Hi all,

I have a 2004 Accord Executive Tourer (UK model) and I've started having pretty severe handling problems.

First thing I will say, is that I hear a noise from my steering pump and have already planned the o-ring replacement mentioned on here by several people. However, the noise isn't as bad as some of the video examples of seen on youtube.

My first question is, with air coming into the pump, would this affect the handling? Or would it simply make a horrible noise?

The handling problems I'm experiencing are that the steering wheel feels like it has a mind of its own sometime and is pulling to the left or right randomly. It appears worse under braking, but only a little bit worse. I'm constantly correcting the car whilst driving. The thing which makes it all a bit more weird, is that some days, it doesn't appear to do this!

When the car is parked up, if I turn the wheel to near full-lock I get to a point where it feels like I'm fighting the steering pump and pushes against me.

I've had the tracking done 6 months ago, and the car was great and at it's last service I had a lower suspension arm replaced but other than that I was told the car was in great shape.

Could anyone offer any suggestions?

 

Normally when you replace a control arm, you have to have the suspension aligned (at least measured to verify it's OK). I guess when you say the "tracking" was done, that means suspension/wheel alignment?

Unsteady pulling (sometimes pulls, sometimes not) seems like a loose balljoint. Did they inspect all the other suspension stuff when the control arm was replaced?

 

if the entire suspension checks out, no play in ball joints, tie rods, struts. your rack is shot. if the seals on your P/S pump arent leaking, replacing them affords you nothing.
rare for an Accord but it is a piece of machinery.
why did you have the control arm replaced? any accidents? V6?
cripes! right hand drive.
i still suspect the rack and pinion, or steering gear depending on where you are.

 

Thanks for the repsonses guys, much appreciated!

I had the control arm replaced as the garage picked up on it during a service, they said there was some play in it when they applied pressure to it. The car was also fully checked over for wheel and suspension alignment and everything came back OK and the car drove great for a while, until this started happening.

I've only had the car for a year and I've just noticed in the repair receipts that just before I bought the car it had its steering rack "removed, re-greased, cleaned and re-installed" (!!!) So I guess it's looking like that will be the problem, then.

Is there any way I can check the ball-joints over to see if they're OK before I take it in to have the work done on the steering rack? (such as using a pry/crow bar if I get the car up on a ramp) I'd just like to know which part is definitely causing the problem before going into a garage.

Finally, the car hasn't had any accidents that I'm aware of (but you never know I guess), and it's not a V6. It's a 2.2 iCDTI

It's right-hand drive because I live in the UK

Thanks again guys

 

To check the ball joints, the car has to be lifted off it's wheels. Otherwise the weight of the car is pulling on the balljoints and you won't be able to move them even if they are loose.

You can also check them for torn rubber boots on any of the balljoints.

 

Thanks Jim. I've got the facility to get the car raised up on a ramp and get the weight off the wheels. I'll have a look over the weekend

 

Support the car real well, so you can pull & tug on anything without dropping the car down onto yourself. Along with the balljoints there's rubber suspension bushings:
- inboard end of the control arms
- "fork" at the bottom of the shock absorber
- maybe even check the subframe bolted to the car?
- don't forget to check stuff at rear suspension too