My rack slowly started to fail with symptoms like yours till it broke-in a mall parking garage!
Started it with a screwdriver to the solenoid and got her home.
Trouble was finding one, not a very common part, Napa is usually good for obscure parts but no. Not this dullard parts guy.
Finally figured out the name of the part, and a Dorman part number, which Napa had in stock!
BTW, is yours a tilt column? My had been loose since I bought it, and that's what brought about it's demise.