Prius (Gen 3) :: Steering Wheel Does Not Fully Return To Center Position When Turn Right Or Left
Aug 13, 2014
Today, I just picked up my 2014 prius. Basically, when I do a right/left turn on the car, when accelerating out of the turn, the steering wheel does not fully return to the center position (its approximately in the one/eleven o'clock position). Also, if I leave the wheel straight, and drive straight, the car will drive straight and not pull towards the side so I don't think its an alignment issue. I'm not sure if this is normal, or if its happening just because they car is new or just because I'm not accelerating hard enough out of the turn (I always stayed in the eco range with the HSI. )
View 5 Replies
Advertisement
I noticed this problem day as I was out and about, as I come out of a medium to hard turn (at least one wheel rotation) my wheel doesn't want to return fully to the center position. The wheel starts to slow down about half a turn in either position and I need to get it around the quarter turn position. I don't have to force it much, it feels more turning the wheel while in park.
I has winter tires put on in December and the mechanic told me they couldn't do an alignment because one of my rear coils was broken (planning on getting that fixed myself once I get a weekend where it's not at or below 0 outside) and my front ball-joints (I think that's what they said) was loose and that the front joint didn't need to be looked at immediately, but by spring should be replaced.
That front joint is what's giving me problems? Or is it something else?
View 5 Replies
I have a 2009 screw with ~60k miles. It is used for DD and tows our small camper or my flat deck w/jeep.
The other day I noticed an issue when turning right. The wheel gets hard to turn and does not want to return to center. There is also a low speed clunk you can feel in the steering wheel/column itself.
The truck is at the dealer now and they said the rack needs to be replaced and there is something in the column they need to replace too. I have the extended warranty, so this is all but covered 100%. I just have a deductible to pay.
I have not hit anything with the truck, so I am not sure what caused these issues.
View 3 Replies
I have a 1987 ford ranger 4x4 with automatic hubs. My automatic hubs completely destroyed themselves and are being replaced with manuals as soon as this new problem is solved. Initially the truck seemed to go in and out of 4 wheel on the hubs and jumped, snapped and ultimately destroyed the retaining clips in the hub itself so that those gears fell out when wheel was removed. I removed both sides and that stopped, but now when I turn the vehicle, this worse at lower speeds, it doesn't want to return to center and will stay in the turn without much effort to turn back to straight.
The pump seems fine on the power steering system. A mechanic friend of mine told me that my universal and upper and lower ball joints where shot on the front axle, but I feel that this might have more to do with the steering rods etc. The originals have been replaced and I am able to grease them, after doing this it seemed really loose for a bit, then by second day of driving it was back to the usual. I just am looking for some verification before replacing tie rods etc and then eventually the hubs, but winter over so there is less concern right now for that.
View 2 Replies
I have a new 2 week old Prius 4. So far I love it. I've put about 600 miles on it. This past weekend I spent a decent amount of time on the freeway and noticed an issue with my steering. I'm pretty sure it is an alignment issue.
The car tracks straight. When I let go of the wheel the car goes dead straight but...the steering wheel is a bit off center turn slightly to the left. If I hold the wheel and turn the steering wheel right to exactly straight the car will go right. It's like they they aligned the car with the steering wheel slightly off center.
View 10 Replies
Just bought this '08 F250 CCSB 4X4 5.4 Problem is the steering seems heavy, it tends to wander at higher speeds and won't return to center after a turn. I've searched on here and found a few possibilities (axle u joints, ball joints, steering gear, etc). I have an appointment with the dealer on Friday to fix it under warranty but he is convinced it's the u joints in the steering shaft seizing. When my F150 steering shaft began to seize, it would be hard to turn then break free then be hard then break free and this is not what is happening on the SD. I haven't had a chance to check the front end myself but not sure how you would check the axle u joints if there was no play in them. How would you check to see if they were seizing up.
View 3 Replies
Runs into a problem with steering wheel not wanting to return back to straight after a turn...spray wd40 on u joints on steering shaft ( under hood)....
View 2 Replies
Experienced a weird clicking sound when the steering wheel is fully locked either left or right, when turning at low speeds? Its more of a pop than click. No issues driving straight, or in regular turns, just when fully extended.
View 7 Replies
I have a UK 2006 Mk2 CDX+ which I was driving last night - seemed ok, got to our driveway, turned the steering wheel fully left so I could manoeuvre the car into the driveway when I heard a loud "clunk" noise.
I thought I ran over a bottle or something so carried on reversing, when I got out I noticed the car was parked diagonally! Thought this is strange, I don't park like that and tried again, a bit better but still not parallel! I then noticed the steering wheel was hard to turn, a grinding like noise is heard when I turned so I decided I would need to take into the local in the morning.
Started the car today and drove out and got immediate sensation that steering was not connected to the wheels, the SW was off centre by miles and turning left/right was very sluggish. Lucky the garage is only down the road (but it's not Hyundai specialist) from me as I would not risk driving it down main roads in this condition. Guy at garage asked me to fully turn the SW left to right and we can see that the front of the car actually moved during the process. He is going to take it up on the lift to look underneath.
View 6 Replies
My 2005 RX330 has 140,000 kms...and I am now witnessing frequent periods of hard steering. I even sometimes find that after I turn a corner, the steering wheel doesn't return back to straight as I move through the turn - I have to forcefully return the steering back to straight steering. There is plenty of power steering fluid, and there are no abnormal whining noises from the power steering assembly. And since the ease of power steering does still work...I suspect that a ball joint needs looked at.
View 14 Replies
Just got my golf R 4 door/Nav. When driving straight on the highway (regardless of road crown)... my wheel was about 4 degrees off to the left. No problem alignment wise, but the nice flat bottom wheel is cockeyed.
Car has only 330 miles on it. Took it back to the dealership, they put it on the alignment rack - actually had me sit in the car ensuring the wheel was straight as the tech adjusted the Tie Rods below.
This made it better - I instantly noticed it was better when I took a short test ride with the tech, just as they were closing. However, on the highway home I noticed its still about 2 degrees to the left. Really frustrating as now I have to take it back to the dealer a second time.
The tech actually showed me the alignment printout which was close to-but not totally perfect. Said the only way to make it perfect is to adjust the sub-frame? Really? on a new vehicle.
I do have plans to mod the car's suspension with H&R Coilovers - but will not touch anything until I get this wheel thing square and I am 100% satisfied.
View 13 Replies
Having issues with Gen3 Prius steering column? I suddenly developed this clunking noise when I rock my steering wheel from left to right. It's steering correctly but I've never heard this noise before....
View 7 Replies
This morning I opened my center console armrest to tuck the iPod cord back in, when I went to lower the armrest it only dropped about 1/5th the total amount it would need to close. I fooled with it for long enough to know If I continue to apply more pressure something is going to break. The movement it has is smooth until the point it abruptly stops. I checked the owners manual with no luck, called the dealer service center which came up empty handed as well.
View 8 Replies
I just noticed 2 small puddles under the car tonight. They are in the center left to right, and about even with the steering wheel (front to back). They appear to be water, but I was just wondering if this is the normal a/c discharge, or something else?
View 3 Replies
Car is in for knocking sound made when you are stopped and you turn the wheel quick from left to right. Also does the same thing when you hit a bump. Dealer is saying it was always that way I say bs. 2008 prius.
View 1 Replies
I have a 2004 Pruis. Lately I have been noticing a problem with the cruise control. Often when I press the button to turn on the CC it will not come on, but if I turn the steering wheel to the left a bit I am able to turn on the cruise, sometimes when I turn the wheel back it will continue to work and other times it will not. I tried to search and found others posts about prius CC but couldn't find anything that included all of my symptoms.
View 6 Replies
I own a 2015 LX570 with just 8000 miles on it. Been having an issue with my steering position. Every time im on a straight road the car seems to be pulling to the left side if my steering wheel is placed exactly to the center. At first i thought it was an alignment issue as i took it several times to the dealer and they just tell me that there is nothing wrong with it and it drives accurately straight until one time a guy from the dealer came and checked it himself with me and realized the issue and told me that its not an alignment issue its something related to the the electrical steering position not being accurate (( that's what he said)). They took it in and made it accurate as they say, to be honest its not really accurate but much better than before until last week when it became worse and like how it was before, pulling hard to the left, its like if i want to drive straight i need to pull the steering wheel slightly to the right.
View 1 Replies
I have searched the Owners Manual, forum and internet about this, but I can't come up with a solution. Perhaps I am not using the correct terminology. I also have an ALLDATA DIY subscription on this vehicle, but I could not find any instance of this occurring to be able to troubleshoot. I though that there might have been a light out somewhere.
View 2 Replies
While driving to work I did a quick U-turn to avoid a congested left turn lane and when I completed the turn and straightened out, the steering wheel was about 30 degrees off center when driving straight ahead. A few seconds later it slowly centered itself, I'm assuming this was a Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS) fault.
View 5 Replies
I took my truck to work and needed a pitman arm. So took it home put a new one on and the steering wheel was crooked which didn't bother me. but after in cranking the torsion bars I noticed how Badly I needed an alignment. So took it back in for an alignment and I cant turn the steering wheel back to center because the tie rods are maxed out. I tried to take the pitman arm back off center the wheel and everything but the key ways just line up the same way. Any chance the after market pitman arm is off or any clues?
View 11 Replies
My steering wheel has a squeak when turning either left or right slightly from center.. I usually notice the squeak while stationary or parking. It's louder and more noticeable when it's hot outside.
Listening carefully, it seems to be coming from inside the steering column, not from linkages or joints from under the car. Looking for a exploded diagram of the steering column components, perhaps it's just a U joint (tilt?) that needs some lubing to make it quiet.
View 2 Replies
