lhpdiver

2001 Jeep Cherokee

At first I couldn't tell if it was the gas pedal, the brake pedal or the steering wheel. It was only a sometime thing but yesterday it got worse and it IS the steering wheel. Is there something I can do short of removing the dash ? Sounds like a screaming gerbil.

Thanks

NM-XJ

Does it only do it on cold mornings? Mine has screamed at me every cold morning for years, usually only does it the first time or two you turn the wheel.

lhpdiver

The year round temp here is between 70 and 85. They call it the city of eternal spring :-)

rockosocko

Long time ago my Dad's caddy did this. He was paralyzed on left side and used to pull hard on the wheel getting out, and my brother used to 'detail' it with lots of Armor-all.
Well what I found was that GM sometimes didn't trim enough plastic on the back side of tilt wheel and with him pulling on it deformed it.
The Armor-all made everything that touched squeak, so I had to get behind the wheel and do some 'trimming' and fixed it.

He always thought that little kids were screaming/running behind the cars when he was backing up.

(decades later... depending on the design of horn ring, it may be dry and need a dab of grease too.)

Just my .02
Errol

Turbo X_J

Lube the boot where the column shaft passes through the firewall.

lhpdiver

Thanks. Before reading your post I picked up a can of white lithium grease and sprayed in the groove between where the moving steering wheel meets the static shaft. It seems better - but I still hear some squeaks. So I'll try where you suggest. The noise only occurs when the car heats up. Never from a cold start.

Ian96XJ

I've got the squeaks, bad! Sure it's a Jeep thing...But it doesn't HAVE to be! I tried squirting some dry graphite lubricant through the grooves in the metal shroud, but didn't kill the squeaks. After reading here, I guess I should spray at the boot. So I just have a couple of questions:

1. Would I be better off using a wet silicon or white grease lubricant?

2. Where EXACTLY should I be spraying? Right at the end of that metal shroud? Right where the shaft goes through the boot (I can't really see that). Pictures would be extremely appreciated.

Thanks.