Mechanic Hops In Customer's Ford To Fix A/C. Then He Notices The Steering Wheel: 'Why Are You Driving Around Like This?'

Bringing a car in for a specific complaint doesn't mean that's the only thing a mechanic is going to notice—at least not a good mechanic. Sometimes what they find turns out to be a bigger issue than whatever you actually came in for.

That’s what happened when one man took his car in to fix the air conditioning. What the mechanic found has inspired laughter galore. But it could actually be a serious issue.

In a trending video with more than 69,000 views, mechanic Mike (@lilmikyb) got into a customer's Ford to check out a reported A/C problem. He immediately had a different concern.

He started off playfully saying, "Hi, my name is Michael, and I'll be working on your piece of garbage today.”

"I know you really wanted to check why your A/C is not working, and that's your complaint. But my complaint would be, why are you driving around like this?"

In the video you see him grab the top of the steering wheel and pull it back and forth repeatedly. The entire top of the steering wheel bends like taffy.

"I feel like not mentioning this is crazy," he wrote in the caption.

What Causes Steering Wheel Issues?

According to CarParts.com, if a stationary vehicle's steering wheel can turn two or more inches without the wheels themselves changing angle, that's excessive play.

The usual suspects behind it are a bad pitman arm, a loose intermediate shaft, a steering gear or rack that's come loose from the body or frame, a damaged steering column, or worn tie rod ends.

On older vehicles, a failed rag joint in the steering column can also cause it. CarParts.com notes that driving with excessive play is not recommended under any circumstances, since it forces constant overcorrection just to hold a straight line.

In this instance, the frame of the steering wheel itself appears to be broken or somehow degraded. It’s not clear what could’ve caused it or how it affects the steering. Though it is possible that some type of impact caused the steering wheel to bend.

Gallery: The evolution of the F1 steering wheel

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Common Power Steering Problems

In typical cases, steering issues tend to fall into a handful of categories, according to AutoZone:

• Power steering fluid leaks. This hydraulic fluid reduces friction and helps amplify the force applied to the wheel. When it runs low, air gets into the pump, lines, and steering gear, which typically shows up first as stiff, choppy, or inconsistent steering.
• Power steering pump issues. The pump pressurizes fluid and sends it to the steering gear. Its internal bearings can seize, the rotor's fins can shear off, or the pressure control valve can get stuck from contaminated fluid, any of which calls for immediate repair.
• A worn or slipping belt. The belt that drives the power steering pump can crack, glaze, or stretch over time, or slip due to a misaligned pulley or a weak tensioner, all of which reduce how well the pump can do its job.
• Steering wander. Looseness or unpredictability in the wheel can stem from a bad alignment, a failed steering damper (common on trucks and SUVs), worn rack and pinion mounting bushings, or worn tie rod ends, idler arms, pitman arms, or drag links depending on the steering system.

AutoZone's general advice is that a proper wheel alignment is often the right starting point since it lets a technician check the alignment and inspect the related components for wear at the same time.

“A Boneless Steering Wheel”

The comments were full of people joking about the wheel's flexibility.

“I’ve never in my life seen a boneless steering wheel before,” a top comment read.

“Michael it's paid off.... Just fix the A/C,” a person joked.

“It's okay they make pills to help it stay stiff now,” chortled another.

One commenter offered a semi-plausible explanation: “Without A/C it melted?”

Motor1 reached out to Mike via email and TikTok direct message for comment. We'll be sure to update this if he responds.