Ford

My fiesta is stolen recoverd i have replaced steering lock which was broken but now i have a knocking sound when i turn the steering wheel left to right when steering is straight or in full lock right i first thought maybe track rod ends but after inspection thers no problem secondly i thought steering rack but again i cant find any problems with i have re-checked the steering lock which is quite hard to unlock and all is fitted in the right place is it possible that this steering lock is damaged and when steering it is causing the knock or is it somethin more serious i have now removed steering lock but still same problem still knocks in same place no sign of bending all seems fine have now started to look at pivot that joins steering to steering rack but again all is sound and working well yes the knock can be felt on steering wheel but can also be felt through floor when you have your foot on the floor of the car its really weird should i or should i not remove and replace steering rack and pivot

Sounds like you have properly diagnosed your problem. your steering wheel lock may not be seated properly and is hitting the "slot" that it engages when locked. another possibility is something else might be damaged or missing. if you can locate a parts "explosion" (a drawing of all the parts in your steering column), you might find that you are missing a piece of the lock mechanism or of the steering column itself. another possibilty is your steering shaft is bent and it is contacting the steering lock. a lot of times when thieves smash and bash to steal your car, they do more damage than meets the eye. try removing the steering lock assembly and look inside where it goes. rotate the steering wheel and see if the shaft moves in and out (closer to your eyeball then farther away). if it does, your steering shaft is bent and will need to be replaced. nice luck....