Firm steerying at startup and then goes away?
01-02-13, 05:45 PM
#1
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Firm steerying at startup and then goes away?
RX330, 2005, 100K miles, AWD, tires have 5K miles on them
Recently, we've noticed that our steering starts out in the morning (a cold morning) with it being very firm and noticeably hard to steer either to the left or to the right - but with a slippery feel in between the two extremes. So, if you try to make a large turn, you feel a lot of resistance, but small movements are very easy.
After about 5min of operation, the problem seems to go away and the car behaves fine. We've only noticed it during the coming winter cold season. I don't remember this happening during the summer.
We've never changed our brake fluid, and it has never needed refilling. The fluid looks a clear golden color, no sign of anything in it.
It's very odd, never seen anything like it. The car is operable with the problem, it is just odd and not sure what it means. Any advice would be welcome.
Recently, we've noticed that our steering starts out in the morning (a cold morning) with it being very firm and noticeably hard to steer either to the left or to the right - but with a slippery feel in between the two extremes. So, if you try to make a large turn, you feel a lot of resistance, but small movements are very easy.
After about 5min of operation, the problem seems to go away and the car behaves fine. We've only noticed it during the coming winter cold season. I don't remember this happening during the summer.
We've never changed our brake fluid, and it has never needed refilling. The fluid looks a clear golden color, no sign of anything in it.
It's very odd, never seen anything like it. The car is operable with the problem, it is just odd and not sure what it means. Any advice would be welcome.
01-02-13, 07:10 PM
#2
1st welcome to CL.
Have you changed your power steering fluid? Are they murky?
Do you hear whining when you steer?
Have you changed your power steering fluid? Are they murky?
Do you hear whining when you steer?
01-03-13, 12:31 AM
#3
Intermediate
quick question, the previous owner of my car put yellow (mercedes/bmw type) power steering fluid into the reservoir. On my recent oil change i asked the mechanic to change the fluid out and put in Toyota Type IV.
When i picked up the car i assumed he had followed my instructions and changed it out but on a cleaning i noticed that it was still the yellow fluid. When i called him, he said some nonsense about not being able to mix the two types and he though he would just replace it with the same. I think he couldn't be bothered to go the 20 clicks to the dealer to pick up the type IV, but i don't know.
Anyone know if i can just do the turkey baster and pour method to do this over a few weeks, or is the mechanic correct that Power Sterring Fluid and Type IV ATF should never be mixed.
Thanking You for your input..
When i picked up the car i assumed he had followed my instructions and changed it out but on a cleaning i noticed that it was still the yellow fluid. When i called him, he said some nonsense about not being able to mix the two types and he though he would just replace it with the same. I think he couldn't be bothered to go the 20 clicks to the dealer to pick up the type IV, but i don't know.
Anyone know if i can just do the turkey baster and pour method to do this over a few weeks, or is the mechanic correct that Power Sterring Fluid and Type IV ATF should never be mixed.
Thanking You for your input..
01-03-13, 03:39 AM
#4
Think it is good time to point out that the RX does not use power steering fluid. Rather, it uses DEXRON II/III ATF. Yes, that is correct. See the chart. So, if the bottle of fluid you are using does not say it is compatible with DEXRON II/III you should not be using it.
A bottle of Mobil 1 ATF might be a good choice. Word of note, different regions have products of the same name as here in the States with different specs so it is always best to check the bottle to see what it says to see if it is compatible with DEXRON II/III. Mobil 1 ATF is something Lexmex, myself and others use. I take a 2L soda bottle and a pump sprayer such as what you might find in a bottle of Windex. Use the pump to spray the contents out of the reservoir into the bottle. Takes all but a few minutes. Do that a few times over the months and you will have removed much of the old fluid. I started replacing with just standard DEXRON ATF fluid to get the old stuff out and then switched to Mobil 1.
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...hetic_ATF.aspx
Regardless of what you have in your reservoir, RuninRoach, I would think you would want to drain/flush the whole system to put the correct fluid in there. You do not want any contaminant in the system and who knows what using the wrong fluid with its additives will do to the rubber and parts in the power steering system of an RX. Of course, that is just my opinion. Since I do not know what chemicals are in the fluid you have in there and how they would react to other types of fluid or even to the power steering components in your RX, perhaps few would and I am sure even fewer have actually tested for such, it is probably better to error on the side of safety.
A bottle of Mobil 1 ATF might be a good choice. Word of note, different regions have products of the same name as here in the States with different specs so it is always best to check the bottle to see what it says to see if it is compatible with DEXRON II/III. Mobil 1 ATF is something Lexmex, myself and others use. I take a 2L soda bottle and a pump sprayer such as what you might find in a bottle of Windex. Use the pump to spray the contents out of the reservoir into the bottle. Takes all but a few minutes. Do that a few times over the months and you will have removed much of the old fluid. I started replacing with just standard DEXRON ATF fluid to get the old stuff out and then switched to Mobil 1.
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...hetic_ATF.aspx
Regardless of what you have in your reservoir, RuninRoach, I would think you would want to drain/flush the whole system to put the correct fluid in there. You do not want any contaminant in the system and who knows what using the wrong fluid with its additives will do to the rubber and parts in the power steering system of an RX. Of course, that is just my opinion. Since I do not know what chemicals are in the fluid you have in there and how they would react to other types of fluid or even to the power steering components in your RX, perhaps few would and I am sure even fewer have actually tested for such, it is probably better to error on the side of safety.
01-03-13, 03:53 AM
#5
RX330, 2005, 100K miles, AWD, tires have 5K miles on them
Recently, we've noticed that our steering starts out in the morning (a cold morning) with it being very firm and noticeably hard to steer either to the left or to the right - but with a slippery feel in between the two extremes. So, if you try to make a large turn, you feel a lot of resistance, but small movements are very easy.
After about 5min of operation, the problem seems to go away and the car behaves fine. We've only noticed it during the coming winter cold season. I don't remember this happening during the summer.
We've never changed our brake fluid, and it has never needed refilling. The fluid looks a clear golden color, no sign of anything in it.
It's very odd, never seen anything like it. The car is operable with the problem, it is just odd and not sure what it means. Any advice would be welcome.
Recently, we've noticed that our steering starts out in the morning (a cold morning) with it being very firm and noticeably hard to steer either to the left or to the right - but with a slippery feel in between the two extremes. So, if you try to make a large turn, you feel a lot of resistance, but small movements are very easy.
After about 5min of operation, the problem seems to go away and the car behaves fine. We've only noticed it during the coming winter cold season. I don't remember this happening during the summer.
We've never changed our brake fluid, and it has never needed refilling. The fluid looks a clear golden color, no sign of anything in it.
It's very odd, never seen anything like it. The car is operable with the problem, it is just odd and not sure what it means. Any advice would be welcome.
Welcome to Club Lexus, kenpimente.
You talk about your power steering problem then mention you checked the brake fluid. So, not sure what you are trying to do here. Did you remove the engine cover from the passenger side under the hood so you can inspect the power steering reservoir? That is where you need to go. It cannot be seen under the hood unless you remove that cover. The brake fluid reservoir is on the other side, driver side, and is visible without removing the engine cover.
I would chance a guess that the power steering fluid level might be low or that the fluid has never been changed. If it is low you will want to have the power steering rack inspected for leaks. A Toyota shop or independent shop can easily do this for you as needed.
01-07-13, 06:45 AM
#6
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You're right! I'm an idiot. I looked at the brake fluid reservoir not the power steering one. I'll have to figure out where the power steering fluid is and check that. Thanks for jogging my old brain!
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