I have a '00 Mazda Protege LX Tour Edition 5sp. ..

I have been experiencing some creaking (like the sound of an old wooden door opening in the movies) when I turn my steering wheel.

It was explained to me that this is caused by loose/dry stiffener bars and there is no real way of fixing it besides replacing them.

Also, I was told that they are a very non-critical component of my car and that if they were to just rot and fall off (given enough time), that I would not notice it at all.

My questions are, first, is the above information correct, and second, can I just remove them now to get rid of the creaking and save myself the $250 to replace them?

Thanks..

 

Before trying anything else, I recommend spraying some lithium grease into your struts. I used to have the same problem and that would fix it for me, so give it a try and see if it stops. Just regular ol' lithium grease in a spray can will do ... pop the hood, look on top of the struts and you will see 4 openings. Place the nozzle into the opening, and spray a little in each hole on both sides. Turn your steering back and forth a little bit, spray a little more, turn your steering again, spray a tiny bit more and go drive around. If the problem continues ... let us know.