2009 Aveo Sedan Steering rack noise? Anyone have this?

So the Misses told me today she noticed there is a knock/pop noise in our Aveo. I'm currently an autotech at KIA and was with Ford for a few years before that, so drive it and hear the knock and pop which is pretty loud and I put it on my ramp at work to check it out.

I can find no issue with any front end components (ball joints, bearings, tie rods, endlinks, struts/mounts or cv axles), however when I move the front wheels from left to right I get a loud noise from inside the steering rack assembly. It's like something is loose in there and makes a "spring-board" kinda sound when the wheels hit the limit of their left/right movements while on the ramp. I can put my hand on the rack and feel it vibrate when this happends so it's definatly in the rack.


Anyone elese have this issue? It's steering just fine and I don't want to replace the rack if this may be by some small chance normal. Car has 87,000 kms on it right now.

That is a new problem to me, it should still be under warrenty, I would take it to the dealer and get the run around (you know how that works ;) )

Something is probably coming loose somewhere in there like you said, maybe someone else has had this issue and has not put it on here?

Any chance of a video? We like videos and pictures :D

I only have powertrain left as I'm over the 60,000kms mark so I doubt GM Canada covers the rack.

Video I can get. I shoot one tomorrow in the drive way. I had it jacked up a few hours ago and moving the wheels again by hand. Definatly sounds like something is loose in there.

inner tie rod? a bad rack is possible, a car this cheap mean more bad parts can get through.. but if your that high in the km, its not like the rack was bad first, might of turned into a curb parking and chipped a gear or something... or blew a seal on the power section?

i converted mine to a manual rack.. so i have limited reference.

Inners are good. There is not play just a noise. And yea, if you even knew the size of the potholes in Newfoundland, more than likely I did damage to something.

This is actually the first issue I've had with the car so all in all 87,000kms is not too bad a start point.

Nevermind, just a little looseness in the lower steering shaft. Thats a reliefe.

Thanks for the quick replys guys!