There's more free movement at the steering wheel than there should be before the road wheels start to turn. This is a symptom rather than a named part — it can come from the rack, a joint in the column, the track rods or worn bearings.
Wording as it commonly appears on an MOT certificate: “Excessive movement in the steering system”.
What does it mean?
There's more free movement at the steering wheel than there should be before the road wheels start to turn. This is a symptom rather than a named part — it can come from the rack, a joint in the column, the track rods or worn bearings.
How serious is it?
Usually recorded as: Major. The tester assesses the actual vehicle on the day, so your certificate is what counts.
What normally causes it?
- Wear inside the steering rack itself
- A worn universal joint or coupling in the steering column
- Worn track rod ends or inner rack ends adding up
- A loose rack mounting bolt or perished rack mounting bush
What a mechanic would check
Someone gently rocks the wheel while I watch each part of the chain in turn — column joint, rack input shaft, rack mountings, then out to the track rods. It's a process of elimination and it's the only honest way to find it, because the certificate can't tell you where the slack is.
What might need replacing
- Track rod ends or inner rack ends
- A column coupling or UJ
- Rack mounting bushes, or the rack itself in the worst cases
Can you still drive it?
Failure item, and one worth taking seriously — vague steering is dangerous at motorway speed and it tends to get worse rather than settle down. Get it traced properly before anyone starts replacing parts on spec.
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This is general guidance from a UK mechanic, not a substitute for a physical inspection. Only the tester who inspected your vehicle can confirm what was recorded and why.