goofygrin Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 My RX with ~7500 miles has basically done this since day one, but I think it might be getting worse. Basically if you are cruising at like 40+ mph and just turn the wheel a little bit, the steering moves, then jumps as if the gears in the steering rack are just catching. It's worse when you drive with your hand at the bottom of the wheel. My wife (it's her car really) took it to the dealer today and they say that it's inherent in all 400h's and that they felt it on all their other 400h's (that they test drove). A Lexus engineer will be at the dealership on Wednesday and we'll take the car back in to have them look at it. It's to the point where if they don't fix it, I'm going to get a new car because it does not inspire confidence at all when driving (I mean, when I'm driving along, and having to make the minor steering changes to follow the track of the road or wind or whatever, the car will just jerk around instead of tracking smooth). Anyone else having this problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerryray Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 NO, not all all. Something not right there. 7500 miles here too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmke Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 My RX with ~7500 miles has basically done this since day one, but I think it might be getting worse. Basically if you are cruising at like 40+ mph and just turn the wheel a little bit, the steering moves, then jumps as if the gears in the steering rack are just catching. It's worse when you drive with your hand at the bottom of the wheel. My wife (it's her car really) took it to the dealer today and they say that it's inherent in all 400h's and that they felt it on all their other 400h's (that they test drove). A Lexus engineer will be at the dealership on Wednesday and we'll take the car back in to have them look at it. It's to the point where if they don't fix it, I'm going to get a new car because it does not inspire confidence at all when driving (I mean, when I'm driving along, and having to make the minor steering changes to follow the track of the road or wind or whatever, the car will just jerk around instead of tracking smooth). Anyone else having this problem? Not seeing this on our RX400h either and we have ~16200 miles ... KJH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katzjamr Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 9000 miles never had that problem and it would bother me too. My steering is as solid as day one. Of course the steering does feel different compared to other vehicles, there is more torque steer under heavy power and it is more sensitive to crowns in the road. However i dont think what you describle is normal. Also i would not hesitate to mention to them that you have polled others online from a community of owners and no one has the symptoms you describe. Good luck and keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW03ES Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Have you driven another RX400h for comparison? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goofygrin Posted March 28, 2006 Author Share Posted March 28, 2006 Have you driven another RX400h for comparison? I've not, but I suggested that she do (I'll be out of town on wednesday)... maybe I'll stop by the dealer on my way home tomorrow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwest Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 9000 miles never had that problem and it would bother me too. My steering is as solid as day one. Of course the steering does feel different compared to other vehicles, there is more torque steer under heavy power and it is more sensitive to crowns in the road. However i dont think what you describle is normal. Also i would not hesitate to mention to them that you have polled others online from a community of owners and no one has the symptoms you describe. Good luck and keep us posted. "...more torque stear unde heavy power....." What you are more likely experiencing is the fact that the EPS, Electric Power Stearing, reduces the level of power stearing assistance provided to the driver as more and more engine torque/HP, "power" is used. The idea, apparently, is to make it harder for the driver to enter severe steearing inputs in any direction when the front tires' roadbed traction coefficient is being dedicated mostly to forward "drive". Additionally it appears from reading the materials, Toyota documentation, that EPS is used to completely cancel any effects of torque stearing from reaching the stearing wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goofygrin Posted March 28, 2006 Author Share Posted March 28, 2006 9000 miles never had that problem and it would bother me too. My steering is as solid as day one. Of course the steering does feel different compared to other vehicles, there is more torque steer under heavy power and it is more sensitive to crowns in the road. However i dont think what you describle is normal. Also i would not hesitate to mention to them that you have polled others online from a community of owners and no one has the symptoms you describe. Good luck and keep us posted. "...more torque stear unde heavy power....." What you are more likely experiencing is the fact that the EPS, Electric Power Stearing, reduces the level of power stearing assistance provided to the driver as more and more engine torque/HP, "power" is used. The idea, apparently, is to make it harder for the driver to enter severe steearing inputs in any direction when the front tires' roadbed traction coefficient is being dedicated mostly to forward "drive". Additionally it appears from reading the materials, Toyota documentation, that EPS is used to completely cancel any effects of torque stearing from reaching the stearing wheel. I'm all for variable power steering, but that's not what I'm feeling. If I go out to the garage and start the car, and, with my hand at the bottom of the wheel, slowly turn it right to left (heck or left to right), it will turn a little, then catch and "jerk" as it catches. This sensation isn't as powerful as when driving, but it's similar... of all the cars I've owned or driven, I've never felt this except in my corvette when the steering coupler was bad and would "snap" after you gave it guidance (and was a major source of float-iness). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goofygrin Posted March 28, 2006 Author Share Posted March 28, 2006 I went to the dealership this morning and test drove a demo with 200 miles... I think it was a 2wd and ours is the awd, but I doubt that that's an issue. The demo car does not do the same thing. I'm having my wife take the car back in tomorrow to see the engineer (I'll be out of town).... Hopefully it's something simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katzjamr Posted March 29, 2006 Share Posted March 29, 2006 9000 miles never had that problem and it would bother me too. My steering is as solid as day one. Of course the steering does feel different compared to other vehicles, there is more torque steer under heavy power and it is more sensitive to crowns in the road. However i dont think what you describle is normal. Also i would not hesitate to mention to them that you have polled others online from a community of owners and no one has the symptoms you describe. Good luck and keep us posted. "...more torque stear unde heavy power....." What you are more likely experiencing is the fact that the EPS, Electric Power Stearing, reduces the level of power stearing assistance provided to the driver as more and more engine torque/HP, "power" is used. The idea, apparently, is to make it harder for the driver to enter severe steearing inputs in any direction when the front tires' roadbed traction coefficient is being dedicated mostly to forward "drive". Additionally it appears from reading the materials, Toyota documentation, that EPS is used to completely cancel any effects of torque stearing from reaching the stearing wheel. today on a long freeway on ramp i accelerated quickly and i now understand what you are saying, what i thot was torque steer was the 'heavyness' of less power steering assist at speed. learning something every day, thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goofygrin Posted March 30, 2006 Author Share Posted March 30, 2006 Just a quick update... my wife took the car in yesterday and they were able to recreate it... Now we wait for them to fix it (not sure what all they are doing). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW03ES Posted March 31, 2006 Share Posted March 31, 2006 Its probably a bad steering rack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goofygrin Posted March 31, 2006 Author Share Posted March 31, 2006 Its probably a bad steering rack. That's my bet... but my wife get's different explanations than I do when I go in there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW03ES Posted March 31, 2006 Share Posted March 31, 2006 That probably has less to do with the difference between the two of you and more to do with them not having any earthly idea what they're talking about lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goofygrin Posted April 1, 2006 Author Share Posted April 1, 2006 Ha! Anyway, it appears they just changed the ECU... I've not driven the car, and my wife wasn't paying attention (something about a headache and our son was screaming)... so I'm not sure if it fixed it... I'm sure I'll check it out this weekend sometime! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goofygrin Posted April 11, 2006 Author Share Posted April 11, 2006 I drove it this weekend. Notchiness is gone, but there is a definite pull to the right... The fun never ends :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katzjamr Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 I have no notchiness in 10K of 400h ownership. The steering effort does increase under hard acceleration, (feels like torque steer) and the power steering assist is lower at highway speeds. I know this sounds too easy but make sure all the tires are inflated to the same psi, Lexus ships the 400h at 40psi to eliminate flat spots on the tires. Alot of dealers dont adjust it to the approx 32 that is more normal. This will affect your steering. Some owners many months ago had similar pulling problems and it took them more than one try to find a dealer who knew how to align the hybrid correctly. (some of those dealers even changed out the tires for the owners from goodyears to michelins and vice versa). I would try another dealer if you can, or educate this dealer if you can. Also remember this steering is more sensitive to crowns in the road than other vehicles so if your road is not flat it will want to pull. It shouldnt do it on normal road conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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