Need some 2nd opinions....

I took my car to a local mechanic, I felt that they didnt give it a thorough diagnostic...

PROBLEM 1:
Steering wheel is tight! As if I have no power steering but worse!!??
ie: When I turn into a street, the wheel does not straighten out! PS fluid is clean, and reservoir is flowing.

MECHANIC DIAG:
Power Steering High Pressure Hose

PROBLEM 2:
Mostly @ cold startup, as i pull out of my parking spot, making a right turn only, I hear/feel a clunking/knocking noise? I know when the mechanic lifted the car, the driver side wheel had play in it when shaking in and out/side to side, i know thats not normal, but it was minimal.

MECHANIC DIAG:
Can't remember if he said "Lower control arm" or "tie rod end"??

 

Not sure about the PS pump problem, but for the wheel play: If he shook it in and out with his hands at the sides of the wheel, then it's tie rod end. If his hands were at top and bottom of wheel, it's probably a ball joint. Unless he inspected the control arm and it was bent.

How many miles on the car?

 

does the steering get easier when moving?

Sounds like a ball joint or tie rod end (unless it has something to do with the PS rack)

 

steering wheel wont straighten after a turn, makes clunking noise and is difficult to steer.
......P/S rack is shot!

 

steering wheel wont straighten after a turn, makes clunking noise and is difficult to steer.
......P/S rack is shot or a very badly seized axle joint

 

Thanks for the input guys...

Car is only about to hit 54k...But I live in NYC and i've fell into some pretty bad holes...and im dropped on Tein SS's

He shook the wheel side to side...

Is the steering rack supposed to move as I turn the steering wheel left to right? Cuz mine is doing that, im not sure if thats normal.

Steering wheel gets tighter...lets say im parked, and i maneuver the steering wheel quickly to the left/right it'll get tighter...

 

Also...got the car aligned a few months ago...maybe early spring. Maybe I should take it back to them to have them diagnose it? My bro said something could just be loose? I hope its not the PS Rack...that sounds expen$ive!!

 

Something similar happened to me but I hit a curb going too fast. What happened was my core, rack, and pinion....not good but thats the worst case scenario.

 

What do you mean by the steering rack supposed to move? No the rack itself isnt supposed to move. But the tierods and links coming out of it are.

 

Rack