First time post, I'm trying to find some insight on my 2011 Maxima. Car currently has 144k miles, and the past few weeks I have noticed there is "play" in my steering wheel and a creaking noise when braking at low speeds (sub 10mph) can be heard. The noise while braking only comes from the drivers side and sounds like its between the column and brakes. The noise is similar to someone stepping on an old wooden floor board if that makes sense. The steering wheel itself moves about 1/2 inch upward when pushed. Anyone have any ideas? There are no other noises while turning, driving, or braking, so I dont think it's the steering column itself, car drives fine otherwise. I was reading and saw it could possibly be the tie rods, or bushings. Any advice would be helpful, thanks.

 

I would check the tie rods, front lower control arms and ball joints and see if there's any play going on. Check both sides and focus on that left side lower control arm, If you jam on the brake suddenly and hear a thud that's your lower control arm gone bad, I diagnosed mine in a parking lot by having a buddy drive slowly and jam on the brake quickly while I stayed outside and observed if the wheel had play with every time he jammed on the brake, I saw the wheel had a lot of movement back and forth and also heard the thud at the same time, that pretty much confirmed my suspicion and sure enough I needed a right lower control arm. This comes as a one piece with the ball joint.

 

I replaced both lower control arms exactly 1 year ago so I couldn't imagine that would be the culprit, but who knows, I appreciate the advice.

 

High likelihood that's "why" it is the culprit.

 

why? Cheap control arms ?