i read somewhere in the manual that the power steering is motor driven and it do tend to shut off when it overheats. It said wait ten minutes or so then start it up again.i would bring it in for the dealer to check tho.

 

The power steering is electric. There are no pumps of any kind because it isn't hydraulic in any way.

Seriously, this is a warranty issue and should be covered under the basic warranty. The only thing you could possibly do is hold the steering hard against the stop at full lock (left or right, doesn't matter) and make it overheat, but even this is unlikely.

 

Thanx for the info Lobux. So do u reckon that there is something wrong with the power steering if while doing turns while parallel parking the steering sometimes feels heavy? i experienced it sometimes but i cant replicate it.

 

My first car was a 64 Chevy Belair. It had two options; auto trans and an AM radio. No power anything!

Koz

 

The surprising thing was this happened all of a sudden. Anyways, my car is at the dealer now and I have a loaner until they figure out what's up. The service manager was shocked that this happened and explained how they haven't seen it on a new car.

I'll be sure to update this thread once I hear the diagnosis.

 

Hi, did you recently install aftermarket HId's.....someone on this form lost his power stering after frying the steering ECU.....due to the HIDS?

SO just wondering

 

When you say, not next to the P/S ecu, are your reffrring to physical locations, or in terms of position on the circuit?/

I just ordered two kits(fog and low beam).....now scared *****less!!!!

 

Nope, nothing aftermarket in my car.

By the way, I got the car back after 2 days at the dealer. They ended up replacing the entire power steering assembly (rack and electronics). It was all under warranty, but Lexus was billed over $4 grand.

 

Wow 4 grand! I wanted to keep the car way after the warranty runs out. Now I wonder...

 

this just happened to me yesterday. sterted my car and the p/s light was on and the steering was hard as hell. So I turned the car off waited a little and started it back up and now its been working fine now.

 

this is sorta on topic... but not lexus related.

same thing happend to my bmw x5. but for some reason, bmw power steering is somehow not independant.. anyways.. long story short... coolant wasnt being pumped to radiator.. radiator over heated which somehow caused fan belt to come off... fan belt shot into the fan and broke all the blades... lost power steering on the freeway goin 80.

 

What dealership did you tow it to? Norwood, Watertown, Inskip???