what can cause play in the steering wheel?

Hello,

Any number of loose or damaged suspension components can make the steering wheel feel loose. It can be the tie rod ends or the sway bar or the ball joints.
Then again it can be loose due to the steering rack being loose or having internal damage.
Are you getting any noise with the loose steering wheel?

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/popping-noise

First do a visual inspection of all the suspension components.
Make sure all the bushings are in good shape.

You can check the bushings by using a pry bar and applying pressure to look for excessive movement.

Look for any leak in the steering gear. If the seals around the shaft leaks it can cause excessive play on the steering wheel.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/tie-rod-end-replacement

Please let me know of any questions.
Thank you.