1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Sensitive steering

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Rebeldoc, Dec 3, 2007.

  1. Rebeldoc

    Rebeldoc Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    18
    2
    0
    Location:
    Toronto
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Just recently got my new 2008 Prius. Maybe it's just a change from my previous car, but the steering seems very sensitive. Even small movements have the car turning and I'm finding it distracting. Anyone else noticed this?
     
  2. edselpdx

    edselpdx Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2006
    191
    1
    0
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Hmmmmm

    Nope... what exactly were you driving before. I switched form a 2000 Volvo to a 2005 Prius and noticed no steering issues.
     
  3. V8Cobrakid

    V8Cobrakid Green Handyman

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2004
    3,790
    152
    0
    Location:
    Park View, Los Angeles, CA. U.S.A
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    at first... no.. my 87 lincoln had just as brisk steering as the prius.

    now.. with 215/45/17's on... well.. yeah. it's very quick. :D
     
  4. omgitsroy326

    omgitsroy326 New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2007
    267
    0
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    normally people prefer responsive steering...
     
  5. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2007
    5,051
    481
    97
    Location:
    Flushing, NY
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    The steering on the Prius is definitely sensitive. A lot has been written about this on this board. A common description of the Prius steering is that it's "squirrely". One PriusChatter has suggested that it's best not to over-grip the steering wheel, and to drive the Prius with a light/loosened grip.

    Note that the sensitive nature of the Prius steering may be exacerbated by some other aspects of the car such as:

    (i) the Prius seems to be more susceptible to cross-winds than the average car, and

    (ii) a lot of Prii seem to have been delivered off the boat, as it were, with the alignment slightly off (something having to do with how they stabilize the Prius on the shipping boats) so that it pulls to the left ... in fact, this problem has been so frequent that there's actually a Toyota Service Bulletin on it telling dealers to fix the alignment on the car for free if a customer complains about it during the first year.
     
  6. patrickindallas

    patrickindallas Shire rat

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2007
    676
    36
    0
    Location:
    Vancouver, WA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Definitely. But my last car was a land-yacht Taurus.

    I'm betting that 'responsive' steering will just take some getting used to.

    I could turn the Taurus wheel quite a bit before the wheels caught on to the fact.
     
  7. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2007
    10,664
    567
    0
    Location:
    Adelaide South Australia
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    My Prius feels different to my old car that had 288,000km on it and it feels different to the 6 cylinder large cars I drive for work but that's a good thing!!
    I let go of my steering wheel yesterday to see what would happen, on a long straight road it went dead straight for a few hundred metres before drifting slightly.
    Use a very soft grip on the wheel to improve feel, there isn't a lot. There is no play in the steering, it's very tight, I love it!
     
  8. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,073
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    The Prius uses electric servo steering, unlike the engine driven steering on normal cars. It does this since the ICE is not always running, and it would be a real bummer to have your power assist stop every time the engine turned off. There is nearly zero slop or dead-band in the Prius steering, so that any input at the steering wheel is transmitted to the front wheels. This makes the steering feel touchy until you get used to it, then it is nice. Try driving with a very light touch. The other factor is that Toyota designs cars with very little steering feedback. It's just they way they do it. The performance car magazines claim that Toyota cars feel like you are driving an appliance.

    Tom
     
  9. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,795
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Yes I had the exact same complaint as you. The steering needed constant attention to keep you centered on the road. Would wander this way...then that way...no sweet dead spot where you could just hold the wheel..relax and roll down the road. Alot of people told me it was the tire pressure which I discounted at first as the tires looked fine to the eye not really low at all. I finally checked the tires and found them at 30 all the way around. As suggested I put the tires at 42 front 40 rear and that super sensitive steering diminished almost 80%. The ride got a tiny bit rougher and it still has a very tight steering but not anywheres near as bad. Plus I got 3 extra mpg's from the pressure increase too. The stock tires suck.
     
  10. Betelgeuse

    Betelgeuse Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2005
    1,460
    24
    1
    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    In addition to all of the points made here, it's also worth noting that the Prius has a relatively small steering wheel compared to some cars (particularly my previous car), so the same movement with your hand can result in a larger response from the car.
     
  11. satwood

    satwood Member

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2007
    107
    16
    0
    Location:
    Webster, MA, New England, USA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    I have also noted that the steering wheel is relatively small and very sensitive on my new 2007 model. I drive stuff ranging from small foreign cars like a Peugeot to box trucks and campers. I think this particular feel is slightly worse than what I have experienced before and it surprised me when I first tested the car. It is definitely different than the Camrys I rent. I also think the stock tires may be partially responsible, as they seem to have no particular bias towards going in a straight line. I have put the toe-plates on the car and it is aligned correctly so maybe it will break in a bit.
     
  12. Rebeldoc

    Rebeldoc Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    18
    2
    0
    Location:
    Toronto
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Thanks for your responses..
    Boo - I'm especially interested in your info on the alignment. I notice my car does pull a bit to the left! Do you have links to the service bulletin?
    Ed, I'll definitely try to increase the tire pressure. I'd like to be able to relax a little when the road is straight.
    What are toe plates?
     
  13. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2007
    5,051
    481
    97
    Location:
    Flushing, NY
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Rebeldoc,

    Linked below is one of the many threads here about the alignment problem, entitled something like "PULL TO THE LEFT". One of the posts in the thread has a link to the PDF file for the Service Bulletin.

    http://priuschat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30286

    [EDIT: Also, the 2007 and 2008 Warranty Booklets now expressly warrant the alignment for the first 12 months/20,000 miles.]

    FYI, for future reference, PriusChat has a separate Service Bulletin forum.

    FYI, before the software upgrade, PriusChat had a search feature where we could limit the search of a word to thread titles that contained the word, e.g., I could search for the word "alignment" and the results would be all thread titles with the word "alignment" in it. This used to be a useful way to narrow searches. I can tell you that there has been A LOT written here about the alignment problem, but with the software upgrade I don't know yet how to easily find the best threads on the topic for you.

    Good luck.

    PS: My Prius also pulls to the left ... but very slightly. In order to go or continue on a straight line, my steering wheel has to be turned slightly to the right. I brought it to my Toyota dealer to fix one day, and the service person I spoke to didn't know anything about it and said that the service person who would know something about it was out for the day. So I left (after having waited in the service line for an hour), and have been too lazy to bring it back. But I plan to so in January.
     
  14. Charles Suitt

    Charles Suitt Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2004
    1,637
    16
    0
    Location:
    Dallas TX
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    First Prius (October 2004), I noted the very TIGHT and SENSITIVE steering which resulted in my tendency to over steer. Once I became accustomed to the Prius implementation and had the alignment adjusted (sometimes actually needed on a brand new car), I really prefer the steering compared to our 'ordinary' car (Toyota Camry) which has the customary slack in the linkage.

    My 2007 Prius is the same.
     
  15. Doc Willie

    Doc Willie Shuttlecraft Commander

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2007
    1,714
    141
    0
    Location:
    Out there, somewhere
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    I noticed a big difference in the steering when I switched to better (Michelin HydroEdge) and wider (195) tires. The car felt a lot more solid, closer to a Camry.
     
  16. omgitsroy326

    omgitsroy326 New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2007
    267
    0
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    i really like the steering.. i feel as though the car is very predictable....
     
  17. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2007
    5,051
    481
    97
    Location:
    Flushing, NY
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Just wanted to let everyone know that yesterday I finally got my dealer to correct the alignment of my Prius as required by the Toyota Service Bulletin on the subject and the 2007 and 2008 Prius Warranty pamphlets.

    What a difference!!! I noticed the difference within 50 feet of slowly driving away from the dealer's service bay. The steering is still sensitive and numb with very little feedback. But that "squirrely" feel that a lot of us have associated with the Prius' steering -- it (or most of it anyway) was gone. Now I hope there will be some gain in mpg.
     
  18. HardCase

    HardCase SilverPineMica, the green one

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2007
    408
    10
    0
    Location:
    Kalispell, Montana
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    I'm sure that how sensitive the Prius steering might feel to anyone is going to depend a lot on what they were driving or used to previously. I'd mostly been driving my gas-hog Wrangler which has very squirrely steering coupled with a short wheel-base, so the Prius felt quite tame by comparison.