Gen 1 Auris Hybrid Steering Noise?

[Motif66]

Hi, My Gen 1 Auris Hybrid has developed a minor clunking noise at slow speed in the steering, Toyota checked it out and could find nothing wrong, They tested a similar Auris and found that had the same problem, Has anyone else noticed a clunk in their steering???

[FROSTYBALLS]

If its a 2011 Auris Hybrid, it is the first generation.

[Motif66]

True, Gen 2 Auris but Gen 1 Hybrid

[Hicardo]

Hi there, yes I have a steering issue which sounds similar. This is what happens. Occasionally I get a knock in the steering column, as if something is loose, or there is excessive play somewhere.

Today, I drove on a gravel road, and the minor jolting caused the steering column to knock quite severely.

Have already been told by a toyota dealer that there's nothing wrong, but I know this cant be true, especially after the knocking experienced today.

I,ll take it back and insist they take the issue seriously.

Has anyone else experienced this, and, or had it rectified. Any idea what the cause is?

[Motif66]

Hi Hicardo.

I returned my Auris for our local dealer to have another look at the problem last week, I must say they are being very helpful at the moment, They have also felt the knocking just as you described it. They had it for three days just to make sure they could sort it. They believe it is a dry joint in the universal joint in the steering column, they lubricated it and it seems fine at the moment, but I am still not convinced it will stay that way. But if it returns then I think I will ask them to change the joint.

Let me know how you get on. Mine is a 2011 TSpirit. Love the car but the steeing is spoiling my enjoyment.

[Hicardo]

Thanks Michael...I.ll let you know how I get on

[Hicardo]

Booked into dealer for assessment 23rd Aug

[Motif66]

Hicardo, Just as a matter of interest mine has 14,000 miles on the clock.

I am struggling to get above 56.7 MPG, But mostly short runs about 20 mile. That is my overall average since March, Mind you when I bought it the average was only 48 MPG.

Best of luck on the 23rd.

I think you also traded in a Prius is that correct?

[Hicardo]

That is correct. It got me ack on the warranty at a price i could afford. I prefer the Auris to the Prius in every respect except luggage carrying ability. I think they're better screwed together too.

With regard to your mpg, that sounds to be in the acceptable range. Do you use Eco mode? If I plot my average, I reckon it would be around 58 over the year.

[Motif66]

That is the reason that I changed, the extra warranty.

Yes I drive in ECO all the time, When I had the Prius I was averaging 65 dropping to 59-60

in the winter. But I only had the T3 with the 15 inch wheels which was slightly better than the low

profile tyres.

Going back to our original steering problem all they did was spray oil on the joint, which doesn't

quite sound like it would cure the problem, because it felt more of a loose joint than a dry one. Anyway

after a week all seems OK.

[Hicardo]

The Prius I sold for the Auris was a 2009 3yr warranty model T4, and in 3 yrs of ownership I averaged 57.5. So my experience is that the Auris is every bit as good in terms of mpg

Interesting ...so I wonder how spraying oil on the u/j resolves it, unless it some kind of thick gloopy grease....

[myriagon]

I bought a Gen 1 Auris at the end of June. It was a year old having done ~5000 miles.

On the test drive I noticed a bad rattle from the steering. The salesman assured me it would be fixed before I collected the car. Sure enough when I collected the car it wasn't fixed! I returned it to the garage and apparently a loose screw was identified as the cause for the steering rattle. By now I had another rattle from the passenger side, a creak from the centre console and a clunk noise from the steering when going over potholes.

After two more visits to the garage I still get the occasional creak from the centre console and clunk from the steering is still there too. The garage say they have thoroughly checked over the steering column and there's nothing wrong with it. I am not convinced.

I do like the hydrid drive and low running costs, however it's disappointing that my Auris isn't a more "solid" car. I wonder if they are all like mine and if I should have gone for a Prius?

[Hicardo]

Well - my car gen 1 Auris HSD was in the garage for assessment of the steering knock.

They had the car all day, and yet when they spoke to me, said for the second time they couldn't find anything wrong.

I asked to speak directly to the technician ...who told me he had driven the car on all kinds of roads including gravel for 10 miles, and the car was fine.

As far as I'm concerned there is a problem and they haven't tried hard enough to diagnose it, simple as that. They have suggested I book a "right first time" appointment where I take a technician out for a drive and point out the problem. So I'm going to have to find a rough road near the garage in order to finally prove it to them. I told them it should be called a "right third time" appointment.

When I checked the elapsed driving time, it was 10 mins more than when I had left it, so I doubt it had gone for a proper diagnostic drive. The technician told me he didn't look on line either, "especially at forums"...he was particularly dismissive.

So the onus is on me to prove it....which I will, but its annoying when they don't seem to take issues seriously, and its wasting a lot of time getting it fixed

[Hicardo]

Michael ..can I have details of the toyota dealer that diagnosed and performed the work for you? Maybe I can have my garage speak to them and confer? Still no further problems with yours?

[Motif66]

Sorry to hear no luck Rich, Mine seems to be OK at the moment but I thought I felt a small knock on Thursday, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

My Toyota dealer is Somerset County Cars at Taunton, They need to speak to Rob Melhuish, I don't think he is in on Mondays. rob.melhuish@scc.toyota.co.uk. He felt the problem on more than one occasion. Although their Technician had problems feeling anything. The problem that I had was trying to find a way to make it happen every time. I am assuming that you mentioned the UV joint to them? It was most noticeable on full lock to the right when reversing, but with very little power applied to the motor. ( You can see It is hard to explain even when you sit down and think about it) and yes it was occasionally noticeable on rough surfaces, but not under much power applied.

I hope that is some help to you.

Regards

Mike

[Ten Ninety]

My wife's Auris had a knocking from the steering column. It only ever happened when returning home (never going out), only on our road pulling up to our house, driving below 20mph. It was a proper knocking that could be felt through the wheel. I think it must have been related to a particular 'frequency' of bumps on the road surface.

Because that was the only time it ever seemed to do it, I never bothered getting it looked at it but it would seem that it may be a common 'problem' rather than a fault with one specific car. A few weeks back I lowered the steering wheel using the adjuster inside; since then I haven't noticed the knock at all but this may be sheer coincidence.

[Motif66]

Adjusting the steering in and out and up and down was the first thing the garage tried, but it did not work for mine.

It may be down to driving style, I tend not to put my foot down and to easy off the throttle when driving that is when it is most noticeably.

[Motif66]

My steering knock has returned, so it is going in again on Monday, they are going to oil the joint again to see if it goes away again, then if it returns it must be the UV joint in the column. At the moment it is the worst it has been.

[Hicardo]

Ah....sorry to hear that. Mine seems a bit better. Confusing or what?

[Motif66]

Have you had anything done to yours Rich? as you say it a bit better , Mine went in on Monday and was oiled again but the garage decided that they could still feel it, so rather than me getting fed up with it they have it booked in for next week to change the bottom half of the steering. So I will update next week.

[acetip]

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/116356-clicking-noise-from-steering/?hl=%2Bsteering+%2Bclicking.

There has been several posts on this subject in the pastand i think some owners have had steering joints replaced.

though not a workshop bulletin has been issued as with the corolla.

Did a search using the faciliy at the top of the page putting in steering noise and Auris.

My Auris does it sometimes just after starting up and reversing out of my drive. Its got no worse but i do little miliage these days.

[Hicardo]

Hi mike, no I've done nothing other than adjust the steering column repeatedly. But I'm glad to see yours is getting taken seriously by your dealer.

So that means that the dealer must have talked to Toyota and they have given the go ahead to change the u/j under warranty. My unhelpful lot have said there's no way Toyota would agree to do that for me.

So I'm still at the stage of, if it recurs ill try to prove the issue to their technician.....OR I could book into your dealer in Somerset!

I hope swapping the u/j will sort the issue out for you.

[Motif66]

Rich look at the following http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/116356-clicking-noise-from-steering/?hl=%2Bsteering+%2Bclicking.

[Motif66]

Steering column changed on Thursday, like a new car now, smooooooth!!!! no knocking.

[Hicardo]

Hi mike...great news...did they say what the issue was with the old column?