1998 Volvo 940 estate
 

Hi All. I'm looking for help with my 940 Volvo estate. The steering has started to make a noise that sounds like a door hinge that badly needs oiling. Can anybody help and explain what this noise is.
Thank you.

Have you checked the fluid level?

Could be a dry ball joint ( I had that with a fiat 127 where the joint rubber had split and the joint began to rust)

Actually thinking about it I think it was the lower swivel joint

Is it a turbo? If so, there is a universal joint that goes stiff and noisy near the turbo because the heat dries the grease out in the UJ.

Alternatively, check the fluid level as suggested above and also the drive belt tension.

I have the same exact issue. It sounds like a boat sometimes :teeth_smile:

I've also had people telling me it could be air within the system. Honestly I've just learned to live with it, mostly because I assume it's rack n pinion related and so, I'll tolerate it until I don't or until the car fails an MOT because of it.

But I had never heard of the UJ theory near the turbo. Which one is it again? so I can check!

Mine does it mostly, if not exclusively, when the car is still or going pretty slow, like parking.

Is the sound like a squeal or more of a metallic grinding noise?

In my case it's definitely a squeal. I guess op's the same, since he described it a a "door hinge that needs oil". Which is exactly like mine sounds, like when the doors need lub, but deeper, louder sound from the front/bottom part of the car.

Sounds like the belt is loose or there is rust/debris built up on the crank/waterpump/power steering pulley. If you sand the old rubber that gets built up on them off and or the rust if the belt is properly adjusted you'll probably find the noise lessens or goes away.

This applied to the 240 model with three belts:~
The car developed a "squeal" on starting but disappeared when running.
I had degreased the engine & associated parts some weeks prior so had my suspicion that a belt had been slipping.

The cure had been to remove the belts washing away any grease in hot soapy water:
The pulleys had also been cleaned and any rust areas sanded back.
Not a squeak since!
Bob.

but, it only happens when steering left or right. It doesn't happen while not steering.