Questions and Answers

Volkswagen Golf Steering Wheel Shake Q. Hi, I came across your site while browsing the internet tonight and wondered if you would be able to help me out with a problem I have been having with my 1996 Volkswagen Golf. There are times where I will be driving the car and the steering wheel will be shaking left to right, but other times it will be very solid and completely still.

This is a problem I would really like fixed but am not sure what else to do. The surface of the road or speed I am driving seems to have no effect. I have tried getting the wheels rebalanced, jacking up the front end and checking for looseness in the wheels by wiggling them top to bottom and side to side but there is basically no movement.

The tires are new with only about 10,000 miles on them. They are Dunlop Sport A2s and the tires are at the recommended pressures. The car has 57,000 miles on it and is running a 2.0 liter engine. The car is a 5 speed with fuel injection. It does have a rack and pinion steering.

When I first got the car last July there were no problems and since about January of this year I have really begun to notice the shaking come and go. Any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris

A. It could be something to do with your power steering system, specifically, the control valve. I would try renewing the power steering fluid completely by disconnecting one of the power steering hoses from the rack and pinion unit, place it or aim it at a suitable drain pan and steer the wheels back and forth with the car not running to flush fluid and dirt out of the system.

Reconnect the hose and refill with fluid, you will have to start the engine and steer the wheel back and forth a few times, to remove air pockets, and top off the fluid.

I would also try rotating the tires front to back and see if that makes a difference. New tires does not necessarily mean good tires.