Steering Rattle

[Izzyh]

Hi All

My dad purchased a clean and tidy 2007 1.6 Auris a while ago, a few days after buying it the annoying steering rattle started.

Reading the various info on the internet and with the help of an eBay document it was identified that play existed in the electric motor area (unsure of exact location) of the column.

He attempted to shim it with some plastic, which lasted a few weeks but the rattle came back.

A new column from Toyota is £1300 plus vat, there is no way he would pay that.

I just wondered if anyone had any info on a repair or replacement column that does not cost more than the car!

He's pretty fussy and the rattle is more prominent at slower speeds on rough roads.

Would be grateful if any info.

Thanks for reading.

[furtula]

I guess you did not buy the car from a reseller, so you cant give it back to them to fix it, as warranted by 6 months purchase period on used cars?

I have the same exact car/engine, and the steering knocking at slow speeds, that is turning wheel while going around parking lot, is pretty common on these cars, and other Toyotas from that time. Fix is to re-apply grease to the shaft, but security wise, it's not an issue.

But i never had people here saying they have consistent knocking like your claim, so can you give us more info pls.

Does it happen only when using steering wheel, or also when going straight, or just when turning at lower speeds, or at holes, etc.

[Izzyh]

He's outside the 6 months sadly.

Seems to be more prominent at slow speeds with light turning of the wheel on rougher roads.

If it's a common issue that people live with I will tell him to just turn the radio up!

Can't really see a fix for this unless your willing to replace the column and who's to say it wouldn't start again.

 

[furtula]

You can try this as a temporary fix to silence it.

Get down to the pedals, remove 2 screws that hold the plastic cover of the steering column.

You will see a U joint there, check the screw and tighten if needed.

Then gets some oil in a spray, or WD 40, and spray it, concentrating on the place where shafts meet, there is a tiny slot, so you can put the straw inside and spray, so it soaks the teeth inside. Can't really remember the word for it, but you will see if you try it.

Point of this is to try to lubricate the dried up grease which is down there, it should help with the knocking. IF it does, then to get a more permanent fix, you undo the screw, dab a bunch of lithium grease, and retighten. 

The electric motor used for power steering is a worm drive, so i doubt it's the one doing the knocking.

This is a pretty standard fault with these cars, and it's usually due to dried up grease, so i hope what i wrote above will help.

 

[eygo]

 the Auris and maybe the Lexus Ct 11 plate onwards where this rattle is prominent

the fix is a new Universal Joint on the steering column once these start to wear you

can then hear the rattle and it will only get worse with time.

if you hold the joint and turn the steering wheel you wil be able to feel any movement (wear)

below is an image showing what a universal joint looks like

[TonyHSD]

Hi, the universal joint Might be the case , but  sometimes is the gear set where electric motor is and or the rake adjustment mechanics. Lubrications may help but you need to dismantle and investigate. It’s not so difficult once you take of the steering wheel, you don’t need actually to remove the whole column or the drive shafts. I have that problem with many Toyotas and with some started as early as 14k miles and few months old, my current car has same rattling while driving over rough terrain and when you grab the steering wheel 12 and 6 o’clock and shake it up and down has excessive play, it’s like that since was 4 years old and 40k miles , now is 115k and stays the same, no worse no better, just don’t have the time to dismantle and lubricate it. I did tested the shafts but they are rock solid and well lubricated, plus their bolts are super tight, other two options left to investigate but I can’t afford to stop driving the car and play with it, maybe one day while off work.