Steering Wheel Feel
 

Backing up from my driveway while the wheel is turn approx. 45 degrees and a slight floor height (maybe an inch) difference between the driveway and the main road, I can feel the weird feeling on the steering wheel. It's like when you're holding a metal bar at one end and someone is banging the other end. Any thought on this?

Thanks.

Anyone?????

Never experienced anything like this on my Outlander.

Sorry I can't be of help, but I am replying as this happens to me all the time and am curious if anyone knows the cause too. My Outlander is brand new and I always thought it was one of its quirks, as it does this 99% of the time leaving my driveway.

I have no clue. This happened to my Ranger years ago. It eventually went away.

Wheels turned and an elevation change.. my thought would be front sway bar sticking. If one front wheel is higher than the other the sway bar twists in its bushing. Unnoticeable at speed but might creak at low speeds. After all, the sway bar is just one long metal rod.

You're exactly right on all descriptions you mentioned. Not too long ago my mechanic replaced the two front stabilizers, are those connected to the sway bar?

Theyre is some loose use of some of the terms, but if you replaced "two front stabilizers" my guess is in your case the answer is yes. Some cars use a sway bar with two bars with bushings that connect the sway bar to the left and right control arms.

I would guess he used cheap replacements or overtightened the bolts that hold the stabilizers to the control arm or sway bar that is your problem. You may try lubing the plastic bushings with a penetrating oil and it may help.

Another thing I notice is turning the wheel back and forth makes knocking noise when engine is off. Is this a sign of lacking worn bushing? BTW, when I said "front stabilizers", what I mean is front stabilizer links. Thanks.

Update: At stand still while engine is off or running, I can hear knocking noise when I'm turning the wheel to the right. Is this something major and safety issue? Or just a case of replacing one the bushings?
Thanks for any input on this.