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Toyota Highland Hybrid Steering and Suspension Questions

28 messages,  Last post on Nov 22, 2009 at 11:05 AM

You are in the Toyota Highlander Hybrid Maintenance & Repair Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Steering, Suspension, SUV

Messages Page 2 of 4

#6 of 28 Re: 2006 Highland Hybrid/Lexus RX400h power steering failures [cdptrap] by wwest

Aug 22, 2008 (10:19 am)

Replying to: cdptrap (Jul 13, 2008 11:21 am)
According to Toyota there are situations and/or circumstances wherein the solid state electric drive control can/will overheat and reduce the driver stearing power assist functionality quite substantially. Look in your owners manual for word of this.
 
There appears to be an additional problem in that when it is operating in the substandard state more MUSCLE is required of the driver and EXTENDED muscular effort will/might actually bend the torque tube out of alignment. In some cases this has actually resulted in the electric assist operating OPPOSITE the driver's turning of the stearing wheel.
 
Especially HOT day, HOT surrounding landscape/roadbed, yes, the power stearing will be more prone to going into substandard, low assist, mode.

#7 of 28 Re: 2006 Highland Hybrid/Lexus RX400h power steering failures [wwest] by upstateny5

Aug 22, 2008 (10:48 am)

Replying to: wwest (Aug 22, 2008 10:19 am)
With my situation the temperature in northern NY was around 75 - 80 degrees tops. The car had been sitting in the garage to save mileage and a more efficient Yaris was being driven. My car will not be looked at until Monday.

#8 of 28 Re: 2006 Highland Hybrid/Lexus RX400h power steering failures [upstateny5] by upstateny5

Aug 26, 2008 (11:37 am)

Replying to: upstateny5 (Aug 22, 2008 10:48 am)
The steering rack needs replacement with my vehicle. Fortunately my dealership is being fair about the situation. The car will not leave their lot after the repair is performed as it will be traded in.

#9 of 28 by cdptrap

Aug 28, 2008 (9:21 pm)

Wow, good thing you all are safe when your steering system malfunctioned. Thanks for sharing this problem and sorry it did not work out for you all.
 
I will be sure to post any problem we encounter in our '06. It is approaching 47K miles now. We are in southern SF Bay Area and just got hit by another heat wave, local temperature at our site was 109 today. It is normal for Summer to be in the mid-90's to low 100's in our neck of the woods. We also drive I-5 a lot and it can be baking in smoggy foul air at 100+ while the coast is blanketed by cool clean foggy air. So far, so good; knock on wood!

#10 of 28 Re: [cdptrap] by upstateny5

Aug 29, 2008 (5:47 am)

Replying to: cdptrap (Aug 28, 2008 9:21 pm)
I really have some questions about temperature with the problem. As with the first poster there really did not seem to be any warning signs - just instant failure.
 
I do have to say that the local Toyota dealership could not have been nicer and were very accommodating on the trade in etc.
 
Would I consider a future hybrid - YES. Unfortunately the finances just did not work out for one this go around. Since the RAV4 grew up we almost have the same interior space as we did with the Highlander (which now has grown up more).

#11 of 28 Re: 2006 Highland Hybrid/Lexus RX400h power steering failures [lcarr8522] by nodak701

Sep 11, 2008 (11:52 pm)

Replying to: lcarr8522 (Jul 10, 2008 6:26 pm)
Just experienced the same problem on our '06 HH. It is actually still in the shop. It has around 64K on it. It hadn't been driven in about a week (husband's vehicle he's deployed and I'm trying to keep miles off the 'good' vehicle) and sat in the GA heat. I actually was lucky, in a sense, that I was at the dealership having just brought in it for an oil change. They rang me up, I got in the HH, and backed out and no power steering. I promptly pulled back into the garage. They have been fixing mine as a "good will" measure. Right now (as far as I know) they have replaced the mother board and are now replacing the whole power steering assembly. The cost the guy said was up to 3000, but no cost to me (yet). Hopefully it's working correctly when I get it back.
 
Has anyone had all the repairs and are still driving? If so are you experiencing any further problems? I would love to trade it in (as I'm not to trusting of it right now) but it's the limited with bells and whistles and no way could we afford to get a different vehicle right now.
 
I grew up with Toyota's and this is the first problem I've ever experienced besides the normal wear and tare. The garage that is fixing it has been great, thus far.

#12 of 28 Re: 2006 Highland Hybrid/Lexus RX400h power steering failures [nodak701] by lcarr8522

Sep 13, 2008 (12:07 pm)

Replying to: nodak701 (Sep 11, 2008 11:52 pm)
I'm the person who started this email string. I had the repairs and have driven it pretty much everyday since then and have had no other problems. I, too, have the Limited and I really enjoy the car, I'm just frustrated that Toyota doesn't stand behind their product with so many reports of the same problem.

#13 of 28 Re: 2006 Highland Hybrid/Lexus RX400h power steering failures [cdptrap] by bmckee219

Dec 24, 2008 (9:03 am)

Replying to: cdptrap (Jul 13, 2008 11:21 am)
24 Dec 08: Yesterday as I was backing out of a parking spot at the local walmart the power steering went out. I pulled into another spot and lifted the hood to check the fluid in the power steering, being a former mechanic that was logical. When I did not find the pump I called the Toyota Dealer here in Daytona Beach. They told me there isn't a pump that it is all electric and to bring it in. They were open until 7 pm. They took a look at my 2006 Highlander Hybrid Limited and within 1 hour gave me a camry as a loaner. The dealership will not be open again until Friday. Prior to the hard steering in the parking lot there was not much of a warning. I was able to drive the car home and then to the shop, probably a total of 10 miles. The vehicle has 66,350 miles on it. No other problems with the vehicle.

#14 of 28 Re: 2006 Highland Hybrid/Lexus RX400h power steering failures [bmckee219] by upstateny5

Dec 26, 2008 (9:37 am)

Replying to: bmckee219 (Dec 24, 2008 9:03 am)
I was told that there are 7 computers involved with the power steering. You were fortunate that you did not get the violent shaking that we had with our Highlander - I would not have been able to control the car (my partner was driving).

#15 of 28 Re: 2006 Highland Hybrid/Lexus RX400h power steering failures [upstateny5] by wwest

Dec 26, 2008 (12:32 pm)

Replying to: upstateny5 (Dec 26, 2008 9:37 am)
There is ONLY one "computer" directly involved in controlling the electric power stearing. It reads the output of the synchro's at each end of the stearing torque tube and therefrom controls the level and direction of the power assist.
 
The only other control input, indirect input, would be the VSC ECU telling the electric power stearing to not provide "aid", stearing assist, if your own stearing wheel input might exacerbate the current YAW situation.

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