Hi all, I just bought a 2009 Accord EX-L with a bit more than 100K miles on it. When I first test drove the car, I found immediately that the steering wheel is kind of hard (to steer). I mean I don't compare to a Lexus or Toyota, but even my old Nissan 2001 was easier to steer than that. We brought the car to a Wheel Works for alignment and checking, and the guy there told me that he doesn't see any leak or any problem, and he said it is the way Honda make their steering wheels (that hard).

I still bought the car because that guy said so. But now I remember once I drove a CR-V 2007 from my friend, and I'm pretty sure that the steering wheel there is not as hard as my car.

So can you guy give me some comments? Is there anything I can do to make the steering wheel easier to turn? I checked power steering fluid and it is at a good level. Thank, I appreciate your helps.

 

One thing you can try is to test drive the same car at a dealership lot. Just take a car other than the accord there.

You may want to change the power steering fluid using the fluid the dealership sells.

 

Thanks PAhonda. I also heard that may be the pump does not push hard enough to ease the steering. Can we by some ways change that?

I might try a dealership this weekend. I just don't like them keep calling me in the next months to follow-up

 

Can you safely lift the front of the car & support it off the ground? With the wheels off the ground, the steering wheel should spin pretty free; if not, I'd look for excessive friction in the steering column, or any of the ball joints going bad.

 

That's a great idea. I'll try that, may be with two jack stands, and let you guy know. Thanks

 

Never had a 2009, but Honda "traditionally" has a lift point front & center, in the structural brace underneath the radiator. Usually has some kind of arrow pointing to it, either visible from underneath or visible by looking down in front of the radiator.

I use that to lift the front, then place jack-stands under the rocker-panel jack points. Don't mess with the car when it's just on a hydraulic jack.

 

Thanks Jim. I figured out that I shouldn't use just jack stands. However, I think I was kind of confused with the real problem. It is actually not hard to turn when I need to. I even try to turn the steering wheel even when the car is at parking mode, and it is ok.

Let me try to describe the best I can. Basically, the steering wheel feels a little hard to control on the road. When I am driving, I feel clearly that the steering wheel is stiff but also sometimes it has the tendency to just turn to one side (either left or right, but the right is more often). That makes me feel like I can loose control at those times if I don't focus and hold the steering wheel tight. And when I hold it tight, it feels more stiff .

 

I'm not sure if I should interpret that as an alignment problem? Or "tramlining" where the tires just want to follow features in the roadway. Tramlining can happen if the pavement is heavily grooved & the tires are trying to follow the grooves.

Also might be loose bushings or balljoints. But the shop SHOULD have looked for that during the alignment.

 

I think it is more like "tramlining" like you said Blake, it's just too easy to be "tramlined", and because the steering wheel is stiff, it seems hard to control some time. On the other hand, on a nice road, if I keep the steering wheel straight, then the car runs (pretty much) straight, so I think that's the definition of "good alignment".

I think the problem is more like the guy in this post: Accord steering and alignment problems - Drive Accord Honda Forums.
"if there is any type of crown in the road the car will pull its self in that direction pretty hard"

Last week I took the car to another shop and they changed my steering wheel fluid, said it might be dirty. They said the steering pump is fine. I felt like the steering wheel is a little bit lighter, but may be it just I'm getting accustomed to the car. However, the "tramlining" problem stays the same. So may be I just go with it.

 

I did an accident last month it was direct on the weel I change the fool suspension set bool joint tire rode uper lower Power steering pompe
I have a hard steering weel rak and pinion change fluid change the holl system work weel
Only that I feel my car is not hydrolic on steering weel when the car is not running
When tart to run it came softer
Can some one help
The car is accord 2007