Hey all,

Very new/unexperienced in car repair and especially to SUVs. My girlfriend just bought a 99 sport auto 4dr 4x4 and overall it is in good shape. It needs an o2 sensor, but i dont think its related to this problem.

You can't make tight turns, most of the time, in the jeep, usually from a full stop but sometimes from a rolling stop. Example: backed out of a parkin space yesterday, turned the wheel pretty tight to turn out, and the wheel will kick, and while trying to accelerate it shakes and will not accelerate. If you loosen on the wheel it will still kick, you have to straighten it up and make the turn as straight as possible.

Any ideas? Coworker says it might be a power steering pump. As I said I'm very novice, but our budget is limited so anything I can do myself I would like to try before taking it to a shop.

I don't work on cars much but have done some work. I am mechanically inclined, as I do computer repair, and other little "handyman" type things. Not the same as cars, I know, but I'm good at tinkering.

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

1 welcome

2 where are you from?

3 this may seem stupid but on the 4x4 leaver is it in 2wd or is it maybe in a 4x4 mode

4 do a visual inspection of the front steering linkages see if anything is bend loose or borken.

5 how dose it drive at road speeds is the wheel still tight or can you turn it with ease.

 

Let me guess, you had it in 4x4 mode? (the lever next to the park, Reverse, Nuetral, Drive lever)

I doubt anything is broken. You are not suppose to use 4x4 unless its snow, mud, or gravel. Some people say your not even suppose to use it on wet pavement. Google "4x4 on dry pavement" and read a few articles.

 

irongrave:

1 thank you
2 louisville, ky
3 not stupid, glad you assumed i dont know anything, makes it easier. (; i had to ask her the same question. it seems to do it most in either 4x4, but it will still do it in 2wd.
4 i will take a look at that this weekend
5 not 100% sure on this as i have only driven it a few times. i will test it more this weekend. as far as i know turning at a higher speed doesnt seem to have any problems, it is mostly at lower speeds or from a stand still, but i cant say for certain on that yet.

foofopps:

i thought, so, too. when i asked her about it she said it does it in 2wd as well as i taught her to leave it in 2wd unless its raining/snow/ice. we did just recently get ice here and so she was using 4x4 but i was turning out from 2wd in the parking lot when it did it.

thanks for the replies. it is scaring her to drive it at this point so i want to get as much info about it as i can.

 

It does sound like it's stuck in 4x4. These things turn on a dime in 2wd. Worst case test method would be to remove the front driveshaft and see if it still does it.