Common Steering and Suspension Problems

Of all the components in your car, the steering and suspension take some of the heaviest wear. Being alert to the symptoms of steering and suspension problems and practicing proper maintenance are, as always, the way to catch small problems before they turn into catastrophic and costly ones. Before reading this entry, you may want [...]

Stop, Go, Swerve: What to do if there is an animal in the roadway

While my grandmother has been known to make road kill stew, this isn’t a delicacy that most enjoy. Being prepared to encounter animals and knowing what to do when these encounters occur is a better way to use the road efficiently. Reacting quickly and correctly will help to protect the lives of all humans and [...]

What To Do If Your Steering Fails

While total steering failure is very rare, it can still happen. Recently, a friend recounted to me what is perhaps the most dramatic steering failure story I’ve ever heard. Visiting South Africa during the World Cup, she took one of the country’s notorious “minibus taxis,” essentially a large van that picks up and drops of [...]

How A Car’s Steering Works – PART TWO

Power Steering When a car is said to have power steering, it means that the steering system contains a hydraulic component that amplifies the force exerted by the driver. This makes it much easier to steer the car. While it’s possible to drive cars without power steering, it can be very difficult to turn the [...]

How a Car’s Steering Works – PART ONE

The steering mechanism in a car seems like a fairly simple mechanism: you turn the steering wheel, the car’s wheel turns, and the car goes in a different direction. Right? Actually, a car’s steering mechanism, while simpler than, say, the transmission, is still a fairly complex piece of machinery. Today, I’ll discuss how basic steering [...]