Steering column rattle

[Captain Jack]

I swear I did not see a bolt there at all. Time for another looksie methinks.

[Captain Jack]

While my mum's C4 was in the garage for head light washer repairs, she got a 51 plate 406 HDI with 245000 miles on it. It was tatty as hell with prangs on the doors etc., so I thought it's the perfect candidate to see if the steering wheel rattle is there. Well - it isn't! It's as quiet as a mouse! (And my mum strangely prefers that tatty 406 to a relatively shiny new C4!)

How can a car twice my mileage be quieter?!

The rattle is still there is getting worse by the week. Very evident when first starting in the morning and when pulling away. I've checked the top mounts and stuffed some hosepipe in the holes in the rubber to make it more solid but that didn't help one bit

There doesn't seem to be any weird noise coming from the gearbox (put a long screwdriver to the bell housing) ... or anywhere in the engine bay, in fact. I am out of ideas... Could it be a knackered flywheel rattling the engine about? But then I'd hear weird noises, right? I am thinking maybe it the gearbox mount? But not sure if that would cause anything like that... Will check when it's dry.

Also tempted to replace the bottom engine mount again when it goes in for the MOT next month... Ahhh!

[jasper5]

Had a Corsa last week driving me crazy with a rattle...thought I checked everything....o/s track rod end was knackered as were the famous Corsa inner steering rack ball joints...changed these, rattle still there, took it out for a run put my foot on lower steering column, noise went away.....the bottom steering coupling was loose even though the bolt was tight, took it off and refitted it...no rattle

I don't know what else to suggest with your rattle.

A knackered flywheel would vibrate whole car and you would feel it in the passenger's side footwell.

When my DMF failed there was a loud rattle on tickover from the bell housing, plus a heavy vibration at the passenger's side.

[lozz]

ive got the same problem with citreon,
the trackrod end is fubard, i just carnt get the old one off,
just waiting for adry day and il attack it with blowtorch ,

[Captain Jack]

Thanks both. I definitely need to crawl around the steering components and what's what.

Don't think a track rod end has anything to do with this in my case as it only does it when idling or just pulling off - it's perfectly fine when on the move.

[lozz]

What condition is the lower mount in ?

when it was last replaced was it fitted right?
might sound daft but when ireplaced the lower mount (bush ) on my old 406 imade amistake and fitted it wrong
got a vibration through the dash and steering wheel on tick over, ihad to go back under the car and tap the bush round so it was dampening the vibration,

not saying youve made the same mistake but certainly worth alook,

[Captain Jack]

I am questioning the 2 year old bottom mount because of its history - see here!

It was fitted by a local fairly reputable garage, so I am hoping they fit it in correctly...

[Captain Jack]

Hello,

Apologies for resurrecting this thread but this is still an issue! The rattle is still there. I wouldn't say it got worse over the months but I have replaced the clutch/flywheel, bottom mount, cambelt, the alternator belt and associated tensioners. The engine vibration is coming through the steering wheel, which in turn rattles the hell out of it.

I uploaded a video to MeTube, here...

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It didn't capture the sound very accurately as it sounds like a bag of spanners, but it's actually the steering wheel vibrating! It calms down as soon as I touch the steering wheel or rev up from idle. It only happens as idle - worse when the engine is cold, but still only at idle.

I tightened up everything I could around the steering wheel column - no idea where to go from there. As a last resort, I was thinking of a) changing the steering wheel column, despite mine being seemingly sound or b) provide some sort of cushioning at mounting points of the steering wheel. Maybe a piece of rubber, spring of foam?

Any other ideas? It's driving me crazy at traffic lights etc.

[grasmere59]

Ear defenders? No seriously that rattle would drive me insane,have you checked the universal joints themselves on the steering column as if they are dry or slightly worn you could get a rattle brought on by the engine vibration,i used to have a rattle years and years ago on the column on a Mk4 Cortina and i slapped some grease on the u/j's on the column and it stopped it.

[Captain Jack]

Right - where is this universal joint? At the bottom of the steering column inside the car; i.e. where it joins to the "stump"? Or outside the car?

On the previous page's diagram, bolt 4 is very tight and I have unbolted it/tightened it several times. Or do you mean the gizmo where 5 and 6 go through (outside the car)?

[grasmere59]

Loooking at the pic there are 2 joints,just above where the bolt No 4 and bolt No 6 go through,it's a bit like a "cross".Slap a good blob of grease on both and work it well in.

[Captain Jack]

Thanks for that. Will try plonking some grease on it to see if it helps

[steve_earwig]

Does it only happen at the straight ahead position?

Just a mad theory, could it possibly be the pressure fluctuations from the p/s pump? If the grease doesn't do the trick, perhaps you could take the aux belt off and see if it still happens.

[jasper5]

Does the car have the adjustable steering column? If so, is the lock tight enough?

I seriously doubt if grease will help the rattle, but you never know.

Is the steering shaft inside the column housing touching the housing?

[Captain Jack]

Does it only happen at the straight ahead position?.

Any position. There is groaning noise when I turn the wheel when stationary but it doesn't really increase/reduce the vibration.

Does the car have the adjustable steering column? If so, is the lock tight enough?

Yes, it does and yes it's quite tight. In fact, the rattle goes away if I "unlock" it - but then the steering wheel will be free to move up and down.

Is the steering shaft inside the column housing touching the housing?

I don't *think* so but how can I be sure. The whole thing has been apart several times and I couldn't find any one source of the rattle. I hypothesised it being the airbag as the noise seems to disappear then but I can't drive around without the airbag. I already replaced the airbag/steering wheel with no change. Tried padding it in places between the airbag and the wheel but no help either.

Erm... any other ideas?