Cobalt steering wheel doesn't return to the center position coming out of a turn

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

I noticed this problem day as I was out and about, as I come out of a medium to hard turn (at least one wheel rotation) my wheel doesn’t want to return fully to the center position. The wheel starts to slow down about half a turn in either position and I need to help it out around the quarter turn position. I don’t have to force it much, it feels more turning the wheel while in park.

I has winter tires put on in December and the mechanic told me they couldn’t do an alignment because one of my rear coils was broken (planning on getting that fixed myself once I get a weekend where it’s not at or below 0 outside) and my front ball-joints (I think that’s what they said) was loose and that the front joint didn’t need to be looked at immediately, but by spring should be replaced.

Does anyone here know if that front joint is what’s giving me problems? Or is it something else?

Thanks,
Alex

2

If a rear coil spring is broken where it’s causing the vehicle to sag in the rear this changes the caster angle of the front tire. Caster is what allows the steering wheel to return to straight ahead position by itself after coming out of a turn.

Tester

3

It’s not broken in half or anything, the break occurred in the bottom coil (I’m assuming water build up lead to corrosion, which then weakened the spring causing it to break there). So the change in my rear suspension has barely changed. I also haven’t had any problems in the 6 weeks since being made aware of the break.

4

What year, how many miles? Was the power steering electric motor replaced under the recall?

Ed B.

5

2008, ~75k, yes it was

6

I wuold not drive around with a broken rear spring; at some stage you may lose control of the car and cause an accident.