1994 LS400

Hello ~
Well today I was driving on the highway in HEAVY Rain and I pull off and the Power Steering is out ! reminds me of a BMW but worse (harder to turn). Well here is what really stinks, I had BOTH the Power Steering Pump AND Rack and Pinion replaced, (PSP in late 2000 @ Lexus) (Rack replaced in 2001 @ Firestone) for a total of $2,000 !!recalling what I spent makes me quite nervous, becasue i remember the shock that I felt when told that number. However, the Power Steering does NOT make the grinding / wining noise so common when the Power Steering Pump fails, and the Fluid is FULL to the Rim (Is that ok? Lexus topped it off last week) and no leaks. So does anyone know what this MAY be a Belt ? Hose ? I am expecting the worst here, but I REALLY dont want that , alright thank's everyone !

Paul

Blue

I'd look at the belt first.

1994 LS400

Hello ~
Well I took the car to Firestone today and the guy drove it and said NOTHING was wrong , well that is NOT true at he knows if the rack went they will have to pay. I just want some kind of idea, this is so random, ok thanks .
Paul

retrodrive

Does it go in and out? Why did he say there was no problem?

1994 LS400

Well the man that put in the Rack drove it , and maybe it is not totally out (I believe it is) , but it is HARD to turn none the less (Anyone who knows Lexus or the LS400 could tell it is not normal) I dunno why I get the feeling the people at Firestone want to just brush me off in fears of haveing to put in a new rack. So I guess I am going to go back to Lexus. I just want to know If the Power Steering Pump is fine and I suppose the rack is and NO Fluid Leaks WHAT could be causing this ?
Thank You,
Paul

1994 LS400

Hey ~
Well I got my car back from Lexus and here is what happened as stated on the service record " Assist Valve broken at Splice Point, Solder both with Add Heat Shrink Secure Wires out of the way" Well what the Service Manager told me was that who ever installed the Rack (Firestone) did not solder the wires but pushed them in (Cramed) where they were supposed to be soldered. So what does the Assist Valve do , and does anyone understand what they did wrong at Firestone and how Lexus fixed it (was that the proper way to fix the problem) I would love to understand better. So if anyone does please let me know Thanks! ohh and the steering is back to 100% great working order AND Firestone is going to reimburse me for the service charge from Lexus.

Thanks,
Paul

VVT-i

This valve or solenoid is part of the steering rack and it receive the signal from steering ECU. There's only 2 wires(+ and -), this valve help you to turn the steering easier under low speed or in the parking lot. When the speed goes up(hwy speed) the steering ECU send less voltage to the assist valve, now your steering becomes more stable or harder to turn for the high speed. If this valve clogged up or get dirty from dirty builded up inside the Power steering system, you will have the same feeling, hard to steer.
I don't know what they do at Firestone or they probobly got the wrong connector ( wrong steering rack) that won't fit your OEM. So, they just cut the wires and connected them together. After a while, those wires came loose and you don't have the input from the steering ECU anymore to tell the valve( solenoid).

farmer joe

ya need more of that fluid that goes in there!
yee haw

Lexs400

can someone please post a pic of the selenoid valve or it's location on the rack.
I need to pull that out to clean it as described in another post but would like to know where to begin.
thanks.

RODDMOD

It is on the drivers side of the rack, it is the only thing with wires going to it.It is not that easy to pull out. The local Lexus dealer doesnt want to deal with it and told me they don't clean them. You will have to at least move the rack and maybe drop it.