{"id":103217,"date":"2024-03-14T21:16:48","date_gmt":"2024-03-15T04:16:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=103217"},"modified":"2024-10-24T11:41:56","modified_gmt":"2024-10-24T18:41:56","slug":"bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/","title":{"rendered":"Bad Steering Shaft Symptoms To Watch Out For"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column103217_7d3d57-65 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column103217_7d3d57-65 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column103217_7d3d57-65 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column103217_7d3d57-65 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column103217_7d3d57-65 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column103217_7d3d57-65 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column103217_7d3d57-65{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column103217_7d3d57-65 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column103217_7d3d57-65 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column103217_7d3d57-65 inner-column-1 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-1b5323  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-2ad496\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103217_e84f71-81, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103217_e84f71-81[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103217_e84f71-81\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103217_e84f71-81 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103217_e84f71-81[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103217_e84f71-81\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103217_e84f71-81 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103217_e84f71-81[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103217_e84f71-81\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading103217_e84f71-81 summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103217_e84f71-81\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Your vehicle&rsquo;s steering shaft, also known as its intermediate steering shaft, plays an important role, connecting the steering gear to the steering column.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Symptoms of a bad steering shaft include rough wheel turns, irregular steering wheel positions, and grinding or clicking sounds when you turn.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Steering fluid issues, a worn steering rack, and a faulty serpentine belt might lead to a bad steering shaft.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It&rsquo;s best not to drive with a bad steering shaft because the lack of control might lead to an accident.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your vehicle&rsquo;s intermediate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/steering-shaft\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"steering shaft\">steering shaft<\/a> connects the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/steering-gear\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"steering gear\">steering gear<\/a> pinion to the lower end of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/steering-column\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"steering column\">steering column<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/car-short-driveshaft-1024x268.jpg\" alt=\"car short driveshaft image\" class=\"wp-image-105019\" style=\"width:1024px;height:268px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/car-short-driveshaft-1024x268.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/car-short-driveshaft-300x79.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/car-short-driveshaft-768x201.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/car-short-driveshaft-150x39.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/car-short-driveshaft.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The steering shaft is basically a short driveshaft of sorts with one (see photo) or 2 u-joints, but it doesn&rsquo;t spin endlessly like the driveline&rsquo;s driveshaft. However, sometimes the u-joints in the intermediate steering shaft will become dry and stiff like regular driveline u-joints. | Image Source: Richard McCuistian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Symptoms of a Bad Steering Shaft<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are a number of symptoms associated with a bad steering shaft. Any one of these issues can alert you that something&rsquo;s wrong, and that you need to have your vehicle assessed as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rough Wheel Turns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most modern vehicles have power steering so that the steering feels smooth and easy, whatever the vehicle and the driver&rsquo;s physical build are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But driving won&rsquo;t feel very smooth if there&rsquo;s something wrong with the u-joints on the ends of the intermediate steering shaft <strong><em>(see Illustration<\/em><\/strong>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"964\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/steering-shaft-u-joint-and-intermediate-steering-shaft-diagram-1024x964.jpg\" alt=\"illustration of a steering shaft u joint and intermediate steering shaft\" class=\"wp-image-105021\" style=\"width:1024px;height:964px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/steering-shaft-u-joint-and-intermediate-steering-shaft-diagram-1024x964.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/steering-shaft-u-joint-and-intermediate-steering-shaft-diagram-300x282.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/steering-shaft-u-joint-and-intermediate-steering-shaft-diagram-768x723.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/steering-shaft-u-joint-and-intermediate-steering-shaft-diagram-150x141.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/steering-shaft-u-joint-and-intermediate-steering-shaft-diagram.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Diagram showing steering shaft u-joints and intermediate steering shaft | Image Source: Richard McCuistian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Irregular Steering Wheel Positions and Grip<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-does-power-steering-work-with-example-diagrams\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"power steering system\">power steering system<\/a>, the steering wheel will always return to the center position because of the caster settings. When you turn the wheels, normal positive caster settings will cause the front of the vehicle to lift very slightly so that the lowest it sits is right in the center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gravity and caster angles make the steering wheel naturally return to the center after a turn; this is where it wants to be if everything is normal. If the u-joints in the intermediate shaft are dry and stiff, it may not easily return to the center. Other issues, like dry ball joints can cause this as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Grinding or Clicking Sounds When Turning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you start hearing grinding or clicking sounds at the base of the steering column when turning, it&rsquo;s yet another sign that your steering shaft might have issues. It&rsquo;s best to ask a trusted mechanic to check your steering shaft as soon as you notice these strange noises when you steer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Uneven Effort Turning the Steering Wheel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If there are serious issues with the u-joints in your steering shaft, the steering wheel might require uneven effort while turning the wheel during parking lot maneuvers. It might feel tight-then-loose-then-tight again while rotating the steering wheel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"article-search-widget\">\n<div class=\"cp-search\">\n<div align=\"center\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/w_auto,dpr_auto\/carparts\/logos\/badge_wordmark\/full_color\/CP_LOGO_COLOUR_RGB\" alt=\"CarParts.com\" width=\"300\" height=\"56\">\n<\/div>\n<form id=\"cpsearchform\" name=\"cpsearchform\" action=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/search\" method=\"get\" target=\"_blank\" accept-charset=\"character_set\" aria-label=\"search CarParts.com\">\n    <input type=\"text\" class=\"keyword\" name=\"q\" placeholder=\"Search for parts on CarParts.com\" value=\"\" aria-label=\"Search CarParts.com\"><input type=\"submit\" class=\"btn-search\" value=\"Search\" aria-label=\"Search\">\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can a Worn Steering Rack be a Cause of a Bad Steering Shaft?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The steering shaft is directly connected to the steering rack and relies on it to function properly. If it takes more effort to steer the vehicle for any reason at all, the u-joints on each end of the intermediate shaft may wear out prematurely so that the steering doesn&rsquo;t feel right even after the hard steering issue is resolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can You Drive with a Bad Steering Shaft?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&rsquo;s best to avoid driving with a bad steering shaft, especially if the steering wheel is hanging limp. If your steering fails while driving, it could spell disaster. Now that you&rsquo;re familiar with the symptoms of a bad steering shaft, you&rsquo;ll know when to seek help from a trusted mechanic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stay In Control With OE-Grade Replacement Steering Shafts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A properly functioning steering shaft is necessary to have good control over your vehicle&rsquo;s steering. You should never ignore steering issues because it&rsquo;ll compromise your confidence when it comes to steering. Steering system symptoms like uneven effort when turning the wheel can also be unsafe since they&rsquo;ll rob you of control over your vehicle. Have a faulty steering shaft? Don&rsquo;t hesitate to get a replacement here at CarParts.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether you have a car, truck, or SUV, finding a replacement steering shaft is easy here at <a href=\"http:\/\/carparts.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" aria-label=\"CarParts.com\">CarParts.com<\/a>. We offer a wide range of steering shafts that are made to fit specific vehicles. Choose from parts made by the best aftermarket manufacturers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thanks to our vehicle selector, it&rsquo;ll only take a few minutes to find the steering shaft that you need. Simply enter your vehicle&rsquo;s specifications into the required fields and you&rsquo;ll see products compatible with your ride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Driving with a compromised steering shaft is risky. Luckily, CarParts.com has a wide selection of steering shafts. Check out our catalog and shop for a new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/steering-shaft\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"steering shaft\">steering shaft<\/a> today!<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>Your vehicle&rsquo;s intermediate steering shaft connects the steering gear pinion to the lower end of the steering column. Symptoms of&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":103286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[52,3755],"tags":[1311],"ppma_author":[2607,2985],"class_list":["post-103217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-diy","category-suspension","tag-steering-shaft","entry"],"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Bad Steering Shaft Symptoms To Watch Out For - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A bad steering shaft is a dangerous issue to face when driving. Here are the symptoms you need to look out for to avoid the worst.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bad Steering Shaft Symptoms To Watch Out For - In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A bad steering shaft is a dangerous issue to face when driving. Here are the symptoms you need to look out for to avoid the worst.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-03-15T04:16:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-10-24T18:41:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/car-steering-shaft.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"997\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"4\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\",\"jobTitle\":\"Expert Automotive Writer\",\"description\":\"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com&#039;s thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.\",\"knowsAbout\":\"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews\",\"publishingPrinciples\":\"\\\/blog\\\/our-team\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/thecpteam\\\/\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/carpartscom, https:\\\/\\\/twitter.com\\\/CarPartscom, https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/@CarPartscomOfficial\\\/, https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/carpartscom\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"4\",\"name\":\"Richard McCuistian\",\"jobTitle\":\"ASE Master Automobile Technician\",\"description\":\"Richard McCuistian has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, and a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others. Richard is ASE certified for more than 30 years in 10 categories, including L1 Advanced Engine Performance and Light Vehicle Diesel.\",\"knowsAbout\":\"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews\",\"publishingPrinciples\":\"\\\/blog\\\/our-team\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/richardmccuistian\\\/\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/richard-mccuistian-2681891b\\\/, https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/McCuistian\"}],\"headline\":\"Bad Steering Shaft Symptoms To Watch Out For\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-03-15T04:16:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-10-24T18:41:56+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":814,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/car-steering-shaft.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"steering-shaft\"],\"articleSection\":[\"DIY\",\"Suspension\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\\\/\",\"name\":\"Bad Steering Shaft Symptoms To Watch Out For - In The Garage with CarParts.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/car-steering-shaft.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-03-15T04:16:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-10-24T18:41:56+00:00\",\"description\":\"A bad steering shaft is a dangerous issue to face when driving. Here are the symptoms you need to look out for to avoid the worst.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/car-steering-shaft.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/car-steering-shaft.jpg\",\"width\":1500,\"height\":997,\"caption\":\"car steering shaft\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/cp-itg-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/cp-itg-logo.png\",\"width\":2048,\"height\":398,\"caption\":\"CarParts.com\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/carpartscom\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/carpartscom\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/carpartscom\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/@CarPartscomOfficial\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Bad Steering Shaft Symptoms To Watch Out For - In The Garage with CarParts.com","description":"A bad steering shaft is a dangerous issue to face when driving. Here are the symptoms you need to look out for to avoid the worst.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Bad Steering Shaft Symptoms To Watch Out For - In The Garage with CarParts.com","og_description":"A bad steering shaft is a dangerous issue to face when driving. Here are the symptoms you need to look out for to avoid the worst.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/","og_site_name":"In The Garage with CarParts.com","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom","article_published_time":"2024-03-15T04:16:48+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-10-24T18:41:56+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1500,"height":997,"url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/car-steering-shaft.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@carpartscom","twitter_site":"@carpartscom","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/"},"author":[{"@type":"Person","$id":"4","name":"CarParts.com Research Team","jobTitle":"Expert Automotive Writer","description":"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com&#039;s thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.","knowsAbout":"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews","publishingPrinciples":"\/blog\/our-team\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/thecpteam\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom, https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarPartscom, https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@CarPartscomOfficial\/, https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/carpartscom\/"},{"@type":"Person","$id":"4","name":"Richard McCuistian","jobTitle":"ASE Master Automobile Technician","description":"Richard McCuistian has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, and a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others. Richard is ASE certified for more than 30 years in 10 categories, including L1 Advanced Engine Performance and Light Vehicle Diesel.","knowsAbout":"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews","publishingPrinciples":"\/blog\/our-team\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/richardmccuistian\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/richard-mccuistian-2681891b\/, https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/McCuistian"}],"headline":"Bad Steering Shaft Symptoms To Watch Out For","datePublished":"2024-03-15T04:16:48+00:00","dateModified":"2024-10-24T18:41:56+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/"},"wordCount":814,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/car-steering-shaft.jpg","keywords":["steering-shaft"],"articleSection":["DIY","Suspension"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/","name":"Bad Steering Shaft Symptoms To Watch Out For - In The Garage with CarParts.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/car-steering-shaft.jpg","datePublished":"2024-03-15T04:16:48+00:00","dateModified":"2024-10-24T18:41:56+00:00","description":"A bad steering shaft is a dangerous issue to face when driving. Here are the symptoms you need to look out for to avoid the worst.","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/car-steering-shaft.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/car-steering-shaft.jpg","width":1500,"height":997,"caption":"car steering shaft"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/","name":"In The Garage with CarParts.com","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"CarParts.com","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cp-itg-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cp-itg-logo.png","width":2048,"height":398,"caption":"CarParts.com"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom","https:\/\/x.com\/carpartscom","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/carpartscom","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@CarPartscomOfficial\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/"}]}},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/car-steering-shaft.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/car-steering-shaft.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"","author_link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-steering-shaft-symptoms-to-watch-out-for\/"},"authors":[{"term_id":2607,"user_id":1651,"is_guest":0,"slug":"thecpteam","display_name":"CarParts.com Research Team","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/thecpteam.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/thecpteam.jpg"},"author_category":"","user_url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/thecpteam\/","last_name":"","first_name":"CarParts.com Research Team","job_title":"","description":"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com's thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust."},{"term_id":2985,"user_id":1646,"is_guest":0,"slug":"richardmccuistian","display_name":"Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/richard-mccuistian.png","url2x":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/richard-mccuistian.png"},"author_category":"","user_url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/richardmccuistian\/","last_name":"McCuistian","first_name":"Richard","job_title":"ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician","description":"<div class=\"auth-social-links\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/richard-mccuistian-2681891b\/\" class=\"btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"linkedin\" aria-labelledby=\"linkedin\">LinkedIn<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/McCuistian\" class=\"btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"instagram\" aria-labelledby=\"instagram\">Youtube<\/a><\/div>\r\n\r\nRichard McCuistian grew up in Alabama learning from his father who ran an automotive repair shop. Richard has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others (published every year since May 2000). He has developed training courses and written or edited training material for companies in the U.S. Canada, and the Netherlands, and even Bulgaria. He maintained an \u201cask a mechanic\u201d website for 10 years answering questions emailed to him from all over the world.\r\n\r\nRichard has an instructional automotive YouTube channel \u201cMcCuistian\u201d with 13,500 subscribers and over 1,300 videos. Much of his professional work requires photography and videography in shop environments, but Richard also enjoys taking pictures of landscapes, skyscapes, old barns and houses, small towns. He has produced a coffee table book of digital watercolors called \u201cMemories of South Alabama\u201d created from his personal photos, along with a dozen Christian fiction short original novels and a collection of short stories, all available in Kindle or softcover format. Richard has written a 2,500-word Bible study every week for the past 20 years and uses it to teach a small group at his church every Sunday morning.\r\n\r\n<strong>Credentials:<\/strong>\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"author-list\">\r\n<li><p>ASE Certified for more than 30 years in 10 categories, including L1 Advanced Engine Performance and Light Vehicle Diesel.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Professional Mechanic\/Technician for 25 years with experience on diesel and gasoline engines, vehicles and equipment (including hydraulics).<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Spent 5 years in fleet maintenance, 20 years in independent shops and dealerships (VW, Mazda, Renault, Jeep, Ford, Lincoln), specializing in driveability and electronics for the last 14 years of his career at the same dealership.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Senior Contributing Editor at Motor Age Magazine, first published in Motor Age in May of 2000 and every year since. He has won two International Automotive Media Awards for technical articles published in trade magazines.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Has attended hundreds of hours of automotive training from OEMs including GM, Volkswagen, Mazda, Renault, Jeep, Chrysler, as well as additional training at events like KC Vision and MACS (Mobile Air Climate Systems Association).<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Taught college level auto mechanics for 19 years.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Has written for automotive training companies (including course development work for training companies in Canada and the Netherlands) and has been hired to teach professional trade show technician courses at multiple training events in Texas and Alabama.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>While still teaching at the college level, Richard launched a new automotive program in Geneva, Alabama, setting up a dual enrollment department in a new building, organizing the shop and classroom, teaching morning classes to high school students for 2 years while still teaching at the college in the afternoon.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Richard\u2019s college program at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College worked at professional shop speed during his tenure to prepare graduates for production level work in the real world.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103217","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=103217"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103217\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/103286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=103217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=103217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=103217"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=103217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}