knocking through the steering wheel

[gazza_newman]

Hi Guys,

I am just over 1,200 miles through my drive through France in my new (new to me) 996 1998 tiptronic.

I have noticed a strange slight knocking through the steering wheel at slow speeds and am loking for some suggestions at to what it could be and how to fix it.

My first thought was warped disks but it seems to happen over bumpy roads even whn I don't have my foot on the brak pedal.

I have only had the car about 6 weeks, and has the full OPC check done before I bought it privetly, but nothing was mentioned about the steering in the report.

Thanks in advance (only 900 mile until home)

Gaz

[BliarsGoing]

Have you checked the wheel nuts are all still done up nice and tight? Easy one to check while you're on tour.

[gazza_newman]

guys please help me out here....

i have just done another 350 miles today on the way back to the UK and this is driving me nuts!!!!

it only seems to happen at slow speeds

thanks

gaz

[sportsandclassic]

Could be a knock from the drop links on the suspension had them knock through the floor before....

[gazza_newman]

BliarsGoing - thanks I'll check this first thing in the morning and post reply.

as for the "drop link" suggestion....now would i check that???

thanks

[sportsandclassic]

Get it off the floor and give them a good yank up and down see if theres any play in them should be none..

[kevhillyer]

Does the knocking occur all the time ?

I only ask because in recent hot weather I have felt a knocking through the steering wheel whenever it is being turned - this only happens when the car is hot in warm weather - usually after a drive of more than an hour. When cool it is fine, but when warm the problem reappears.......

I would be interested to know.

[gazza_newman]

there does not seem to be any real rhyme or reason to it except, i only notice it at low speeds and usely when going over semi rough ground

[mike996]

Hello,

Have had exactly the same problem - first started in a blt across france in the heat - so this may have a bearing on things. The rpoblem has now gone - just went of its own accord really. The bonnet was full of gear (which may have had a bearing aswell)

The drop links may have some effect - but as I have not done mine (and they need doing), and I no longer get the noise, this is doubtful

I took the car to 3 Porsche garages and a suspension expert in Worthing as I figured that the knocking must be something mechanical - nothing - suspension fine, and geometry dtill 100% spot on (after 3 years!!).

All I can say is 1) check that the spare wheel is tight, and that the nuts and bolts (and the townwing bracket) are tight 2) check that there is nothing banging around in the bonnet

Sorry not to be able to come up with the instant solution (of a more technical nature) - but it is an absolute mystery (I posted a similiar topic some time ago).

The noise / clunking does come back occassionally, but less than once a month. If I do find the solution, I will (of course) email you - likewise, if you find the solution, please contact me!

Bloody annoying I know - but enjoy France - love the clear roads!!!!

[gazza_newman]

mike thanks this puts my mind to rest a bit...

i checked all the nuts on the wheel today (a rest day) and they are all fine and tight...

i also have the boot full of gear and the car is fully loaded...

I will be back in london on friday and try her out empty and see what happens

Gaz

[mike996]

No problem gazza - I know how gut wrenchingly infuriating it is - mine used to knock on the last few bumps as you get to the Peage on the motorway - but not every one! Ended up hanging out the window to see if I could hear anything outside the car - then, of course, you get so tuned in to the car, you hear every other bump and knock not even related to the knock in the steering wheel!
V. jealous of you in France - have done a few blatts with a mate (in a 996 aswell) - you must be turning a few heads in the Cayman!
Have fun - and hope it disappears soon - if anything else occurs to me, I will post. Bon voyage!

[heli coil]

If it goes off when you reach London, it’s probably an illegal immigrant.
SORRY .

[chris_w]

I've also got this (still). After four trips to various indies and an OPC it's been variously diagnosed as the srop links (replaced and no change), the steering rack and the track rod ends. Only happens when the car is warmed up (15-20 mins of driving) and is most noticable at low speed. Noise is a clonking and can be felt through the steering wheel.

I'm beginning to wonder if it's the steering rack after all. The car is warrantied and Porsche quote £600 to change the track rod end (not a warrantied item and including full geo...) so I took to an indie who replaced and said they'd never heard of a tre going on a 50k 911. Noise is still there, so were Porsche trying to avoid a genuine warranty claim? Getting cynical and very fed up with it, really knocks your confidence in the car.

Let me know how you get on with it Gary et al, would be very interested to hear other possible causes.

[jvr]

Same with me on my boxster,its got worse,with a clonk from the steering and a rattling also down there also.It was checked before it got this bad but nothing could be found but hopefully now they will,going in on Monday will keep informed.
Paul

[BliarsGoing]

chris_w said:

I've also got this (still). After four trips to various indies and an OPC it's been variously diagnosed as the srop links (replaced and no change), the steering rack and the track rod ends. Only happens when the car is warmed up (15-20 mins of driving) and is most noticable at low speed. Noise is a clonking and can be felt through the steering wheel.

I'm beginning to wonder if it's the steering rack after all. The car is warrantied and Porsche quote £600 to change the track rod end (not a warrantied item and including full geo...) so I took to an indie who replaced and said they'd never heard of a tre going on a 50k 911. Noise is still there, so were Porsche trying to avoid a genuine warranty claim? Getting cynical and very fed up with it, really knocks your confidence in the car.

Let me know how you get on with it Gary et al, would be very interested to hear other possible causes.

Track rod end is easy to prove. You need a proper motor engineer with a DTI who can measure if there's any play in there or not.

[chris_w]

BliarsGoing said:

Track rod end is easy to prove. You need a proper motor engineer with a DTI who can measure if there's any play in there or not.

Well, we thought we'd proved it by grabbing it and feeling it move but replacing it doesn't seem to have done the trick, hence why I'm tending to to think it was the steering rack after all. Maybe back to the OPC then. Problem is, I don't want them to get it up on ramps and then phone me to tell me that the problem isn't covered by the warranty...

[BliarsGoing]

chris_w said:

BliarsGoing said:

Track rod end is easy to prove. You need a proper motor engineer with a DTI who can measure if there's any play in there or not.

Well, we thought we'd proved it by grabbing it and feeling it move but replacing it doesn't seem to have done the trick, hence why I'm tending to to think it was the steering rack after all. Maybe back to the OPC then. Problem is, I don't want them to get it up on ramps and then phone me to tell me that the problem isn't covered by the warranty...

You always have the option of declining the work and taking it to an indie if it's something not covered by the warranty.

[chris_w]

BliarsGoing said:

chris_w said:

BliarsGoing said:

Track rod end is easy to prove. You need a proper motor engineer with a DTI who can measure if there's any play in there or not.

Well, we thought we'd proved it by grabbing it and feeling it move but replacing it doesn't seem to have done the trick, hence why I'm tending to to think it was the steering rack after all. Maybe back to the OPC then. Problem is, I don't want them to get it up on ramps and then phone me to tell me that the problem isn't covered by the warranty...

You always have the option of declining the work and taking it to an indie if it's something not covered by the warranty.

True, but would like to keep a reasonable relationship with my local OPC rather than use them as a diagnostic service which, I imagine, they would get fed up with (car has already been to them once). Also wondered whether they'd chuck an invoice for a couple of hours labour my way if I tried that?

Then again, I've got a warrantied car with a persistant problem, think it's time to bite the bullet.

[BliarsGoing]

chris_w said:

BliarsGoing said:

chris_w said:

BliarsGoing said:

Track rod end is easy to prove. You need a proper motor engineer with a DTI who can measure if there's any play in there or not.

Well, we thought we'd proved it by grabbing it and feeling it move but replacing it doesn't seem to have done the trick, hence why I'm tending to to think it was the steering rack after all. Maybe back to the OPC then. Problem is, I don't want them to get it up on ramps and then phone me to tell me that the problem isn't covered by the warranty...

You always have the option of declining the work and taking it to an indie if it's something not covered by the warranty.

True, but would like to keep a reasonable relationship with my local OPC rather than use them as a diagnostic service which, I imagine, they would get fed up with (car has already been to them once). Also wondered whether they'd chuck an invoice for a couple of hours labour my way if I tried that?

Then again, I've got a warrantied car with a persistant problem, think it's time to bite the bullet.

They should be sufficiently cmpetent to diagnose a problem... If they can't that's hardly your fault

[gazza_newman]

well I am now back in the UK...had a great drive.

The knocking did not get any worse and seems to ba the same symptoms as everyone else.

However, now I am home and have taken all the luggage out of the car it seems to have gone away.

could if be any thing to do with the waight of luggage?