What causes heavy steering?
Thursday 23rd November 2023
Does your steering wheel feel heavy? Are you finding it hard to turn? Learn why, and how to avoid heavy steering from our helpful guide.
What is heavy steering?
Heavy steering is when the steering wheel of your vehicle feels stiff and difficult to turn, making it harder to control your vehicle and compromising its performance.
There’s often a number of reasons why heavy steering occurs, but if you think you have an unreactive steering wheel, it’s important to get this checked by an expert technician at your?local garage.
Causes of heavy steering
There are many reasons why your steering wheel might feel stiff and heavy. It’s important to diagnose the issue as soon as possible, so that you can maintain control of your vehicle’s performance. Causes of heavy steering include:
- Wheel alignment?– if your?front-end wheel alignment?is not correct, this is likely to lead to?uneven tyre wear or vibrations from your steering wheel which then, in turn, can cause heavy steering.
- Tyre pressure?– if your tyres are not inflated to the?recommended tyre pressure, this can cause heavy steering. Under inflated tyres reduce the grip between the road surface and the tyres, which causes steering to become heavier and less cooperative.
- Power steering fluid?– lack of steering fluid can also be a common cause of heavy steering as it reduces the pressure in the system - so, keep an eye out for a leak. Also, if your power steering fluid is too thick, this can also affect power steering. This is because the fluid can pick up more debris and dirt which then restricts the flow of the fluid, meaning that not all parts of the system are lubricated properly.
How Formula One Autocentres can help
A regular service will check the wheel alignment, tyre pressure and power steering fluid of your vehicle. These checks will ensure your vehicle runs as safely as it should and will help to fix or prevent heavy steering issues.
Simply locate your nearest Formula Autocentre branch to book in for a car service. Additionally, if you have any further queries, fill in our online customer service form to hear from one of our expert technicians today.
