint	Replace	N-14
Shimmy (Steering wheel vibrates left/right)	Excessive tire and/or wheel runout	Replace	Section Q
Shimmy (Steering wheel vibrates left/right)	Loose lug nuts	Tighten	Section Q
Shimmy (Steering wheel vibrates left/right)	Unbalanced wheel(s)	Adjust or replace	Section Q
Shimmy (Steering wheel vibrates left/right)	Incorrect tire pressure	Adjust	Section Q
Shimmy (Steering wheel vibrates left/right)	Unevenly worn tires	Replace	Section Q
Shimmy (Steering wheel vibrates left/right)	Malfunction of shock absorber	Replace	Section R
Shimmy (Steering wheel vibrates left/right)	Loose shock absorber mounting bolts	Tighten	Section R
Shimmy (Steering wheel vibrates left/right)	Stuck or damaged lower arm ball joint	Replace	Section R
Shimmy (Steering wheel vibrates left/right)	Cracked or worn suspension bushings	Replace	Section R
Shimmy (Steering wheel vibrates left/right)	Damaged or worn front wheel bearing	Replace	Section M
Shimmy (Steering wheel vibrates left/right)	Improperly adjusted wheel alignment	Adjust	Section R
Excessive steering wheel play	Worn steering gear	Replace	N-12
Excessive steering wheel play	Worn or damaged steering joints	Replace	N-9
Excessive steering wheel play	Worn or damaged suspension arm bushings	Replace	Section R
Excessive steering wheel play	Loose steering gear mounting bolts	Tighten	N-12
Excessive steering wheel play	Worn linkage or tie-rod ball joint	Replace	N-12
Poor steering wheel return	Incorrect tire pressure	Adjust	Section Q
Poor steering wheel return	Stuck or damaged steering joints	Replace	N-9
Poor steering wheel return	Improperly adjusted front wheel alignment	Adjust	Section R
Poor steering wheel return	Improper steering pinion preload	Replace gear	N-12
Poor steering wheel return	Ball joint not operating smoothly	Replace	N-14
Poor steering wheel return	Steering shaft contacting something	Repair	N-9
Abnormal noise from steering system	Loose steering gear	Tighten	N-12
Abnormal noise from steering system	Malfunctioning steering gear	Replace	N-12
Abnormal noise from steering system	Obstruction near steering column	Repair or replace	N-12
Abnormal noise from steering system	Loose steering linkage	Tighten or replace	N-12
Abnormal noise from steering system	Worn steering joints	Replace	N-9

Steering heavy

Possible CausePoor lubrication, foreign material, or abnormal wear of steering ball joint

ActionLubricate or replace

Page/SectionN-12

Steering heavy

Possible CauseStuck or damaged lower arm ball joints

ActionReplace

Page/SectionSection R

Steering heavy

Possible CauseImproper steering pinion preload

ActionReplace gear

Page/SectionN-12

Steering heavy

Possible CauseDamaged steering gear

ActionReplace

Page/SectionN-12

Steering heavy

Possible CauseMalfunction of steering shaft joint

ActionReplace

Page/SectionN-9

Steering heavy

Possible CauseImproperly adjusted wheel alignment

ActionAdjust

Page/SectionSection R

Steering heavy

Possible CauseMalfunctioning steering gear

ActionReplace

Page/SectionN-12

Steering heavy

Possible CauseIncorrect tire pressure

ActionAdjust

Page/SectionSection Q

Steering wheel pulls to one side

Possible CauseIncorrect tire pressure

ActionAdjust

Page/SectionSection Q

Steering wheel pulls to one side

Possible CauseUnevenly worn tires

ActionReplace

Page/SectionSection Q

Steering wheel pulls to one side

Possible CauseWeak front spring

ActionReplace

Page/SectionSection R

Steering wheel pulls to one side

Possible CauseWorn or damaged stabilizer and/or suspension arm bushings

ActionReplace

Page/SectionSection R

Steering wheel pulls to one side

Possible CauseDragging brake

ActionRepair

Page/SectionSection P

Steering wheel pulls to one side

Possible CauseLoose lower arm

ActionTighten

Page/SectionSection R

Steering wheel pulls to one side

Possible CauseImproperly adjusted wheel alignment

ActionAdjust

Page/SectionSection R

General instability while driving

Possible CauseIncorrect tire pressure

ActionAdjust

Page/SectionSection Q

General instability while driving

Possible CauseDamaged or unbalanced wheel

ActionAdjust or replace

Page/SectionSection Q

General instability while driving

Possible CauseWorn or damaged steering joints

ActionReplace

Page/SectionN-9

General instability while driving

Possible CauseImproper steering pinion preload

ActionReplace gear

Page/SectionN-12

General instability while driving

Possible CauseWeak front coil spring

ActionReplace

Page/SectionSection R

General instability while driving

Possible CauseWorn or damaged stabilizer and/or suspension arm bushings

ActionReplace

Page/SectionSection R

General instability while driving

Possible CauseMalfunctioning shock absorber

ActionReplace

Page/SectionSection R

General instability while driving

Possible CauseImproperly adjusted wheel alignment

ActionAdjust

Page/SectionSection R

Shake (Steering wheel vibrates up/down)

Possible CauseExcessive tire and/or wheel runout

ActionReplace

Page/SectionSection Q

Shake (Steering wheel vibrates up/down)

Possible CauseLoose lug nuts

ActionTighten

Page/SectionSection Q

Shake (Steering wheel vibrates up/down)

Possible CauseUnbalanced wheel(s)

ActionAdjust or replace

Page/SectionSection Q

Shake (Steering wheel vibrates up/down)

Possible CauseCracked or worn engine mount rubber

ActionReplace

Page/SectionSection B

Shake (Steering wheel vibrates up/down)

Possible CauseCracked or worn transmission mount rubber

ActionReplace

Page/SectionSection J