2001 Continental - sloppy/unresponsive steering

[jrdnhsnbrg]

First off, I'm from Wisconsin, and it gets really cold. I question why people willingly live here, with windchills recently down around -35. Anyway, my 01 Continental has recently started having some really weird steering issues. It is fairly unresponsive, meaning it feels like I have to turn the wheel farther to get the car to turn at the same rate as before the issues started. It also feels like it tracks left and right, won't hold straight. I also have slight creaking when I turn to the left, and only the left. Tire air pressure is good, as is tire condition. What could this be?

 

[MooJohn]

My car squeaks horribly when steering any time the temps are below 70. It means I need new rubber -- bushings, ball joints, etc.

Your steering issue sounds like something that should be looked at asap, because more slop means there could be total failure when you least expect it. A bushing may have fallen out and left more slack in the system but a broken control arm = wheel falls off while driving. It looks like this:

 

[jrdnhsnbrg]

I just did an oil change, and while I had it up on jacks I pushed, pulled, and wiggled the wheel in every dimension with no slop/give/wobble in any direction. Maybe it's just the extreme cold causing the rubber not to contact the road well.

 

[jrdnhsnbrg]

I very well may just be imagining things, too. I'm trying to sell the car.

 

[dfoy50]

well i have a 2000 conti , and i had sim. indications and i replaced the rack and pinion. that fixed my problem .... just thinkin.....