Steering Creaking

Hummmm working my way through the unanswered posts. Did you ever get this fixed, get it to stop or figure out what it was? Seems like you are 1st to have the problem. Hope you found a cure, we all know how unnerving an unallocated squeak can be. MC

usmc xterra said:

Hummmm working my way through the unanswered posts.

Click to expand...

That right there is what makes this board great!

Unfortunately no I haven't gotten this looked at yet. Thanks to my NCOIC and my upcomming promotion to an "NCO" he is tasking me with several projects and issues to help "mold" me into an NCO, great idea, but just crappy timming. I do have an appointment at the local Nissan dealer to get this looked at, it has been getting worse as the temp is dropping though. Good lookin' out MC, I forgot I had posted this.

Ok, well if you have a digital recorder, even the small type. You can use some clay (I use the kind they sell at dollar store to hang pictures with) Secure it where you think noise is coming from. Set the mic level to lowest setting. Record and drive until you get some good squeaks. Now, Stop, new file, #2 move recorder a little ways aways, in another possible spot. Record, drive squeak stop. Do it a few times. Write down what you did and then play the recording and see what one is louder. Go back to that spot and play some more. The more you play with it the louder it will get until you will be on top of the spot that is squeaking. Then take action, Blue threadlocker, tighten, rubber washer, whatever.

It also has helped to look at the recording on a graph in windows on the tough squeaks.

I use an Olympus VN120PC it links to PC with a USB. But you don't have to go THAT far. Just a digital recorder will work.

MC

no squeaks from my column.

as a point of reference, my father-in-laws Lincoln LS had a slight column squeak when new, and now that it is 3 years old, it is unbarable - I don't know how he can drive it.

The dealer has tried to fix it, but "can't". I would try to find time to get this fixed, since it could get worse.

good luck.

mitt

solution...maybe

My steering began to creak recently as well. Kind of a cross between a creak and a scrape type of thing. Took it in to my dealership here to have it looked at. Turned out to be a faulty clock spring. Replace that and it's fine again. The clock spring is how they allow the wiring from the airbag, stereo controls, cruise control, etc.... go from the steering wheel down the shaft without them binding up. Don't know if this is the same issue you are having but figured I would mention it since it did sound similar. Took the guys here about 2 hours to do everything from diagnosing to fixing.

OK there is an example of something I would rather not have to do! My luck with steering columns has been low! LOL from 1971 to present, all GM so far but not jumping up and down to try out a Nissan. I have determined that the engineers that design steering columns have a gigantic background in booby trapping! MC