BALL BEARING BUSHINGS RESTRAINED BY METAL BAND IN STEERING COLUMN BOTH SEPARATED AS WELL AS ELONGATE ALLOWING BALL BEARINGS TO FALL OUT, RESULTING IN STEERING LOCKING, POPPING NOISES AND LOOSENESS IN THE STEERING COLUMN. CAN BE EASILY DETECTED BY JIGGLING THE STEERING WHEEL, STEERING WHEEL WITH MOVE UP AND DOWN AND SIDE TO SIDE ONCE BEARINGS HAVE DISLODGED. I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AFTER THE THIRD INCIDENT, SO I VISITED A JUNKYARD, I INSPECTED 7 JEEP CHEROKEE'S STEARING COLUMNS AND 2 HAD THIS PROBLEM. MY LAST INCIDENT WITH THIS PROBLEM WAS IN FEBRUARY 2000, I DISPOSED OF THIS VEHICLE IN APRIL 2000 DUE TO THIS REOCCURING PROBLEM. *AK
