Saturn SL Steering wheel feels loose Inspection at your home or office.

Our certified mobile mechanics come to you 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(31)

How A Diagnostic Works

Instantly book a certified mobile mechanic to come to you

Mechanic diagnoses the problem and quotes necessary repairs

Your vehicle is ready to go

Fair, upfront & transparent pricing for all services

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to you now.

Customer Ratings

(31)

Steering wheel feels loose Inspection Service

How much does a Steering wheel feels loose Inspection cost?

On average, the cost for a Saturn SL Steering wheel feels loose Inspection is $95 with $0 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
2002 Saturn SLL4-1.9LService typeSteering wheel feels loose InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$124.99 - $132.49
1991 Saturn SLL4-1.9LService typeSteering wheel feels loose InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1996 Saturn SLL4-1.9LService typeSteering wheel feels loose InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1993 Saturn SLL4-1.9LService typeSteering wheel feels loose InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$104.99 - $112.48
2000 Saturn SLL4-1.9LService typeSteering wheel feels loose InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.02 - $112.55
1994 Saturn SLL4-1.9LService typeSteering wheel feels loose InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
2001 Saturn SLL4-1.9LService typeSteering wheel feels loose InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$109.87 - $117.28
1998 Saturn SLL4-1.9LService typeSteering wheel feels loose InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$110.24 - $117.94
Show example Saturn SL Steering wheel feels loose Inspection prices

A steering wheel that feels loose or has “play” in it prevents the driver form getting an accurate interpretation of how the wheels are turned. Any steering setup where you can move the wheel more than one to one and a half inches without moving the wheels is too lose and may have an issue. When the steering wheel feels loose it can be difficult from drivers to accurately know the position of the front wheels. This lack of responsiveness can be dangerous for drivers, especially in heavy traffic or winding roads.

How this system works:

The majority of modern vehicles use two different kinds of steering setup to help control the movement of the car. Rack and pinion steering is typically used on cars, small trucks and SUVs, while recirculating-ball steering is used on large SUVs and trucks. The similarities and differences in the two systems begin to manifest themselves when components fail, causing the steering wheel to feel loose.

Common reasons for this to happen:

  • Worn Tie Rods: Tie rods serve as the driver’s connection between the steering unit and the tires. Tie rods are present in both rack and pinion and recirculating ball setups. If tie rod ends become worn, they may cause the steering wheel to feel loose. A vehicle with worn tie rods may also squeak as the steering wheel is turned and be out of alignment.

  • Worn Pitman Arm: A pitman arm is only present in vehicles with recirculating-ball steering. The pitman arm connects a gear attached to the steering wheel to the steering rack itself. When the pitman arm becomes worn or the teeth in the gear connecting the pitman arm begin to slip, it can cause the steering wheel to feel loose.

  • Worn Ball Joint: Ball joints connect the vehicle’s wheel hubs to the rest of the suspension components. Depending on the vehicle, one or two ball joints per wheel and may or may not be load bearing. A ball joint that is worn may cause the steering to feel loose and may also create a banging sound, especially when going over bumps.

What to expect:

A top-rated mobile mechanic will come to your home or office to determine the reason for the loose-feeling steering. The mechanic will then provide a detailed inspection report outlining the reason for the loose steering and the cost of any repairs that need to be made.

How it's done:

When the mechanic arrives, he or she will first lift the vehicle and remove the wheels so that they can better access the suspension and steering components. From here, the mechanic will be able to assess the reason why the steering has become loose.

If the mechanic suspects that worn tie rods may be the issue, he or she will inspect the tie rod for superficial damage. If the tie rod end had become worn or loose, the mechanic will remove it and replace it with a new one. The mechanic will also ensure after installation, that the new tie rod end is properly lubricated.

If the mechanic believes that the pitman arm has become worn, he or she will remove the pitman arm from the track bar and replace it with a new pitman arm. The mechanic should ensure that the new part is properly tightened.

If the mechanic suspects worn ball joints, he or she will remove the control arm(s) in order to access the faulty ball joint. He or she will then remove the old ball joint and replace it with a new one. The mechanic should also ensure that the new ball joint is properly lubricated in order to ensure longer life.

In the case of all repairs the mechanic will make sure that all the new parts have been installed correctly and are properly lubricated. In order to ensure that the steering is working properly, the mechanic may test drive the vehicle to check for excess play.

How important is this service?

A steering wheel that feels loose may not be giving an accurate indication of the front wheel’s position. Loose-feeling steering may also indicate that a problem has occurred with the steering unit or suspension. If you notice that the steering does not seem to be as responsive, you should stop driving the vehicle and have it inspected by a mechanic.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert Saturn mechanics

Real customer reviews from Saturn owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(31)

Rating Summary
28
1
1
0
1
28
1
1
0
1

Ricardo

23 years of experience
199 reviews
Ricardo
23 years of experience
Saturn SL L4-1.9L - Speedometer is not working - Miami, Florida
Though I have owned my car now for close to 20 years, this was my very first time using YourMechanic and I am extreeeemely impressed with the entire service I received today - online on the website, on the phone with customer service, and in person.with my mechanic Ricardo. Very pleased with how punctual, professional, courteous and, most of all, knowledgeable Ricardo was regarding issues with my 1999 Saturn SL (an older car and yet he was quite informed about the parts, the problems, and how to fix my speed sensor etc.). I will be not only using YourMechanic in the future for subsequent service to my car, but I will be specifically requesting Ricardo to be my mechanic!

Napoleon

27 years of experience
147 reviews
Napoleon
27 years of experience
Saturn SL L4-1.9L - Car is not starting - Glendale, California
Professional, knowledgeable, punctual. We got right down to business and it was a very positive experience.

Chris

22 years of experience
2266 reviews
Chris
22 years of experience
Saturn SL L4-1.9L - Car idle is rough - Laguna Woods, California
Really great service. Chris was on time, determined the problem right away and fixed it. He was also very patient and took the time to explain what was wrong and what he was doing to repair it.

Robert

20 years of experience
1126 reviews
Robert
20 years of experience
Saturn SL L4-1.9L - Ignition Switch - Denver, Colorado
Robert is always amazing!

Excellent Rating

(31)

Rating Summary
28
1
1
0
1
28
1
1
0
1
Number of Saturn SL services completed
341+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Saturn MECHANICS
700+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

How to Buy a Personalized License Plate in Louisiana
Ordering Ordering a new license plate in Louisiana is fairly simple but if you’d like to order a personalized license plate, then you need to complete a specific process required by the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. There are several...
How to Adjust Drum Brakes
Many vehicles come equipped with drum brakes (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-drum-brakes-work). For many years, disc brakes have been used at the front of the vehicles...
P0797 OBD-II Trouble Code: Pressure Control Solenoid C Stuck On
P0797 means that there is a problem in one of the electronic pressure control solenoids or circuits due to a faulty solenoid, or low or dirty fluid.

my car swayss back and forth on its own. starting at 30mph

Hello. If you have replaced these parts and it is still swaying then you need to check the tires (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-tell-the-difference-in-size-for-a-car-tire-by-jason-unrau). Make sure that they are the correct size. Aftermarket wheels will also cause this problem if they are not the...

Cracking/popping sound in driver dashboard area - 2013 Jeep Compass

Hi there. The noise heard and the sluggish A/C may be related. It is fairly common for an air distribution actuator to fail. These actuators change positions of doors in the HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) distribution housing. Typically, a...

Where is the starter on a 2008 Lexus GS350

Claimed by Jay Safford

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (844) 997-3624 · hi@yourmechanic.com