An update on the increasing play on my loose steering column :)

[CDR]

Yes, the ones with the yellow were tight, but I got another half turn on them and now the noise is gone. Happy days. Hopefully I wont have to tighten the one under the wipers.
Many thanks for your assistance on this. I have taken pics of my process and I will post them later on.

 

[Paulie68]

Yes, the ones with the yellow were tight, but I got another half turn on them and now the noise is gone. Happy days. Hopefully I wont have to tighten the one under the wipers.
Many thanks for your assistance on this. I have taken pics of my process and I will post them later on.

Well done on the pictures, I tend to get tied up in the moment and forget to document with photo's. As they say, they can be worth a thousand words!

 

[CDR]

We should be able to sign off on the servicing on these cars ourselves with the learnings obtained from this forum.
That has saved me a day trip to my nearest MG dealer, and it took less than an hour.

Well done on the pictures, I tend to get tied up in the moment and forget to document with photo's. As they say, they can be worth a thousand words!

Absolutely, I am the same, but I was thinking that there will be more folks on here who will have this issue, and be half afraid to remove panels and wires etc. This one is actually a sinch, and the panels come off handy enough. There's one thing you must have forgot to mention. When removing the top and bottom cam shell covers, there are actually two screws behind the steering wheel and can only be accessed by turning on the car and turning the steering wheel 90 degrees to the right, then remove one screw, then turn back to the normal and turn 90 degrees the other way to access the second screw.
Many thanks again.

 

[CDR]

Part 1,

Hello All,

With the help from @Paulie68, I have fixed the noise from my steering. I have taken pictures of the process and along with the description from @Paulie68, the process may be now easier to follow.

Please see the post from @Paulie68 on this thread.

So firstly I removed the side panel, visible when you open the driver door. There are a few puss clip type things on this. There are two plastic latchs top and bottom, I actually broke one when I was taking it off. I think it is a latch for the panels that run up to the roof. It made no difference when I put it back on.

Then remove the screws to the bonnet latch. There are two.

Then remove the screws behind the panel you removed. There are two.

Then carefully remove the plastic panel that the bonnet latch was connected to. It runs up to the bottom of the steering wheel. There are a number of latches on this. I pulled it out where it meets the air blower just above the panel I removed first and then I pulled it from the right hand side below the steering wheel. After a bit of rocking it it came off in one swoop whit out breaking.

Before you remove it from the car you will have to disconnect the cable feeding the wing mirror controller. Just press in the little latch and work it free.

Now remove the cam shell. There are three screws in this. One at the bottom and two behind the steering wheel where you will have to switch on the car and turn the steering wheel and from the home position, rotate the wheel 90 degrees to the left and you will see one screw, then rotate to the right 180 degrees (or 90 degrees from the home position) and you will see the other screw. Then there are two clips that will release if you pull the shell apart.

Continued on next post as I can only attach 10 pictures...

 

[CDR]

Part 2,

Now you can see the bolts that were identified. There are three. Two that are bolted to the cross bar type thing coloured yellow, and one that, in my case was very loose was on the adjustable slider for the steering wheel coloured green. I tightened that up enough that I could comfortably slide the steering wheel up, when I tightened the bolt and then closed the manual adjust handle, I could immediately see that most of the play was gone. But there was still play that was fixed by tightening the two other bolts above that one.

I got roughly one full turn on the two yellow bolts and approx two turns on the green bolt. All the noise and play is gone from my car now. I did not need to tighten the bolt under the scuttle panel where the wipers are. So then put everything back as you took it off.

Many thanks to all who helped me with this, especially @Paulie68. As others stated, please do this at your own risk and be careful not to ring the threads.

If anyone want to contact me for more info, please do not hesitate.

 

[Mgkev]

Thanks for your time and effort in producing this guide. I recon we know more than the MG techs

 

[CDR]

Thanks for your time and effort in producing this guide. I recon we know more than the MG techs

No problem. I totally agree.

 

[Gwynfor Hughes]

Hi all,

Further to my previous messages regarding the creaking noise on my steering column of my MG ZS.
I took my car into the dealer today as arranged.

Examination revealed that there was an issue with a bearing. To repair - the full steering column needs to be replaced and ordered from China as not in stock in Birmingham.

I've only completed 800 miles and first noticed the issue almost immediately after purchase.

 

[Mark Holmes]

Shame it’s happened, but at least they have identified the problem and you have the warranty.

 

[CDR]

Hi all,

Further to my previous messages regarding the creaking noise on my steering column of my MG ZS.
I took my car into the dealer today as arranged.

Examination revealed that there was an issue with a bearing. To repair - the full steering column needs to be replaced and ordered from China as not in stock in Birmingham.

I've only completed 800 miles and first noticed the issue almost immediately after purchase.

Hopefully they have diagnosed the issue correctly. Best of luck with the repair

 

[Mgkev]

Hope it works out ok

 

[Gwynfor Hughes]

Shame it’s happened, but at least they have identified the problem and you have the warranty.

Yes absolutely.
Dealer has been really good ( Panda Motors, Swansea).
No problem as far as I'm concerned. It's just one of those things.
Just posting to update the thread.

 

[Brianlescargot]

Creak and and play in my September 20 registered ZS EV led me here as I was getting close to the point where I no longer wanted to drive the car. It was driving me crazy! It had already been into the garage for another matter and I asked them to check out the steering when they had it. Conclusion was they couldn’t find anything wrong with it and greased the column!! Obviously that didn’t work as I still had that annoying creak. Anyway, to cut a long story short I appear to have sorted my issue yesterday - and by avoiding all the removal of various parts of the dash. I was pretty convinced the issue was with the adjustable steering column and as I found out to get access to the nut at the other end of the bolt is to simple you clip the top section of the steering cowling. It pulls straight off and quite easily I may add. Release the adjustable steering column and the bolt and nut can then be adjusted by small increments, which really is all that is needed, with a 13mm spanner. It just needs tightened enough so the lever on the adjustment closes firmly but not too tightly. Once done the top of the cowling just pops back on. it has totally transformed the feel of the steering, it now feels completely solid and perhaps now I can get back to enjoy driving it again. Hope this helps for anyone who picks up on this thread as this is clearly an issue for many.

 

[Gwynfor Hughes]

Thank you. Very useful.
The dealer replaced the whole steering column for me possibly in similar circumstances.

 

[Steptoe]

I didn't view this thread when Paulie68 first posted as i wasn't a member then so just wanted to commend the contributors for all this incredibly useful information. Knowledge is power and even if it's not possible or desirable to DIY it will be useful as a guide for the mechanic

My mileage will be low even after Covid so my car will probably 'start to 'click' once the warranty has expired!

 

[Kithmo]

I noticed the slight knock on mine varied after I had adjusted the steering, so it sounds feasible that this may be the problem with mine.

 

[CDR]

Hopefully they have diagnosed the issue correctly. Best of luck with the repair

Hey, how did the repair work out?

 

[CDR]

Hi all,

Further to my previous messages regarding the creaking noise on my steering column of my MG ZS.
I took my car into the dealer today as arranged.

Examination revealed that there was an issue with a bearing. To repair - the full steering column needs to be replaced and ordered from China as not in stock in Birmingham.

I've only completed 800 miles and first noticed the issue almost immediately after purchase.

Hey, how did the repair work out?

 

[Graham King]

View attachment 687Part 2,

View attachment 681

Now you can see the bolts that were identified. There are three. Two that are bolted to the cross bar type thing coloured yellow, and one that, in my case was very loose was on the adjustable slider for the steering wheel coloured green. I tightened that up enough that I could comfortably slide the steering wheel up, when I tightened the bolt and then closed the manual adjust handle, I could immediately see that most of the play was gone. But there was still play that was fixed by tightening the two other bolts above that one.

View attachment 682
View attachment 683

I got roughly one full turn on the two yellow bolts and approx two turns on the green bolt. All the noise and play is gone from my car now. I did not need to tighten the bolt under the scuttle panel where the wipers are. So then put everything back as you took it off.

Many thanks to all who helped me with this, especially @Paulie68. As others stated, please do this at your own risk and be careful not to ring the threads.

If anyone want to contact me for more info, please do not hesitate.

This is an awesome guide! Thanks very much for the detail. Will be trying this myself.

 

[CDR]

This is an awesome guide! Thanks very much for the detail. Will be trying this myself.

No problem at all. If I can be of any assistance let me know