Nrg Auto, Stiff Steering & Wandering

[bitman]

Hi All,

Since a couple days I have a strange behavior with my 3 doors Rav 4 NRG Auto.

The steering feels stiff and the vehicle wanders to follow any camber in the road including the white lines on the road. When braking with about 30mph in a corner the steering really wants to go back to the centre.

Well to make a long story short: it drives like my Series 2A Land Rover in 4 wheel drive on the tarmac.

What did I check?

- Tire pressure, fine on 30psi (I always have it on 30 and not 29)

- Tires are 6 months old, 7 mm

- Power steering fluid is perfect on level

- 4 wheel alignment done 1 month ago, spot on

- Had it’s 60k service done about 1 month ago

- All wheel bolts checked, fine

- No noise on full lock driving circles

- All wheel hubs are cold, no brakes are sticking

- Had a quick visual check, looks good no loosen suspension parts hanging around

So what can this be? Any ideas?

bt

[anchorman]

I strongly suspect the universal joint in the steering column where it connects to the rack and pinion. You can sometimes remove them and very very carefully just keep working it back and to while soaking it with WD40. Eventually when it is free you can soak it in engine oil.

If not it will need to be renewed and may be part of the column. To test it, jack up both front wheels and without the engine running, turn the steering wheel steadily from lock to lock. You will feel it go alternately stiff then easy as the U/J goes through the siezed plane. It is also why your steering seems to have a mind of it's own. If this is the case, removing the U/J could turn out to be quite a big job and may even require you to remove some of the steering column.

Good luck

[bitman]

thanks anchorman!

hope it will be covert by the extended warranty since i bought it in feb this year as approved toyota vehicle at toyota rochford.

bt

[anchorman]

In that case you want new parts!

[bitman]

Well I went to the Toyota garage in Bromsgrove.

The service manager took it for a spin, drove about 60mph over a B road with more holes than a Switchers cheese, and told me there isn’t any thing wrong with that vehicle…

[anchorman]

What do you think?

If you're not happy take it to a decent local garage and ask them for their opinion.

[bitman]

yeah i will do that but that will cost me a day off work but it has to be since i'm not happy with the behavior of the vehicle at the moment.

but still the old question is there any good toyota garage around? bad experience so far with birmingham, wolverhampton, coventry & bromsgroove...

[bitman]

had my car booked in yesterday at toyota westlands stourbridge.

guy told me ok that about £160 diagnostics before we can do any claims on the insurance... i also have a orange light on in the instrument cluster since a week. so i told them no way i gone pay any monies for a approved toyota vehicle what is still under warranty and went home. they did do a reset of the ICE to clear that light but it came on with in 10 meters of driving. they have to order that broken sensor.

i just give up and keep driving till this box is breaking down and then call toyota club to sort it all out. i’m just to tired to deal with kind of service.

[anchorman]

I don't understand. What kind of diagnostics cost £160?

[bitman]

neither do i, i don't understand it. he told me that it's labor to find the faults... so they could contact the warranty company to tell the faults and see if it's under warranty. will have a test drive in a sorento soon.

[anchorman]

Isn't there a good independant local garage that you can ask?

[bitman]

thanks anchorman for your support and suggestions. :)

i personally think that one of the shock absorbers is broken (they act as an hinge when turning the steering wheel isn’t it). because if you put power on the drive shafts, accelerating or engine brake, you can feel it in the steering. also when braking you can feel the steering wheel want to find it’s way. any way for now I can’t be border with it, have other things on my mind more important that this box on wheels.