Power Steering

[the fox]

desperate for help my 2.2 rav4 2006 UK model, the P/S light came on while the wife was going down a very sharp bengin slip road about 50mph the steering went very very hard and tried to go straight on, After she re-started it and got home, I put a code rerader on it No Codes, today she was going through a sharp left hand junction and the steering went very light, Local toyota Dealer not interested have any body else had the same trouble what causes it, what need replaceing only covered 40,000miles so I'm hoping there is not much wear

[mystic]

have you checked the power steering fluid? Maybe when you go round a bend if it's low it may all slosh to the side and the sensor thinks there is none in there

[the fox]

thanks for the reply The 2006 onwards rav4's have electric power steering no fluid, so when the P/S light comes on it automatically turns the power off, which makes it very very hard to steer, which is bad. but then when the fault clears it's gives to much assistance now and then and nearly drives you in to the kerb,

[junebug1701]

Fox, have you checked your Battery lately? Seriously, the electric power steering draws considerable amperage and I've seen a weak Battery cause this problem. Have the Battery properly load tested and if it fails a replacement battery may just solve your steering issues.

[wardude]

Mine did the same. After restarting it was fine and hasnt been on since

[anchorman]

It will default under certain conditions and as stated, wherever possible, stop the car and switch off and back on again. Have you got odd or non standard tyres on the front? Had she been doing a lot of shunting?

[the fox]

Thanks for your replys, I had read a Toyota workshop manual and it stated to check the Battery voltage etc, The Battery is 100%, The tyres are all the same the pressures are all correct that was my first thought that she was driving with a flat tyre, When she re-started it it was OK the light came on one more time since last Tuesday but she has lost all confidence in the Rav now, I did jack the vehicle up both sides and cycled the steering from lock to lock about 50 times I willhave to keep my fingers croosed it stays off I have read post/threads on here about Toyota garages charging vast sums of money to change the steering column etc

[anchorman]

If there really is a column motor fault and your wife drives the car, money is not an issue.

If you don't want to cough up and you can't find a decent local garage, change it yourself.

[the fox]

Money is not the issue I just don't like being ripped off, I have been ripped off twice by two local Toyota dealers one changed my oil filter during the 20,000 mile service without draining it first, Oil all over the place, then tried to book it in under warranty to try and find the leak and fit a complete new clutch £1,600 of warranty work, It turned out they had only done the oil/filter change, Nothing else they had not even cleaned the air filter after weeks and weeks of complaining to Toyota UK who completely washed there hands of any customer service to myself, and would not send out a field enginner to see if my vehicle had a leak or had been serviced or needed an expensive clutch replacement at 20,000 miles, I had to pay for a independant inspection and then claimed the £235 I was charged for the service I was paid my service costs back, I should have been more aware two days before I took my Rav4 in for the service they phoned and asked how I was going to pay for the service, when I said I had paid up front (service package) they obviously did not spend any time on my vehicle, sorry to go on (Boring you) I also got the RAC to take my Broken down Rav4 to another local Toyota garage they kept it ten days, I had to get it towed away to a tuning shop who fixed the problem that afternoon, When I contacted my local Toyota garage last week for some info into the steering problem the service Manager told me If I was a loyal customer of Toyota ie I had full servic history at Toyota they would look into making a goodwill claim for the repair, I explained I had not got a full service history with Toyota but had bought three brand new Rav'4's over the last few years how loyal can I be, he said My complaint would not be looked into by Blackburn Vantage. so Before I go down the road of changing the steering ECU or steering column I was looking for some answer on here, to the cause of the problem

[shcm]

If the light has come on it is very likely there will be codes stored. If you are using a general OBD/EOBD code reader, then it is very likely you will see no codes - this is generally Powertrain DTCs only. It probably needs a Toyota protocol.

Codes can be read out for P/S on the pack display, by shorting pins 4 and 12 of the diagnostic connector.

Personally though, I'd get it checked out regardless, as soon as possible, but it's up to you. In my opinion, Steering is the most important safety device on your vehicle. While you still have a physical connection with the wheels, and while it may be less of a problem at high speed, I certainly would not want to risk loosing assistance again on a modern vehicle at any speed.

It could be any number of things, Battery as stated or a faulty torque demand sensor to a faulty column drive motor (I believe this system is column drive - there are a range of options).

[the fox]

Thanks for the reply can you confirm it's pins 4 and 12 I have been using a standard code reader and using pins 4 and 13 I read it was pin 13 on this forum not sure now I want to stick anything in any pins Now thanks in advance

[shcm]

Opps, brain failure on my part. pin 12 to clear, 13 to read, but I'll double check later.

Any ECU worth its components (i.e. 99% of all OEM ones) usually has a design spec that includes surviving indefinitely shorts to Battery and ground, so if you get anything wrong you're more likely not to do any permanent damage.

[the fox]

hi I have tried shorting both 12 and 13 to terminal 4, just nothing with or without ignition I have a UK spec 2.2 Diesel 2006 year of man, is there some other thing I have to do I have read about pressing start button/brake pedal, My model is the basic one no start button just a plain key start etc, No Stability control etc just ABS and Electric steering,

[shcm]

It works. I speak from experience.

Connector pinout here:

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=117201&view=findpost&p=1061492

Apply short. Turn on ignition. Various inst pack lamps should be flashing. Press the display button to cycle to [P/S] on the display. FF=no DTCs.

[the fox]

really thanks you for the info The wife is using the car to visit her mother Two days on my own can you let me know if it's pin 12 or 13 that shorts to pin 4 and any chance you know how to clear the faults if there are any, I have read about pressing the brake pedal 8 times but don't know if this is with pin 12 or 13 thanks in advance

[the fox]

Finally got the pin4 to pin 13 to work, I work At Baesystems I got one of the lads to make up a shorting lead with two gold plated pins just a nice tight fit little did I know he crimped one of the pins on to Kaptan insulation it looked like it was stripped correctly but his strippers had left the Kapton on, I got the cruise light went through the procedure till P/S lit and I have two codes 41 and 42 looks like it indicates my Steering ECU is Knacked I'm in talks with Toyota GB about suppling one under a goodwill gesture the vehicle has only covered 40,000 miles and the very early ones had Steering ECU problems I believe

[shcm]

I ahve to codes 41 and 42 looks like it indicates my Steering ECU is Knacked

41 and 42 are CAN comms errors. It may be something as simple as a connector or harness problem. Those are usually more common than a faulty ECU.

Try clearing the codes and see if 41 comes back. You can clear the codes like this:

connect terminals 12 and 4 of the DLC3.

Turn the ignition switch on

Disconnect lead from terminal 4 and reconnect it, and repeat this procedure 4 times or more within 8 seconds.

Check that the P/S warning light blinking pattern is the normal code. Not sure, but you may see just FF in the display now.

Turn the ignition switch off.

Remove lead from the DLC3.

Power back on and off a few times, then read the codes again.

Unfortunately, if it is an intermittent cabling fault, it may not come back immediately and may need something like vibration and/or temperature change as a result of the vehicle moving, to cause it to happen again.

[the fox]

Hi thanks for the reply I got told by Blackburn vantage that because I did not have my vehicle serviced with them they did not want anything to do with My Rav4 they told me to contact Toyota GB directly I did and they have hinted there was a problem with very early 2006 models that had a steering ECU fault causing both faults to be logged the same fault codes I have, and the steering ECU's were replaced under warranty conditions the warranty period was extended to 5years 60,000 miles with my vehicle doing only 40,000 they are considering something, I won't hold my breath, I cleared the faults yesterday and all was OK but this morning the P/S light has come back on I assume the codes will be there, I will leave the codes on the vehicle in case Toyota want to examine it,