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No return to center in steering

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Frontporch, Jul 17, 2022.

  1. Frontporch

    Frontporch Member

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    I have a 2007 that I picked up and haven’t driven much. Noticed that the steering is “off” compared to my other 2007. I believe it may have been in a collision as front body panel gaps are off somewhat

    The car drive and steers fine with no shakes or noises. What it doesn’t do well is return to center after a turn. Regardless of left or right turn it doesn’t quite come all the way to center. Even though it doesn’t pull I can move the wheel slightly off and it would drive off a straight road eventually. Going straight I feel there are unnecessary corrections that I have to do. Steering feels a touch tight as well
     
  2. alftoy

    alftoy Senior Member

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    Electronic power steering, there is a procedure to center the steering.
     

    Attached Files:

    Frontporch likes this.
  3. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Another quick check you can do is the sliding yolk that's down there where the steering column meets the rack assembly. That yolk will take damage easily in an accident it's made to be a replaceable part I do believe in case of an accident like part of the front end getting bent that yolk will collapse and bend easily and with the two front wheels off the ground you may be able to rotate that yolk around right smartly and see where it's not smooth
     
  4. Frontporch

    Frontporch Member

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    lol
    would a car that needs this procedure not have a center defined and have the sloppy sterering I am experiencing?


    By turning the steering wheel?
     
  5. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Yes on like Corollas you can undo a boot down on the bottom of the car or if you're under the car you can see the yolk so if somebody reaches in the car and turns the steering wheel you'll see the yolk turning you can't do this in the car because there's a boot on the floor that keeps crap from coming up the hole where the yolk would be remove the carpet undo the screws holding the boot down and pull it up and you can sit in the car and watch the yolk turn seems to me likely it would probably break if it was in an accident or be severely bent it's not a seriously weak part but you can tell it's made to slip and crunch before major other things might
     
  6. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

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    First thing I would do is to have the steering and suspension inspected. Could be a tight joint or strut pivot - bearing. Could be wheel alignment is off.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  7. Frontporch

    Frontporch Member

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    Its been a little while.. had a traction battery issue to resolve and the car was back on the road and I got some more time to drive it and definitely the steering is less than ideal.

    I put it up on jackstands to replace the muffler and took a very brief look at the front suspension. I didn't see any leaking struts or loose components on my initial inspection, but it ended quickly because of rain. I put the ignition in the accessory mode and turned the steering wheel lock to lock with the tires up in the air and it was relatively smooth without any noises.

    I want to go back and try to pry at the ball joints to check for anything that is loose, but I am open to all suggestions with regard to troubleshooting this issue.

    I will also attempt to look at the steering mechanism, inside and under the vehicle.

    Summary of steering is it needs corrections going to somewhat straight highways. More resistance to turning than my other Prius so you actually notice the corrections. Tracks straight and no pulling.
     
  8. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    The rack and tie rod ends The ball joints on the inner and outer portion of the rack always have to look at those
     
  9. Frontporch

    Frontporch Member

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    I have new struts and ball joints on the way... will be replacing those as well as stabilizer bars ( and sway bar bushings if they don't look too difficult to remove)
     
  10. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Just make sure you're rack ends . Inner and outer have no slop generally at high mileage these things can get the clunking.
     
  11. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    [Editorial] Just to help other readers understand this post.

    Just make sure your rack ends, both inner and outer, have no slop. Generally, at high mileage, these things can start clunking.
     
    #11 dolj, Oct 5, 2022
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2022
  12. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Sit in your car with the car off steering wheel in front of you centered now gently move the steering with one hand down 6 or 8 in and then back up 12 in so you're moving six or eight inches in each direction just a little and do this gently up down up down up down you hear the clunk clunk clunk clunk need to find what that is usually it's the rack ends sometimes the Teflon bushings in the rack have worn and there's an adjustment for that too but that's generally not for normal folks to be playing with
     
  13. Frontporch

    Frontporch Member

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    that's good advice to look into the rack.

    I am going to put in all the parts I have on the way and then I will see what is left to diagnose. I believe everything is original and this is probably the first time I am going to swap out struts that are "possibly" worn. Some people do it for maintenance. I usually avoid crap in the road and see how long I can get out of them. I did not put the 190k miles on this car.

    The noises that bother me are low speed and are based on uneven road surface, and don't appear to have anything to do with turning. I also don't notice even the slightest vibration through the steering wheel and I am on high alert for anything I can find out of the ordinary. To me it feels like an overall suspension slop. There is also the slightly tighter steering than expected, but first going to hit all the "maintenance" items (this sounds more like a BMW than a Toyota, but oh well...) and see how she fares.. Should overall be a smooth repair.

    Will be interesting to see if the traction control lights don't come on during rough roads during breaking. I have a theory about that.
     
  14. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    That's interesting because it low speed my car is almost perfect makes no noise get it up about 30 mph and then if I go over anything even small undulations make the creaking and groaning sometimes are popping noise my upper strut bearings I'm sure are about shot at 300k My struts do not seem to be flat but there's 300K on them as is the springs All this is up front so when I buy cars like I do with 200k plus usually by the time I get up around 270 or so I go ahead and have a set of hubs ready for the front loaded with ball joints and everything I go ahead usually and have inner and out of rack ends ready to go I can even count the threads on the car and have them assembled and ready to go on the car and one fell swoop if I want to and I'll get the alignment within a 16th of an inch usually as my alignment guy says of the tow in part of it anyway and if I marked the hubs well I'll get the camber and all that close enough to where I don't have to run to the alignment place that day The rear seems pretty uneventful but I've had it overloaded since I bought the car as I run this vehicle as a service vehicle so I need to put some heavier springs in the back and better coil over shocks and then that will quiet the Gen 2 I drive back up to like it was brand new practically but right now it doesn't make much noise I have to let go over speed bumps just a little more than real slow and then as the suspension lifts up I can hear everything click click then as it comes down I can hear the springs and the upper strut bearings knock a little bit if you want to call it that.
     
  15. Frontporch

    Frontporch Member

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    New struts have been in for a little while and the suspension is definitely more quiet without any rattles. The struts replaced had made in china stamped into the metal, so I assume replacements... glad to get those out.

    The steering is still a little tight, probably not improved by the struts. I may look into an alignment even though it tracks pretty straight. The steering issue will be something I look into again if it gets any worse. For now its OK.
     
  16. Frontporch

    Frontporch Member

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    Just poked around on this site and it appears that others have found relief to this issue with greasing the internals of the steering rack and making adjustments on the plug that puts pressure on the sliding rack inside the power steering housing. I plan to do both if needed.

    I will inspect the two accordion boots on the steering rack for any cracks
    and then grease the rack as best i can. Anyone know what grease is used in these racks?
    Final step, if greasing doesn't help is to ease off slightly on the pressure adjustment.
     
  17. Frontporch

    Frontporch Member

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    Thanks Mendel for the info on grease. Lithium with Molybednum
    Shortage of greases according to Lucas oil. Got this from tractor supply
    image.jpg
     
  18. Frontporch

    Frontporch Member

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    This is what it looks like with boot off
    image.jpg
    image.jpg
    image.jpg
     
  19. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Angels might fear to tread there. From some TSB I read somewhere (possibly about the old Gen 1 rack issues), I got the sense of that adjustment being very delicate at the factory, and nothing they encourage in the field.
     
  20. Frontporch

    Frontporch Member

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    I don’t disagree. Seems like that plug puts backside pressure on the rack to balance the pinion gear. Too much pressure tight steering. Too little and maybe the piñon either slips on the rack or maybe slowly wears the surface. Not sure.
    My first attempt is grease. Didn’t seem like much on the assembly but I greased it like icing on a cake…. Well not that much but grease is cheap