What may be a cause of the excessive free play of the steering wheel in the car?
Show the correct answer
Correct answer
A. Worn tie rod ends.
Explanation
In the photo you can see the driver's hands on the steering wheel and the instruments in the car's dashboard. Excessive free play of the steering wheel, that is, its movement without any response from the wheels, may be caused by wear of the tie rod joints, known as tie rod ends - answer A. Worn tyres (B) and unbalanced wheels (C) cause other symptoms: poorer grip and vibration of the steering wheel.
The tie rods transfer the movement from the steering gear to the steering knuckles of the wheels; their ball joints wear over time, and every millimetre of play in a joint means several degrees of empty movement of the steering wheel. A car with such play "floats" on a straight road and reacts with a delay in a bend, which is dangerous at higher speeds. The Regulation on the technical conditions of vehicles requires a durable steering system that allows the driver to change direction easily and safely, and the Road Traffic Act requires that the vehicle does not endanger safety. The vehicle inspector checks the steering play at the technical inspection, but if you can feel it yourself, go to a garage.
Legal basis: Art. 66 para. 1 point 1 of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym); § 9 para. 1b of the Regulation on the technical conditions of vehicles and the scope of their necessary equipment