Hi, I was wondering if anyone can help me figure out what this dangerous problem is...The other day I began to experience sligtly loose steering on my 2000 S40. It wasn't severe, so I thought I'd set an appt with my local Volvo dealer/service for an alignment and tire balance. The next morning, as I was driving it there, the problem worsened. It was as if the steering wheel wasn't coming in contact with the front wheels and therefore not controlling the car well. I thought I'd get the alignment and see if that corrected it (I don't know too much about the mechanics of a car), actually this is what a Volvo technician suggested after he took it for a drive. After the alignment, I drove home only to find that the car is even more dangerous to drive, and the steering wheel was becoming even "looser". I called Volvo back, they didn't undertand what I was talking about, after all, something like this seems almost rediculous to believe. They suggested that I leave it off Monday morning (which I plan to do, but I will have to have it towed) and they would look at it again and try to fix it in the same day). The more I drove it, the more I realized that it has got to be something with the steering column or steering wheel, as crazy as it sounds. The steering wheel feels VERY LOOSE and does not make as much contact with the wheels, making it very difficult to control the car. What should I tell them to look at? What kind of probelm is this? DId a bolt come loose somehow? Has anything like this happened before, even with a new 2000 vehicle with less than 15,000 miles?

Tell them just what you told us. Have a Tech or better yet the service manager drive the car again. It's too bad you had them to align the car when you really wanted them to check the loose steering, your opportunity to have the car fixed promptly has expired. Good Luck and I hope your dealership treats you well.

RussB in CT

AC, I'd be surprised if the dealer did not refund every penny you spent on this warranty covered problem. Do not drive it at all. I would guess that

a coupling came loose, or, if you can move the steering wheel in Park with the key out, then the wheel is unattached. Either way the dealer will fix it. Keep us current on this.

This sounds very wrong..

Any 'free play' in the steering wheel with the engine off? engine on?

Get it to the dealer again (perhaps safer to have them pick it up on a flatbed) and have a the service rep drive the car with you so you can show the effect.

I can't really imagine what's wrong, but because it's getting worse I wouldn't take ance chances.

Bye, Arno.

Have you tried turning the wheel from lock to lock while parked?

I just went into the car, turned on the ignition, and left it in park. The wheel can be turned, at about 720 degrees (!) from lock to lock VERY LOOSELY, I looked at the front wheels while I turned the steering wheel, and the wheels definitely do not simultaneously move with the steering. I'm going to bring it in again to my Volvo dealer/service station tomorrow what should I tell them? They don't seem to understand what I'm telling them...

Thanks again for your help

Thanks for replying!

Yes, there are a two answers: If you mean when the car is off and the key is out of the ignition, the wheel won't turn, which is normal.

If you mean when the key is in the ignition and the car is in Park, the wheel still feels loose, but not as much as when I am driving (at any speed). But, yes it still feels loose.

Have you or anyone made sure that the wheels lug nuts are tight? It's now known that if wheels are rotated on a S/V 40 without removing the rust corrosion from the area where the wheel contacts the center hub area, then just impacted on, the wheels loosen.

If that's the case (which you can easily double check with your spare tire tools), the cure is to first remove the corrosion (yes, even at 15K), add some grease or anti-seize to the center area of the hub where it contacts the wheel, then hand torque the lug nuts (no impact tools).

Usually, it'll just make noise before coming loose so that doesn't sound like your problem unless the wheels are about to fall off.

Don't try to drive the car as is.