Lately I have been experiencing quite a bit of tugging at the wheel and when I checked last weekend I realized that there was some free play at the left front wheel (when I hold the left front from top or sides and shake strongly I can feel it moving).

I took it to the two most reputable dealerships in Phoenix metro this Monday and Tuesday, and they couldn't find anything wrong. They said they checked everything from A to Z and there was nothing wrong. First dealership claimed that since the steering gear was on that side, that much play was normal.

If anyone has any such experience or any ideas on what the problem may be, please let me know. Remember I had everything checked twice, so it should be something not so obvious.

Thanks in advance for all the help!

 

the only diagnosis i could give is based on experience with shaking the wheel and getting play....it could be ball joints

 

To diagnose bad ball joints, jack up that side of the car and grab the wheel top and btm (12 and 6 o'clock) and push/pull- there should be no play. Bad wheel bearings will obviously also have play if you do this test.
If you have one front wheel off the ground, the other on the ground, and push/pull back and forth at 9 and 3 o'clock there will always be some play because of the tie rods and linkage jacking up and down- that is normal.

 

Thanks for the replys. I will do the test for ball joints. But wouldn't this be one of the first things they would check at the service?

 

it shouldn't be ball joints, side to side play is tie rods, but on our cars they should last at least 50 - 60 k miles, ball joints and tie rods. I'm thinking you have a different problem.

 

another way to test for ball joints is to work your suspension and listen for abnormal squeaking but steve p posted the best way to test...


but as hirevnviii stated....its probably not the problem because the dealer SHOULD have checked them out in the first place.

 

Do the one wheel thing where the rest of the wheels are on the ground and make sure it is not possibly a bad bushing. An old honda of mine lost one of the inner bushings and you could shake the wheel in and out slightly but when you did the lower control arm would move too. Maybe have a friend shake it for you and get under there and watch.

 

Did you have any recent suspension work done on the car lately ? Hit any pot holes ?

I doubt it's ball joints since the car is on the ground when you felt this play.

Wheel bearing, tie-rod, inner rack end are my guesses.

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Is your steering wheel moving when you shake the wheel? Take a look when you have it in the air next time. Even with the ignition locked, the steering wheel will move a bit.

 

The very best way to check ball joints is place jack under the lower control arm that youd like to check. raise the tire up about 3" This way it will have your suspension acting like theres weight on that wheel. Then take a long pry bar and pry up from under the tire. This will find any bad ball joints. Some times when you let the suspension droop from rasing by the car body the spring pressure binds the ball joints and is very difficult to tell if the ball joint is bad. most shops just put the car on a two post lift where the wheels sag and they just try to shake each wheel. Sorry if it hard to understand ask and i will try to help

 

Nad1370 - No suspension work and no pot holes. The car has less than 5k miles.

All others - Thank you for all the suggestions. I will try both methods to test the ball joints and try to find out how they lifted the car at either service. I am pretty sure they checked the ball joints, but maybe missed the problem due to the way they lifted the car.

This may be silly since I have no idea how that works, but can it be the camber bolt coming loose? I had it rotated a few months ago and I am thinking that may be something the service might have missed to check. Also the movement is in the 12 and 6 o'clock plane and steering has no play.

Thanks again for all the suggestions!

 

This is where I would check first.
Take the tire out and see if the nuts are still tight on the Camber bolts.

You might want to have a friend with you while your checking ball joints. Just in case something happens.
He also can see if where the play is coming from while your moving the tire.

Good Luck and be safe.