2008 Renault Clio Initiale - Loud bang from drivers side then loose steering

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
View Threaded
Fri 10 Sep 2021 10:08
2008 Renault Clio Initiale - Loud bang from drivers side then loose steering - Bowieinspace
Hello!

I was parked stationary on a side kerb yesterday.
I started the car as normal and turned the steering wheel to the right to dismount the kerb.
I then heard a loud bang/pop from the front drivers side.
Checked tyres etc everything seemed to be fine.

When I started driving I noticed the steering wheel was a lot looser.
Obviously took it straight back home.
The tyres turn when they should but the steering wheel takes double the amount of turns to full lock now as well as generally being loose.

It’s going to the garage today, but any ideas what it could be?
Thanks
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 10 Sep 2021 10:36
2008 Renault Clio Initiale - Loud bang from drivers side then loose steering - focussed

Hopefully being recovered to the garage - not being driven.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 10 Sep 2021 10:51
2008 Renault Clio Initiale - Loud bang from drivers side then loose steering - Bowieinspace
Yes it’s being recovered by the garage, they said it’s not safe to drive.

It’s done 63,000 miles.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 10 Sep 2021 11:02
2008 Renault Clio Initiale - Loud bang from drivers side then loose steering - elekie&a/c doctor
Sounds like part of the steering or suspension has broken. Track rod end , ball joint , steering rack?

Edited by elekie&a/c doctor on 10/09/2021 at 11:03

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 10 Sep 2021 11:05
2008 Renault Clio Initiale - Loud bang from drivers side then loose steering - Bowieinspace
It’s at the garage now, they can’t look properly till Monday but think its the steering rod.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 10 Sep 2021 12:12
2008 Renault Clio Initiale - Loud bang from drivers side then loose steering - Andrew-T
Sounds like part of the steering or suspension has broken. Track rod end , ball joint , steering rack?

Coil spring ? That would make quite a bang when it fails, and not an unknown occurrence.

I'd have thought if a 'steering rod' failed steering would get rather worse than 'loose' ?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 10 Sep 2021 14:49
2008 Renault Clio Initiale - Loud bang from drivers side then loose steering - bathtub tom
When I started driving I noticed the steering wheel was a lot looser.
steering wheel takes double the amount of turns to full lock

My guess is something like a steering rack mounting broke. I've experienced this when a colleague slid a works van on ice into a kerb sideways, hard. How on earth he managed to continue driving it, I'll never know. I got in it and refused to take it out of the yard.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide

Cold-snap snow-how: Advice on coping with the freezing weather, including videos, facts and winter driving advice.

Honest John's Guide To Winter Tyres