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Anyone want to buy or Currently Own 2007 prius NEED TO READ!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by pinkfloyd, Feb 12, 2007.

  1. pinkfloyd

    pinkfloyd New Member

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    I bought my Prius on Jan 07. It's a 2007 model with package 5 option. Everything are fine except a technical problem.

    !!!!!!!!!!!The car drifted to the right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I Never Hit Anything nor involve in any accident! And ONLY 1700 miles on it!

    So i brought my car to LONGO TOYOTA to report this problem. First, they said they did a routine check and adjust the steering wheel (I don't know the technical terms on that, but i will find out from the invoice).

    After a week (today), I brought it back again because it still drifted to the right. LONGO had a TECHNICIAN LEAD, Mr Suzuki, test drove the car with me, and he mentioned IT IS NORMAL that the car will drift to the right after 3 seconds when you drive over 60 mph.

    At this moment, the car is still in the dealership for suspension checkups, alignment check, and other checkups that i am not sure what they said.

    Please! Anybody! let me know if you have the same problem or at least try your own car to see if you have the same problem.

    I will keep you PRIUS OWNER posting when i get my car back tonight!

    Thanks for your attention
     
  2. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    What do you mean by "drifted to the right"? Do you mean it pulls constantly to the right, or just occasionally slides over, or is it a sudden instability? We'll need more information to help. My 2006 Prius tracks down the road with no problems, but be aware that Prius steering has zero dead-band. The slightest turn, almost a pressure, on the wheel will send it sideways. It takes a little getting used to.

    Tom
     
  3. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    Yes an I believe just the slight pressure on the gas while cause the car to slowly drift because only on wheel is pulling. Check this buy acclerating to higher than normal speed then letting the car coast it should not drift then. If you want to be really critical put it in neutral while it's coasting
     
  4. daveleeprius

    daveleeprius Heh heh heh you think so?

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Feb 12 2007, 10:19 PM) [snapback]389292[/snapback]</div>
    My 2007 Base tracks perfecty after 2500 miles.

    Dave
     
  5. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    all cars will "drift". but if you fade to the right as soon as you let go of the wheel and it always goes to the right. try this, aim it so it drifts to the left. if it still goes right then its screwed up.

    mine, i can go up to 30 seconds without touching or adjusting the steering. my SO HATES it when i do that.
     
  6. pinkfloyd

    pinkfloyd New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Feb 12 2007, 07:19 PM) [snapback]389292[/snapback]</div>
    Tom...Tks for you quick response

    I am still waiting for the call from dealer.

    Anyway, what i meant by drifting is if you let the steering wheel idle to the middle, the car will pull constantly to the right, like you said. The funny thing is the LEAD TECH from Japan told me it's normal when you drive the car over 60 miles, after 3 seconds the car will slightly pull to the right! And he also mentioned differnet car has it's different seconds to pull to the left or right after centain mph. I found it hard to believe!

    If this is the case, I will have him give me a copy of the internal test drive paperwork to back this up! because i found that it's impossble for a new car to have this problem.

    I had a older model Corolla, Tercel, and even a Lexus don't have this problem.

    let me know what you got
     
    Simbaboy likes this.
  7. Godiva

    Godiva AmeriKan Citizen

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    Well, first I'd take it to another dealership.

    And I'd have them check the alignment.
     
  8. pinkfloyd

    pinkfloyd New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Feb 12 2007, 07:40 PM) [snapback]389302[/snapback]</div>
    That's what the Japanese tech said, all cars will drift depends on how many seconds you drive.

    I tried to turn to the left and i guess because of the natural crown of the road, it will drift to the right.

    tks

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Feb 12 2007, 07:45 PM) [snapback]389308[/snapback]</div>

    Yep! if this guy can't fix it, i will! but this dealership is the biggest in SoCal.
     
  9. zqfmbg

    zqfmbg New Member

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    I picked mine up last Wednesday and have put about 280 miles on it so far. No drift problems.

    It does seem a little noisier than another 07 I test-drove the weekend before (noise primarily when you touch the brakes at around 20mph -- it sounds like a large motor decelerating), but it doesn't bother me, and perhaps I was too distracted with the other 07 to notice. :)
     
  10. Beryl Octet

    Beryl Octet New Member

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    No problems here, 18,000 miles and counting.
     
  11. MegansPrius

    MegansPrius GoogleMeister, AKA bongokitty

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    Our 2007 has about 5500 miles now, no steering problems.
     
  12. pinkfloyd

    pinkfloyd New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zqfmbg @ Feb 12 2007, 07:49 PM) [snapback]389311[/snapback]</div>
    Try to align the steering wheel in the middle to see if the car drift to th right

    Let me know what you got

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Beryl Octet @ Feb 12 2007, 07:54 PM) [snapback]389316[/snapback]</div>
    Lucky you! but please follow up with this story when you get a chance...I think the tech is BSing
     
  13. MGM

    MGM New Member

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    2005 Prius at 36,000 miles. No drifting.

    2007 Prius Touring at 211 miles. No drifting.

    Good luck resolving your issue.
     
  14. pinkfloyd

    pinkfloyd New Member

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    Well....Tks for all your reply!

    It turns out to be something really stupid!

    The dealer said my left tire pressure was 35 PSI, and the right tire was 30 PSI.
    Just 5 PSI will make that difference!

    Also, they said they adjusted again the steering wheel.

    We'll see what happen this time!

    Will keep you'all posting
     
  15. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    A lot of people here run 42 psi front/40 psi rear cold. You'll get better MPG and it seems to help tire wear and steering.
     
  16. Balt

    Balt Junior Member

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    amazing dealer... they went through all that hassle of adjusting steering, alignment checks etc only to find out tire pressure was off?

    they either BS'ed you from the beginning (i.e. just let the car sit and told you all sorts of stories about what they did to the car) or they'll be out of business soon...

    Remember: if you hear a stampede don't think zebras, it's more than likely cows. Unless you're in africa of course. ;)
     
  17. Charles Suitt

    Charles Suitt Senior Member

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    :mellow: I had a similar "drift" on my 2007 Touring bought last Nov 11th. I would consider it "not unusual" for a brand new car to be out of alignment considering the jostling it gets in transit all the way from Japan.

    The selling dealer's Asst. Svc. Manager gave me a "raised eyebrow" look and while she said they "checked the alignment" I believe they did absolutely nothing after I sat in their waiting room over an hour. My new Prius still drifted to the right. Couple of weeks later, I took it to the dealer who had been servicing my 2004 Prius for over 2 years. They realigned the car and provided me a printout of the reading before and after alignment. My 2007 no longer drifted right.

    This is a good example of the benefits of finding a good service department, not necessarily where you bought your Prius, and using that dealer for ongoing service and warranty work. The dealer is paid good contract rates for warranty work and in North Texas they exhibit no reluctance to work on a Prius bought from another dealer.
     
  18. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

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    Make sure they check the thrust angle in the rear. Also, if all else fails, toe in the front just a hair.

    Nate
     
  19. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    d'oh... stupid thing to miss.
     
  20. lenjack

    lenjack Active Member

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    If they missed tire pressure, which is the FIRST thing thy should have checked, I'd go elsewhere for future servicing.