Here we go again, yet another issue with my troublesome recalcitrant 1985 Sovereign.

i noticed the other day the steering wheel wasn’t centering itself after turning a corner. It was a quarter of a turn off centre, and would only return to normal after going around a corner in the opposite direction.

I figured this was ominous so checked power steering fluid and belt; all okay. Fluid is fresh, system has been bled.

i took it for a test drive in the wee hours of the morning and she nearly threw me into a hedge. I was heading in a straight line, and suddenly the car started veering towards the median strip without any steering input from me.

She is now parked under a cover until I decide what to do with her.

Any advice would be appreciated. Is this a massively expensive fix, potentially costing more than the car is worth?

Has anybody experienced anything similar? Do I need to replace the whole rack?

Exasperated with Jaguars!!

thanks and cheers.

 

There's a good chance that the steering rack mounting bushings have failed. Relatively easy-to-fix, maybe $40 in parts and a few hours labor on a Saturday.

I'm sure a search will reveal some pictorials

Cheers
DD

 

As far as I can recall, there is a torsion bar inside the rack pinion housing that twists under input from the steering wheel, opening ports that direct pressurized fluid to the appropriate side of the rack, commanding the wheel to turn until the twist is released from the torsion bar valve. that bar is positively connected to the steering wheel shaft. If the steering wheel is off center, this again points to a partial disconnect of the shaft and torsion bar. I believe they are splined together and secured with a pinch bolt.

It sounds as if you have a defective torsion bar/shaft connection. I would strongly recommend you NOT drive the car until you eliminate this as a cause and rectify this very dangerous situation.

 

I had the exact problem you are describing in my wifes 1982 Gemini (you guys called them a Chevette I think) when I first met her way back in 1991.
It was steering rack mounting bushings.

Haha, Diagnosed by the good Dr Phill. He's more reliable than any car I have owned.