zlexus

Have owned a 2010 LS 460 AWD for almost three weeks. The car runs great. But last weekend after I made a U-turn, the steering wheel didn't return to the center and the car kept going left. I had to manually turn the steering wheel back to the center to avoid the car hitting the tree on the left. I tested for more U-turns and the same thing happened --- the steering wheel stayed where it turned and didn't return to the center. Nonetheless, the steering wheel returns to the center smoothly after making normal left or right turns.

I brought the car to the dealer today. According to the dealer, this is normal for AWD LS 460, and I need to manually turn the steering wheel back to the center after making a U-turn. It didn't sound right for me. Does anybody who drives AWD LS 460 have the same problem? I appreciate your input.

jstjohnz

I can't comment on the AWD, but my LWB FWD 2007 will bring the wheel back to center on it's own. My FWD LS430 on the other hand will tend to 'lock' the wheel hard over.

I would think this would be more of an issue on the RWD models since they have a shorter turning radius hence a larger hard-over steering angle.

Does it do it in both directions? If it's one direction only I would suspect an alignment issue.

zlexus

jstjohnz, thank you for your inputs. It did in both directions, left and right. The steering wheel works fine with enough power to return to the center after making normal left and right turns. But after a sharp U-turn at low speed, the steering wheel feels like dead and stays where it's turned. To pull the car straight, the steering wheel has to be manually turned to the center. It seems that there is nothing the dealer can do about this. Again, thank you for your inputs.

G2Lexus

This is an effect of AWD. I have a Jeep and it does the same thing when in 4 wheel drive.

I-FORCE

iTrader: (3)

I have a 2006 Lexus LX470 which also does the same scenario on a frequent basis. I had my local dealership look at it; and they owe that it is normal. Having said that, my LX is the first year Lexus applied their 'Active Steering' technology; the reason behind the malfunction IMO.

Dont let it get to you, i personally got over it ages ago. I actually think its funny sometimes when the steeringwheel seems locked 180 degrees.

Hope this helps - goodluck

juiceandja

I have had the same issue. On the day I bought the car and a few times since, when I have had to make a sharp or u-turn.

When I turn the steering wheel fails to come back to center as expected in all modern cars. It is pretty hairy when this happens because it feels unatural, my hand are postioned saying that I should still be turning but the car is driving straight. It slowly comes back to center over the next 15 seconds.

I refuse to believe this is a normal AWD Phenomena.

Guess we won't know unless people start dying like in some toyotas and gas pedals.

zlexus

Thank you for the replies. I emailed Lexus customer service, and received a phone call from its representative, asking me to take the car to the dealership for a check, which I already did. I don't feel taking the car to the dealer is helpful. The same dealer said this was normal last week.

This appears to be a design problem that Lexus seems not willing to admit. Too bad. The steering wheel should return to the center position as all other modern cars do when it functions properly at high or low speed when you make turns. I am thinking about writing Lexus customer service a notice and put this on the record for potential action.

Toymota

I think it is a property of the high positive caster angle in the steering axis. At first for small steering angles the caster helps the wheel return to center. Like if you rock a boat a small amount it will push back to equilibrium. But after you steer past a certain point (e.g. going full lock for a u-turn) the wheel 'falls over' and goes away from center. Like if you pushed a boat past this point, it will capsize.

You can't do anything about it. The caster angle is fixed in the suspension design.

Slvr surfr

iTrader: (1)

NO LS model since 89 have been FWD except the ones built on mars maybe. . Anyway, i have a 05 ls430 with the 18" alloys which has RWD and this also happens to me. I really don't think its an AWD problem but just a side effect of how the car was designed. My assumption would be the high turn ratio of the LS along with the large wheels that,as someone said earlier, will tip the wheels over a certain point a cause them to lock or stay in that position because of weight and turning angle. Personally, its no biggie for me to just turn it back now. Kinda gotta used to it by now although it did make me wonder the first couple of times it happened. With so many other good things about the car that makes up for that minute issue, i would just accept that one as an personality trait.

zlexus

Glad to see Lexus finally admitted this is a defect. I have driven my LS over 4K miles in the past three months, and had to carefully turn the steering wheel back to the center every time making a tight turn. Hope this headache will end soon after the recall and repair.

TNLS600hL

I saw on lexusenthusiast that there will be a recall regarding this issue. it does that on my 600hl, the wheels are straight but takes a little time before the steering wheel return to normal. the system should correct itself but this is not a normal problem. i'm waiting for the recall to come out and bring it to the dealer for the fix

JAXLS460

It has to deal with the VGRS. It affects a few late 09 models and 2010 LS 460, 460, and 600.

Helmar

This is NOT a trait of all AWD cars.

My 2008 AWD LS600hL exhibits no such behavior.

After a turn, the steering wheel returns to the center.

HBH

TNLS600hL

for me it usually only happens at slow speed and only on sharp u turn, otherwise it's normal, it doesn't bother me that much because the steering wheel self correct itself, just a little slow

zlexus

It's still annoying and unsafe even though it happens only on slow turns. Steering wheels on all modern cars are designed and manufactured to return to the center quickly, for a good reason - safety. A driver of a modern car such as Lexus expects that the steering wheel and the four wheels return to the center and point straight quickly after making a turn. If they do not work as expected, accident will likely happen, even at slow speed.

It's the right step Lexus has taken to admit this problem and issue a recall. But the way Lexus and its dealer treated this problem initially was troubling - they fabricated a story saying that this is normal on AWD models. The recall shows that this is not normal, and this has nothing to do with AWD. I am glad that Lexus addressed the problem in months, not years.