V40: Steering wheel not returning to centre - top mounts?

[bradleyreg]

Hi guys, I hope I am posting this in the correct place. I don't think my issue is model specific so decided to go for a general thread.

I wonder if anyone can shed any light on the following, like what I should do or look into next (before I go back to the same mechanic)?

Volvo V40 63reg

I had a slight groaning/creaking sound when turning 90 degree corners, usually at low speed. It was not significant but thought I would get it checked out.

It did it for about 4 or 5 days.

On the day I took it to the garage it was hardly making the noise, and by the time I got there it had all but gone away.

The guy said it sounds like top mounts and checked it anyway.
To check it he spent 5 mins driving the car and the noise didn't happen.

Then he, and his assistant spent 10 mins or more, while the car was stationary, turning the wheel lock to lock, to try to reproduce the noise. In the end they said they couldn't find anything and to come back if it started again.

I drove it home (2 mins away).

The next day, the noise was still not there, but I noticed the steering was unusual. I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was.
But then I realised that the steering wheel wasn't turning all the way back to the centre if I let go. This made diving on the motorway jerky and going round long bends I could actually turn the wheel part way and let go, and it would stay there. The same going round a junction corner. After completing the turn, the wheel would spin back 90% of the way, but if I didn't manually feed it back to the centre the car would continue turning. (I don't mean the wheel is straight but the car veers off, as in alignment).

Anyway, I contacted the guy and told him the noise was gone but the steering wasn't returning to centre. He said bring it in. I took it in and he dropped the wheels off. He said, yeah, top mounts need doing.

I said, is that why the wheel isn't spinning to the centre? He said yes, because the weight of the car is on the mounts.

A few hundred quid later I have two new top mounts. But as soon as I drove away, I realised the problem was still there. Almost two weeks later he hasn't returned my messages.

My question is, do I go back to the same guy?
When I go back, what do I say?
Are top mounts usually the reason a steering wheel wouldn't re-centre?
Was it wise for them to turn the wheel repeatedly while the car was stopped?

[37 RUBY]

Yes worn top mounts can cause steering geometry issues such as incorrect camber and toe-in. If the top mounts were worn that may have also introduced excessive tyre wear giving the tyre chamfered wear.

You could check by moving the rear tyres to the front and see if there is a marked improvement. Also check tyre pressures are correct.

Incorrect steering camber can cause poor self centering but most modern cars have no adjustment for this. Incorrect camber is usually as a result of component damage or wear.

In correct steering toe-in adjustment can cause poor self centering.

Both the camber and toe-in would be logged if the garage also had the alignment checked.
Incorrect toe-in would be rectifiable by adjusting track road ends.
Camber if incorrect would need the suspension looking at with a fine tooth comb to identify any damage or worn components, looking for a bent suspension or tie rod, stiff ball joints, worn wheel bearings.

It's not unheard of for the wrong alignment data settings to be applied.

If alignment was professionally checked you should have been handed a paper readout showing the model of vehicle checked along with the alignment tolerances and any discrepancies found.

There would be no issue with repeated movement of the steering.

As to whether you continue waiting for contact back from your first garage is a decision only you can make. Do you trust him? Is he a specialist in alignment or a Volvo specialist that should be able to identify it? There are technicians and there are fitters. The former can diagnose from user description and examination. The latter have no interest in the job other than fitting parts until the problem is solved at a hefty cost to the user.

So for me the very basics need checking for - steering geometry and a check for component wear (tyres, bearings, steering components)

Once that's done if you are still in the same boat, then a more in-depth check of the steering rack and the power steering fluid lines to ensure they are functioning correctly.

[bradleyreg]

Thank you so much for the amazingly detailed and thoughtful reply. Really appreciate it!

I didn't get any print outs at all so I don't know if alignment was checked.