Power Steer Problem

[daintyboy609]

Hi all, I have a 98 GS400 with 77,000 miles that i bought a couple of weeks back. I was just able to get it on the road and immediately noticed a problem with the power steering. First the steering wheel is very stiff and whenever i make a turn and release the steering wheel it does not come back as it is supposed to. I have to manually bring it back around. I have checked the power steering fluid and its full so that is not the problem. The steering is real stiff, is this how its supposed to be? Can someone, anyone please help as i dont know what the issue is and how much it would cost to get this fixed. I am scared to death and dread going to the dealer. Thanks in Advance.

[GuyTelefunken]

Sounds like you need a steering rack. I did mine at about the same mileage. It had the same symptoms. The steering wheel seemed to stay where you put it and not return to center.

Keep in mind you will need a wheel alignment when it is replaced.

[daintyboy609]

Sounds like you need a steering rack. I did mine at about the same mileage. It had the same symptoms. The steering wheel seemed to stay where you put it and not return to center.

Keep in mind you will need a wheel alignment when it is replaced.

Wow sounds bad :cries: . Can you tell me how much it will cost to replace this? Where can i find it to purchase besides the dealer and what could have possibly caused it to go bad i n the first place?

[TRD911]

Sounds like you need a steering rack. I did mine at about the same mileage. It had the same symptoms. The steering wheel seemed to stay where you put it and not return to center.

Keep in mind you will need a wheel alignment when it is replaced.

Wow sounds bad :cries: . Can you tell me how much it will cost to replace this? Where can i find it to purchase besides the dealer and what could have possibly caused it to go bad i n the first place?

sorry I just had to comment on this topic. Sounds like the pretensioner is too tight. Please read though the following.

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=293425

BP

[daintyboy609]

Sounds like you need a steering rack. I did mine at about the same mileage. It had the same symptoms. The steering wheel seemed to stay where you put it and not return to center.

Keep in mind you will need a wheel alignment when it is replaced.

Wow sounds bad :cries: . Can you tell me how much it will cost to replace this? Where can i find it to purchase besides the dealer and what could have possibly caused it to go bad i n the first place?

sorry I just had to comment on this topic. Sounds like the pretensioner is too tight. Please read though the following.

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=293425

BP

Thanks for your reply that thread was a bit helpful as my car also pulls to either side but mostly to the right. What exactly is the pretensioner and where is it located so that i can loosen it. I am willing to try anything before i shell big bucks as ive just started driving this car for two days but it seems like this just might be the problem.

[GuyTelefunken]

Any auto parts store should have rebuilt racks available. I got mine at Carquest for something in the $300.00 range. The Lexus price for a new rack is +/- $1200.00. It takes a few hours and will require wheel alignment when complete. It's a bit messy, but not too difficult.

Just a side note, there are no adjustments to be made externally on the outside of the steering rack. When the rack is assembled, each piece is installed with a precise torque and position. Adjusting and or tampering with any adjustment is just plain unsafe. Of course, if you possess the correct tooling, experience, and knowledge to rebuild a steering rack, than you may disagree with the previous statement.

[kj300]

Any auto parts store should have rebuilt racks available. I got mine at Carquest for something in the $300.00 range. The Lexus price for a new rack is +/- $1200.00. It takes a few hours and will require wheel alignment when complete. It's a bit messy, but not too difficult.

Just a side note, there are no adjustments to be made externally on the outside of the steering rack. When the rack is assembled, each piece is installed with a precise torque and position. Adjusting and or tampering with any adjustment is just plain unsafe. Of course, if you possess the correct tooling, experience, and knowledge to rebuild a steering rack, than you may disagree with the previous statement.

Wow I am having the EXACT same problem with my GS300. The steering wheel does not recenter and the steering is stiff. It also makes a whirling noise when I steer. I took it to a mechanic who suggested that it was the rack but then he didn't want to do the work based on a guess because of the high cost of parts and labor. I took it to another mechanic who says it might be the power steering pump causing the problem. I am sceptical about the power steering pump idea but it was cheep enough for me to try it out. I should have the results of this experiment after the weekend.

[daintyboy609]

Any auto parts store should have rebuilt racks available. I got mine at Carquest for something in the $300.00 range. The Lexus price for a new rack is +/- $1200.00. It takes a few hours and will require wheel alignment when complete. It's a bit messy, but not too difficult.

Just a side note, there are no adjustments to be made externally on the outside of the steering rack. When the rack is assembled, each piece is installed with a precise torque and position. Adjusting and or tampering with any adjustment is just plain unsafe. Of course, if you possess the correct tooling, experience, and knowledge to rebuild a steering rack, than you may disagree with the previous statement.

Wow I am having the EXACT same problem with my GS300. The steering wheel does not recenter and the steering is stiff. It also makes a whirling noise when I steer. I took it to a mechanic who suggested that it was the rack but then he didn't want to do the work based on a guess because of the high cost of parts and labor. I took it to another mechanic who says it might be the power steering pump causing the problem. I am sceptical about the power steering pump idea but it was cheep enough for me to try it out. I should have the results of this experiment after the weekend.

Wow sorry to hear that. But i would like to hear your results. What i did thus far before going down the expensive route was to manually take out the old power steering fluid with a turkey bass (read this in another post) and filled her up with dexron/mercon transmission fluid. I then turned the wheel with the car running about 30 times in each direction for two days while the car is parked. It began to loosen up. I then took it back to the previous owner after a couple of days, who is a mechanic and he used an auto vac machine to flush out all the power steering fluids and clean the plastic power steering fluid holder. Filled her up with dexron/mercon transmission fluid along with power steering additives to loosen up the wheel. The wheel has loosened up alot but i am still feeling it out. Its definitely not perfect or how i think it should be though but it has loosened up.