Steering wheel's squeaky noise

Maintenance/Repairs
1

Hi, all.

I have an '01 A6 2.7T and it’s gotten a new habbit that’s annoying me! Its steering wheel is making squeaky noise when turned and it’s starting to get on my nerve! I suspect that the culprit may be the old power steering wheel fluid, but what the hell do I know? Any idea why this is happening?

Thanks!

2

Is the sound coming from beneath the hood? Old dirty fluid can create a hydraulic pump hum, but it will do that all the time, not just when you turn the wheel.

If the squeaky noise is in the car, it is probably the horn contact or the bearing in the top of the steering column. You can pull the steering wheel if you disconnect the battery first so the air bag does not do anything rash, and then you should be able to see what the source of the noise is.

I had a problem in my steering wheel that turned out to be piece of a cheerleader hair tie ribbon and part of a ticket to a concert that I did not know she had attended. Hmmmmmmm.

3

Well, it is certainly not the steering wheel itself that is making the noise, so for a valid diagnosis, the OP has to tell us if the noise emanates from inside the passenger compartment, or if the noise is coming from under the hood. If it is coming from under the hood, then the pump itself can be at fault, or this could simply be the noise of a slipping drive belt.

If it is coming from inside the passenger compartment, then the problem could simply be plastic bushings inside the steering column, as these can become noisy under certain circumstances. Luckily, that situation is merely annnoying and is not a cause for concern.

One additional possibility is a defective clock spring in the hub of the steering wheel, although the typical sound of a bad clock spring is not what would normally be described as a squeeky noise, but rather a rubbing sound. However, if the OP does have a defective clock spring, that is something that should be replaced, as it can affect the operation of components ranging from the horn to the vehicle stability control.

First, localize the exact location of the noise, and then report back to us.