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Steering Issues Prius 3Gen?


Deet
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Hi all, been doing a lot of research in preparation of buying a Prius 3rd gen of any common faults that I need to look out for.  looking a 09/10

Over the last few weeks I have been checking MOT History on various cars I have noticed a few failing on excessive play in steering wheel/rack. They are not high mileages (60-70ish) but one i was checking today failed with 42k miles.

Is there an issue with the 3rd Gen Prius steering rack? and is it easily fixed?

 

Many Thanks Dietmar

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  • 3 months later...

Hi - I have quite a bit on knowledge on this subject.  If the question is still relevant (and you're still following this topic) let me know....

Kind regards

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Wooster, just post your findings so all can be aware of a potential problem. Its a fairly open forum. You never know what words of wisdom will come from one post.

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OK.  Good idea.  I'll create a separate post - instead of attaching it to Deet's.

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On 10/12/2018 at 12:34 AM, Deet said:

Hi all, been doing a lot of research in preparation of buying a Prius 3rd gen of any common faults that I need to look out for.  looking a 09/10

Over the last few weeks I have been checking MOT History on various cars I have noticed a few failing on excessive play in steering wheel/rack. They are not high mileages (60-70ish) but one i was checking today failed with 42k miles.

Is there an issue with the 3rd Gen Prius steering rack? and is it easily fixed?

Many Thanks Dietmar

Hi Deet

I now have a gen4 Prius which is only 25k miles old.....but I did have a 2010 Gen 3 which I sold with 105k miles. I bought it privately with 100k, so didnt do many miles, but the previous owner had done 50k in the previous 2 years as a private taxi (and taxi drivers look after vehicles well as its their living) and nothing to report re steering.

I did a lot of research before I bought that gen3 (and the Auris hybrid before it) and never did see any comments re steering rack. The only "problem" I read of was a little clunk when on tight left or right hand turns at slow speed. This was rectified by tightening the universal shaft joint pinch bolts still inside the car and accessible _bottom of steering shaft just before it goes thro the floor and approx 6inch above that.

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  • 4 weeks later...

My apologises for not responding must have had notifications off. 

When i was doing my research I had come to the same conclusion that the Pinch Bolt needing tightened was the issue. 

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There are three different problems here that we can separate: 

1. Steering rack excessive  play - most likely worn out inner track rods , Toyota doesn’t offer replacement part but only together with the rack and it’s expensive, however can be sourced from older or other models and replaced with aftermarket rods.

2. Clunky noises when in turn - drive shafts on steering column, tightening of the bolts reportedly helps.

3. Rattling steering wheel - steering wheel column worn gears and bearings, soon or late many of the above models will start doing it, some early as only 6 months old, some at later age. Don’t know a fix yet except changing the steering wheel column assy , again very expensive, may be replaced under warranty if complaint made on time. Not an MOT failure, but really annoying.

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