I have a 2003 volkswagen jetta and the steering pulls in the direction of a turn while making a turn on both the right and left sides. In April of this year the rack and pinion was replaced and an alignment was done. However, the steering still pulled in the direction of a turn. In addition, the drivers side tire completely wore out within 6-8 weeks of having the steering fixed while the other tires remained intact. We were told we had a loose tie-rod on the drivers side - could this cause the quick wear on the tire and cause the pull in the steering? Also there has been a clinking (metal to metal) sound on the drivers side that occurs whenever we hit potholes or drive over uneven surfaces, could that also be the tie rod?