Turning the steering wheel with the engine off

Maintenance/Repairs
1

Hi there,

Vehicle: 2006 Mazda 6 S 3.0L V6

My brother told me today that a while ago, he forgot to turn the wheel against the curb after parking. Because he was in a hurry, he tried to turn the wheel with the engine off. He then heard a loud clunk or pop and the steering wheel was misaligned afterwards, so he turned it again to the other direction to set it straight. :unamused:

I test drove the vehicle and it handles and drives fine. However, if you turn the steering to the right very gently, there is a spot that feels as if it “sticks or binds” a bit. Otherwise it turns perfectly fine when moving.

I am a bit upset about this because it was a new rack. What kind of damage, if any, has he done to the steering rack? :expressionless:

2

It may be damage to the steering column. From your description, this vehicle may be dangerous to drive. I would have it looked at by a shop. Other possibilities would include: control arm, tie rods, ball joints or struts. This is not your brothers fault. Steering is designed to withstand some operation without steering assist.

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