Ok so I am having a weird issue with the steering on my fiero, I think it is the steering column but I wanted some other opinions before I start taking everything apart. First off it is a 86 gt auto. I put a known good steering column in it about 3 months ago and all was good up till last week. Whenever I turn the steering wheel to full lock I hear this weird metal rubbing noise (sorry don't know how else to describe it) and the steering wheel will turn but the wheels wont. It will do it at full lock and also do it when the front wheels would normally be harder to turn, for instance in grass or slightly wet dirt/mud. It will do it when turning both left and right, The steering wheel will also only go the same distance each time which is about 3 inches extra movement. never any more then that.

Here is where it gets interesting, It will only do it when its pretty cold outside, The steering wheel was off the 3ish inches to the left from when it first messed up and I came out the next day to try to figure out what was wrong and it wouldnt do it no matter how hard I tried, well it was about 20 degrees warmer at this point then when it did it the night before. confused I came out later that night when it was close to the same temp of the previous night and the problem came back, at lock the steering wheel was able to turn a extra 3ish inches in each direction. to make sure I pulled in the grass where there was a little extra effort on the wheel and it did it there to, again only 3ish inches either direction without the front wheels actually moving.

So after figuring this out I thought ok the steering wheel stripped somehow from when I replaced the column, well thats not the problem either, with the column locked and key out I cant turn the wheel regardless how hard I try no matter what temperature it is.

I have tried to describe this the best I could. I have never seen something like this so I wanted to post to see if anyone else has had a similar problem or would know a easy way to fix it without having to buy a new column.

Thanks, Cody

From your description, I would suspect a problem with the steering rack.

Agreed, sounds like the rack and pinion gears a jumping. I would not drive it until you know for sure.

Thats what I was afraid of, What would be the best way to check if it is the rack? I haven't driven it since it happened the first time, didn't want to risk wrecking it.

Crawl under the car and check for slop at the input shaft and the output ends. Then get someone to crank the wheel back and forth. If the input shaft turns without the rack moving you found the problem.

See my Cave, Steering

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top and bottom of every forum page...)

This also used to be an issue with very simular racks in Chevettes. The sound is almost like the sound when you break loose your lug nuts.
Either take out the cover under the spare or have someone look at it while on a rack. Have them look at the rack as it is turned against the stops. You will most likely find that the rubber mounting bushings have shrunk away from age and allowing the rack to move a little side to side. Normally about a 1/4 inch. As the rubber warms up, they rap around the rack tighter and you don't feel it.
My 85 will do it on extreme cold weather if I turn to the stops very hard. I have not had any handling issues. I have tried to get it to do it on hard, fast turns and it won't. Only when turning against the stops.
I have been looking for the bushings and they seem to be hard to get. They look identical to the Chevette bushings. The Chevette bushings would show up much earlier due to the engine sitting right over them. With heat and fluids.

[This message has been edited by cmechmann (edited 02-24-2014).]

I am having this EXACT same problem. Effected by the cold the same way as well. I get a horrible metal scraping noise like you mentioned when I turn the wheel. I've tried everything: Tie rods, rack bushing, steering dampener, multiple alignments. When I took the rack out to do everything, I got the rubber bushings for the Chevettes steering rack because I heard they were the same or similar and I couldn't find Fiero ones (Don't quote me on that, as I'm not entirely sure). I decided not to put them in though, because I was hurrying to get everything back together so I could drive to school, and I didn't know if they would fit.

EDIT: Mine is an 86 GT as well, but mine is a 5 speed.

[This message has been edited by Big Paul (edited 02-25-2014).]

Well I am pretty sure it is the mount bushings. It went down to 10 degrees last night and I went out and tried it and it got worse. now its doing it randomly as I turn the wheel.

Are these the bushing that I need? http://www.oreillyauto.com/...8&keyword=rack+mount