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MG MGF Technical - 'moving' steering column

Hi, since coming back from the dealer the steering wheel appears to move from side to side about 5-8mm or so. It might have done it before to be fair, its only because I was driving my 200 about 10mins before I got into the MG & I used the steering wheel to help me get my lard ass out of the car that I felt it move.. anyway, it moves.

The dealer said that their engineer mentioned it straight away when he moved the car into the workshop (but didn't mention it to me when I rang) anyway, they say its the bit that in the event of a frontal impact, causes the steering column to collapse. There's some adjustment guides in there that are loose and that's its a known problem with the 'F.

I was wondering if anyone else had heard this and should I get it fixed. The dealer said that it wasn't dangerous and wouldn't be *that* hard to fix and could be done later. Due to the sprialing costs of the car at the moment, I'd rather leave it for a few months, but if its dangerous, that's something else....


Steve.
Steve Childs

I forgot to say...

It's a '96 'N', 63K on the clock and the movement is horizontal.

Steve.
Steve Childs


Had this with a borrowed 'F I drove a while back.
Dealer is correct: not a serious problem... unless you regard a small side to side movement distracting enough to crash the car.

I believe that it can be fixed by the tightening of two torx screws. Will check in the book tomorrow - if someone hasn't replied by then. :-)

P.
Paul Nothard

Take care. The fixture of the steering column is designed to break and release the column on an impact.
There are plastic things inserted were the column is bolted on.
Problably 'someone' put far to much force on the steering wheel.
A good dealer should be able to check this.

Rgds
Dieter
Dieter Koennecke

Dieter is correct the moulded plastic shear pins have broken and allowing excessive sideways movement,not desirable,there isn't a cure to my knowledge other than a new column(£££'s). Maybe possible to insert some plastic pins in place of the moulded ones, do not use 'pop' rivets. In any event if it not under warranty the dealer 'cure ' could be expensive. These pins usually shear after a collision so check for poor repairs if this hasn't been picked up by the previous repairers.
Mike.
mike

Mike, how much would you charge for this? I do want to get it fixed as it isn't right. Obviously it depends on the cost, seeing as I need new brakes as well and just having shelled out nearly 700 quid for a service :(

Steve.
Steve Childs

Steve, never actually 'repaired' one but have a couple of spare columns around with this problem, I could look at this sometime and see if a 'cure' could be engineered.
Mike.
mike

Mike, any help would be gratefully recieved :)

Steve.
Steve Childs

Hi,
I dismantled my spare column to see how it works and in doing so broke the plastic pins, I do not believe there is any "safe" way of repairing them. By the way the pins do not stop sideways movement of the column or wheel, they only stop the column expanding or colapsing along it's length, so to tell if your plastic pins are broke see if you can pull or push the steering wheel along the line of the column.
Jason
Jason Harris

This thread was discussed between 28/03/2001 and 02/04/2001

MG MGF Technical index

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