Car help :(

Just went out then to take some one back home but that's not the point I don't suppose any how when driving it seems to be that i've had the car suddenly pull to one side I don't know if it was the road surface but it was fine earlier on today, I'm going to see if its like this tomorrow but it doesn't exactly feel good. If it is the car and not the road does any one know what it might be? There was a little bit of play in a joint on the steering rack(I think) at MOT. So other than the steering rack what else could it be? Tyre pressures?

[the_lone_wolf]

Tracking possibly?

Standing water? Aquaplaning?

Might be the tracking, thanks. Erm its been dry most of the day so the roads are practically dry at the moment so I dont think it was aquaplaning

[rowdy]

First thing to do is check your tyre pressures. May be tracking.
Did you get an advisory notice when you renewed your mot?, that will tell you exactly what had a little play in it. Could be track rod end, could be rubber mounting on wishbone or anti roll bar. Can you hear a knocking sound at all? Does your car have power steering?.

[Richie]

suspension ball joint /rubbers and bushes on the wishbones... get this checked out before you get the tracking done.

Originally Posted by rowdy

First thing to do is check your tyre pressures. May be tracking.
Did you get an advisory notice when you renewed your mot?, that will tell you exactly what had a little play in it. Could be track rod end, could be rubber mounting on wishbone or anti roll bar. Can you hear a knocking sound at all? Does your car have power steering?.

The guy that did the MOT wrote it down for me its in teh car though so i'#l have to double check it tommorow morning. It does have power steering. I didnt notice any knocking and I have no stereo at the moment either so there's nothing to get over any noise.

Originally Posted by Richie

suspension ball joint /rubbers and bushes on the wishbones... get this checked out before you get the tracking done.

I'll take a look at all the stuff you've sugested when I get up tommorow. One thing it has had turning it round at the end of the road a few days ago there was what I thought was a squeeling sound (like a belt slipping) when i was at full right lock but I didnt know if i heard it or not because I had my music on loud, but coming off the drive the other day full right lock again and i definatly heard it. Didnt last more than a second but it was definatly there.

[rowdy]

squeeling sound will be the power steering pump. Might need a fluid change, sometimes cures it. To check the ball joint on end of teh suspension wishbone, jack the car up and get a crow bar between wishbone and the rod that connects to ball joint. If theres a load of play in the ball joint tis shagged.

Squealing could be tyres, if your differential doesn't allow the inside wheel to fully rotate without scrubbing, then there's a chance that it could just be rubber squealing. Most cars do this on full lock, the smaller the turning circle, the more likely it'll happen. It's one of the reasons you hear squealing in multi-storey car parks, and see marks on the floor.

As for the steering issue you have, no doubt the MOT advisory details should be checked first - indeed, if you get an advisory, you should really aim to rectify at your next earliest convenience, to prevent anything connected also suffering. It's where I'd start.

the advisory the garage gave me at MOT was "slight play in the offside steering rack end joint" I'll get the car jacked up and check the ball joint as soon as I get a chance. I hope it was just down to the road mind.