Division 2.2 Steering wheel, column and handle barX1
United Kingdom
| 2.2.1. Steering wheel/handle bar condition | With the vehicle over a pit or on a hoist and the mass of the vehicle on the ground, push and pull the steering wheel in line with column, push steering wheel/handle bar in various directions at right angles to the column/forks. Visual inspection of play, and condition of flexible couplings or universal joints. | (a) Relative movement between steering wheel and column indicating looseness. | X | ||
| Very serious risk of unlinking. | X | ||||
| (b) Absence of retaining device on steering wheel hub. | X | ||||
| Very serious risk of unlinking. | X | ||||
| (c) Fracture or looseness of steering wheel hub, rim or spokes. | X | ||||
| Very serious risk of unlinking. | X | ||||
| 2.2.2. Steering column/yokes and forks and steering dampers | With the vehicle over a pit or on a hoist and the mass of the vehicle on the ground, push and pull the steering wheel in line with column, push steering wheel/ handle bar in various directions at right angles to the column/forks. Visual inspection of play, and condition of flexible couplings or universal joints. | (a) Excessive movement of centre of steering wheel up or down. | X | ||
| (b) Excessive movement of top of column radially from axis of column. | X | ||||
| (c) Deteriorated flexible coupling. | X | ||||
| (d) Attachment defective. | X | ||||
| Very serious risk of unlinking. | X | ||||
| (e) Unsafe modification 3 | X |
| Item | Method | Reasons for failure | Assessment of deficiencies | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minor | Major | Dangerous | |||
| 2.3. Steering play | With the vehicle over a pit or on a hoist, the mass of the vehicle on the road wheels, the engine, if possible, running for vehicles with power steering and with the road wheels in the straight-ahead position, lightly turn the steering wheel clockwise and anti-clockwise as far as possible without moving the road wheels. Visual inspection of free movement. | Free play in steering excessive (for example, movement of a point on the rim exceeding one fifth of the diameter of the steering wheel or not in accordance with the requirements 1 . | X | ||
| Safe steering affected. | X | ||||
| 2.4. Wheel alignment (X) 2 | Check alignment of steered wheels with suitable equipment. | Alignment not in accordance with vehicle manufacturer's data or requirements 1 . | X | ||
| Straight on driving affected; directional stability impaired. | X | ||||
| 2.5. Trailer steered axle turntable | Visual inspection or using a specially adapted wheel play detector | (a) Component slightly damaged. | X | ||
| Component heavily damaged or cracked. | X | ||||
| (b) Excessive play. | X | ||||
| Straight on driving affected; directional stability impaired. | X | ||||
| (c) Attachment defective. | X | ||||
| Attachment seriously affected. | X | ||||
| 2.6. Electronic Power Steering (EPS) | Visual inspection and consistency check between the angle of the steering wheel and the angle of the wheels when switching on/off the engine, and/or using the electronic vehicle interface | (a) EPS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates any kind of failure of the system. | X | ||
| (b) Inconsistency between the angle of the steering wheel and the angle of the wheels. | X | ||||
| Steering affected. | X | ||||
| Item | Method | Reasons for failure | Assessment of deficiencies | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minor | Major | Dangerous | |||
| (c) Power assistance not working. | X | ||||
| (d) System indicates failure via the electronic vehicle interface. | X | ||||