I have an 89 740 GL. Here’s the problem. If I turn the steering wheel hard RIGHT, one it makes popping noises and then when you drive forward it reminds me of driving an old 4-wheel drive. Then when you return the steering wheel dead center it veers to the right. If I stop again then turn the steering wheel, this time, hard LEFT the symptoms repeat, but now the car veers to the left after returning the steering wheel to dead center. I’ve had the car aligned and then checked later, the car IS aligned. I’m at a bit of a loss on this one. Thanks for any help in advanced.

My wild guess is that the steering rack may be loose. Never had this problem with a 700 series (yet?), but the symptoms are similar to two vehicles that I have repaired that both the steering rack assemblies were loose. One was hanging by one 14mm bolt. Scary test drives (and short) on both. Get it up in the air where you can look closely. Good luck,rcs

Thanks rcsammy for looking into it. I'll get it up and take a look. This has been occuring since I had a new rack put in. I did take it back and have it looked at. Hopefully he would have noticed if the rack were loose. I should note that he's honest and a great mechanic (thanks Rob), unfortunately I've moved so I can't easily take the car back to him . I'll get it up and check for myself. I drive the car daily and don't feel that the steering is out of control. Again the 'alignment' (I put alignment in quotes because the car is aligned) only changes after a full turn (like a U-turn), normal right and left hand turns do not effect the alignment. I will continue to investigate. Thanks again for your quick reply.

IN ADDITION: A friend recommended checking the contol arm? What type of symptoms would one encounter if a control arm needed to be replaced?

It might be a stiff/binding lower U-joint in the steering column.

An early symptom is when the wheel doesn't want to return to center after a turn in either direction.

I don't know any easy way to check it, except to remove it so you can work it with your hands.

On an '89 it could be due. I just replaced one on a '93.
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Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.