Steering wheel squeak FIXED... Writeup w/pics

[criticman]

I appreciated the writeup. We took a can of CRC white lithium spray on it with 4 large non-flex straws aimed in up under the hood into the area needed lubricating and the squeak is now gone. Hopefully this will save someone else from getting under their car (as I appreciate others who said they used this method from saving me getting under there on the cold ground tonight).

[Milbauer]

just bought my 328i, this will be one of the first things i do

[dylanhk]

nice writeup....thanks for the info.

[Huseynov]

many thanks bro., I had this squeak for year and now I fixed it after reading your post. BMW dealer advised me to change slip ring but it didn't work. Lubricartion worked for me.,so my appreciations to you.

[bmwm3baby]

Help!!!! i have just finished two door handle replacements on my m3 coupe, drivers door completed and works perfect. Passenger door handle works perfect execpt the dam window has comeout from the front window guide. Can anyone tell me how to get the front window back in the guide as the window is only going up half way and gets stuck by the mirror. This job has taken me 2 days so far 4hours of fiddling with the window trying to get it back in line..Does anyone now the correct way...Many thanks .....

[rebel.ranter]

Hi, I just replaced the top plastic bearing & the squeak has not gone , it has quietened a somewhat though. Then I found this thread.

EDIT: With my car being RHD (right hand drive) access was easy to the bottom end bearing of the steering spindle. I was able to point the straw of a can of 3-in-1 Silicone spray. I sprayed a good bit up there, then went for a drive to "work it in".

The result, no more squeaks!!!:

[3seriescr250]

my old 325is had it....and i kind of liked it

[Chad17460]

Mine squeaks after I drift in the rain?

[BMWM3PWR]

i am getting the squeaking sound from the steering wheel inside my car. what is the solution for that?

[Viking328]

I'm told that in some cases, the plastic bearing (#2 in the diagram) can be worn out, causing grinding and/or a wobbly or loose-feeling steering wheel. So, take a good look at the bearing while you're in there. If yours looks like it's on its last legs, you might consider replacing it. (Thanks to Kevin/KTL for the info.)

Seems mine is among the minority, as mine is experiencing the shakes when I hit potholes/cracks and shimmy'n'sway when going over speed bumps (see TopGear.com for James May's description of the Bugatti Veyron braking from it's top speed )

It's been like this since I bought it @ 98K miles (now 116K), and I dreaded taking it apart. Thanks for this invaluable DIY! I second the motion for making it Stick!

I finished the procedure using two straws and aiming it at the steering u-joint and the bearing above on the firewall. The squeak isn't gone completely (probably need to do the one inside the car AND the plastic bearing) but my steering had begun to bind up like I was losing power steering and now it's back to 100%.

[JIM1inWisconsin]

Add me to the list of advocates. Amazing, cost free repair to what sounded like a big time problem. My mechanic turned the wheel while I listened with the hood up and clearly the sound was coming from the lower end of the steering column and the sound was no where near as serious. The sound becomes amplified and of course sounds terrible at the wheel. It all makes perfect sense as to why a little lubrication will work.

[Franky goes]

Thank you sir. You deserve of a lot of praises. My squeak is finally gone.

If a lady friend can help you I find the following method worked great. She has to agree to get dirty though. Gloves don't work.

With yourself under the car to give feedback she drops a small can (3 to 4 inches high) of lubricant between the engine block, and the brake fluid reservoir. She supports the can with a hand inserted from the Power steering reservoir area and pushes the button on the can with the other hand from the top of the can.

She is blind and it's a tight fit. You need to give good feedback. But when the spray hits that bearing. Man it's a beautiful sight. And it gets flooded.

And the silent ride...

[Gross328i]

Thank you for this. Nothing makes a car sound cheaper than a squeeky steering wheel

[mtechnica]

Could the crusty bearing thing make it sound like the wheel knocks at 1:00 sometimes?

[TunedReference]

Thank you Bimmerforums once again .

That triflow stuff works wonders, I picked some up from a local bike shop for $5.49. My steering wasn't exactly sqeaking, but it was binding up, feeling as if power steering was cutting in and out. It was challenging to drive with one hand. Amazing what a little bicycle grease can do, steering is 100% night and day.

[dx90]

My steering is very stiff and will not return to centre. I had to man handle the steering back straight. Not nice to drive at all and sometimes very scary.

I first added some ZX1 Extralube into the steering fluid. I had a drop left over from my old car, in the garage, so I thought why not it can't do any harm. Its not an additive. Its more of a lubricant. This improved my steering by 30 - 40%. I didn't expect it to make that much difference, if any, but it did.

It still wasn't right. So next on my list was was a ATF fluid change in the hope that would sort the steering out.
I have been putting the job off because of having to bleed the sytem on my own.

Well this afternoon I came accross this thread and had ago with some cheap lubricating spray just to see if it would make a difference and WOW! what a difference. The car is so much better its like driving a new car. The steering returns to centre.
It put a big smile back on my face on the drive home, that's for sure. : )

I have just got some Silkolene chain lube pray, so I'll let you all know in a few days if its cured it

[slim17265]

my car only has 62000 mi on it but the steering suddenly stiffened up with no on center feel., car did not want to make left turns. I tried turning lock to lock to get air out of PS system this helped somewhat...I bought a can of liquid wrench for CHAINS. and squired from TOP...so easy...problem GONE. thanx for the write up

[dx90]

Just an update. My car has 129000 mile on here. I used some Silkolene chain lube pray last night and that improved things until this morning. The steering has stiffened back up slightly. It seems that Silkolene chain lube pray goes on thin and thickens over night, making my steering stiffer again. Not as bad but noticeable. Just thought I would let everyone know.

Does Tri-Flow lube spray thicken in the same way?

Where can I buy some Tri-Flow here in the UK?

[TunedReference]

Where can I buy some Tri-Flow here in the UK?

I'm in the US, but I found the stuff at a bicycle repair shop, as it seems to be marketed as a chain lubricant.

[dx90]

I found some at last. Expensive stuff. £28 including shipping for a 500ml spray can.
I hope it's as good as people say it is.

[Patrokloss]

Ouch! That is expensive. Here in the states it is probably less than 1/6th of that cost. Still, it's worth it to kill the squeak and restore the steering feel.Any light-viscosity penetrating lubricant should work though.

[dx90]

That's what I thought and the can should last a long time.
I did use some ZX1 lube spray but it doesn't have the Teflon in it like the Tri-flow stuff. So I don't think it would last too long.
Don't have the squeak thing, just the stiff steering that would not self centre. I still can't get over the difference its made to the steering. I think everyone should lube it as a matter of coarse.

[dx90]

Just an update. My spray can of Tri-Flow arrived and I did the sparing onto to the joints and lower bearing yesterday morning. By this afternoon it must have worked its way into the joints good and proper. The steering is the best its ever been and I can confirm that the Tri-Flow industrial lube worked best by far.
It was extremely expensive to buy but well worth every penny. The car feels totally different to drive and it is fun to drive now.

[///BMW]

finally got around to doing this, worked like a charm

[plugger]

I had the grinding noise and sent the car into a power steering shop.(I'm in South Africa) Came back no sqeak, no hooter and air bag light stays on. Power steering clown says its not his problem. Any suggestions ? Other than shooting him.