My 84 500sel started displaying steering problems yesterday, and things have gotten worse. First, the steering wheel position started changing every time I straightened the car while driving. Every time I turned the wheel, it would catch, then slip. Each time, the wheel would be at a different angle when the car straightened out. Now, turning the steering wheel involves a lot of effort, then a grinding/scraping sound, and the wheels don't turn. They twitch, like the were almost going to turn, but it sounds like something slipped off and they don't turn.

Sorry for the incoherence of this post. I am definately NOT a mechanic. I just want to know what to ask when I call around for service prices.

thanks,
Jason

Sounds like something has gone south in the steering gear box. This is the first time I've ever heard of a failure of this sort. They might blow all of the power steering fluid out through a blown seal, but they rarely fail like this.

Don't know if the car has a isolation disc in the steering shaft where it comes from the steering wheel - possibly that has failed.

Where do you hear the bad noises coming from? Inside the car or under the hood.