I've got a 2002 Monte Carlo LS with a 3.4L engine with about 74000 miles and lately I've noticed the steering tends to be unstable while I'm driving on the highway. So, randomly my steering wheel will jerk to the side and I have to fight with it. I actually thought it was because of wind but it even happens during calm weather. I checked the Haynes manual and one of the causes could be the stabilizer bar, has anyone had a problem like this?

 

It's not uncommon for W-Body front anti-sway bars (also known as stabilizer bars) to crack. They have a hollow core that does not help protect from corrosion. Normally when they crack, it's near the end links (odds are you can turn the wheels and look behind them and see it).
If it is, get it replaced and you should be good to go.

 

thanks, I went under my car today and checked and from what I could see there weren't any cracks in the stabilizer bar. I looked back at the Haynes manual and it said the bolts could be loose, I really couldn't tell if it looked loose or not. The position of the bar in the bushings looked different on each side of the car. Any idea of figuring out if the bushings need to be replaced or any other ideas?

 

The bushings can dry rot and shrink a little with age. But even at that should not cause the lack of control you are mentioning. Next question, are the end links (connecting the stabilizer bar and lower control arm) still attached on both sides? Can you send pictures? Was there any recent front end work (such as changing a tie rod)? Some work done requires an alignment to be done and that could be another issue you are having.

 

I went under my car again and took these pictures. I looked closer and what I said in my previous post about the bar being in different positions on each side was wrong after taking a closer look. I tried moving things around with a screwdriver and nothing was loose. Also regarding alignments, I got an alignment done this summer. So, if anything looks strange in these pictures let me know haha.

 

You can have someone sit in the car (brake on and in park) and turn the wheel back and forth while you look underneath to see if anythign looks loose.

Also a lot of shops will do free alignement check and also check front end components.

 

Have you checked you Tie Rods and Hub Bearings!? If the problem is the bearing you will hear it. To test for either, lift the front end, grab the tire at the left and right and shake it back and forth. Excess movement (without the other tire moving) means you need outer tie rods. Then gab the tire at top and bottom. You should not details able to. If you can, your hub bearing are bad. Either of these can cause the feeling of the steering wheel locking up on a turn and wheel wobble as speed increases.