2003-2005 Prius Recall

[Richardp8]

Called into WKB Waterlooville on the way home to tell them I want the recall work done correctly and NOT my wheels realigning. They now agree that it is more sensible to adjust the splines on the shaft and if they have problems to call Toyota Technical. If for some reason they still cannot get it right they will call me before they would do a wheel realignment.

It was only after I showed a letter that Toyota US sent out telling dealers that if they weren't careful steering wheels would be off-centre that they agreed that the recall work they did could have caused the problem!

One thing I did find out - the mechanics do a test drive... to Denmead and back - a route with absolutely no straight sections!!! If they went the other way it's immediately obvious the steering wheel is off-centre.

Hopefully it'll be fixed the correct way on Monday - I hope they apologise and make up for my wasted time!

[Ray99]

Hi Richard

I too have had problems with the word c o !Removed!. It's ok on the reply but as soon as it's posted it changes to cubnik! The splines on the steering shaft are the same top and bottom. The misalignment comes from where the U/J's are fixed on. Only a few degrees out on the U/J causes a huge offset at the steering wheel. The correct method of centering the steering wheel is to adjust the length of the track rods. Make one shorter and the other one longer. You keep the same "toe" but the rack has moved along a little. The camber and castor are fixed and cannot be adjusted. The only adjustment is tracking, sometimes called toe. Centering the steering wheel needs to be done at the same time as tracking adjustment as the track rod adjustments are sensitive and just moving them without checking the setting will cause tyre wear problems.

Regards Ray

[SilverT4]

Could any of you experts who know more about how the steering works advise please?

My Prius had its 40k service a few weeks ago and I was advised that the steering alignment was 'out' and required adjustment. I had this done with the service at extra cost of course.

A week later I got the recall for the steering problem.

Are the two related?

Could the steering problem have resulted in the wheel alignment problem?

[posing]

The petrol you get was supposed to be to the value of £10. However as I was told over the phone I will get a full tank back, the manager agreed to honour it and did in the end give me a full tank. All this at the inconvenience of driving half hour to the dealer, wait half hour for someone to fill the car up then half hour home. If the petrol I was gonna get was just £10 worth, it would not have been worth it.

So guys, don't forget your bubbly and '£10' worth of petrol!

[Richardp8]

Today I had to take my car into WKB Waterlooville AGAIN to have the steering recentred. They've called to say it's done... I hope so! I can't believe how annoyed I've been with them for the last 6 days!!

They said that they moved the splines one 'notch' anticlockwise which made it better but not absolutely centred as it was before the recall work. Then they called to ask if it was ok to make an adjustment to the tie-rods by about 1/8 of a turn on each side.... I don't know much about these adjustments - is an 1/8th of a turn a lot or just a tweak?

Hopefully when I pick it up tonight it will be all fixed.....!

I can't believe it's taken 6 days to sort out a problem .... caused by Toyota!!

I'll be looking for a new place to have my servicing done from now on I think!

[Mancunian]

Hopefully when I pick it up tonight it will be all fixed.....!

How did it go ? any luck?

[Ray99]

Hi Silver

The recall and the steering alignment are separate problems. See my post above yours in reply to Richard. The shaft that was replaced would not and could not have affected steering alignment. It may well have affected steering wheel centering for reasons already mentioned.

Hi Richard

An eighth of a turn is a tweak- just enough to centre an off-centre steering wheel

Regards Ray

[Richardp8]

Success!!

My steering is now fixed and my car is back as it was before the recall!! Only took 6 days and 3 visits to WKB Waterlooville !! Plus a call to Customer Relations. Seems Cust Rel called WKB on Friday - that explains the sudden change in attitude on Monday! Monday they gave me excellent service - how it should be! Also WKB cleaned my car inside and out and my 40k service will be free!

Why is it that in the UK you have to swear and shout before you get proper service! My wife wants to sell the car now and get a Honda IME - she's Japanese and they take direct action, she feels that WKB have let down the whole of Japan (they also take things very personally!). I've called Cust Rel back to let them know I'm still displeased - a wash and a free service are just recompense for time wasted - it should never have happened in the first place!

If anyone needs it, Customer Relations phone number is 01737 367600

customer.relations@tgb.toyota.co.uk

I hope everyone elses recalls go much better.

Richard

[ecodoc]

Good result from Batemans Toyota at grange-over-Sands regarding the recall.

Steering fine,valet and wash,bottle of Champagne and petrol in the tank!

Excellent service as usual!

[Black Spirit]

I'm not so concerned about the steering recall needing to be done but I am staggered at the way Toyota is handling it and the way so many cars are being returned to owners with misaligned steering wheels.

Why are so many owners reporting that after garages do the checks they then have to wait a few days for the parts to come in? Given that this is recall work, shouldn't Toyota arrange to supply dealerships with parts up front, even if Toyota do have to foot a slightly larger bill because they supply a number parts that, following initial assessment by the technician, don't need to be used?

Hi Prius owners

We (technicians) are beginning to see several cars in the workshop for steering shaft replacement. The work procedure is thus: -

We have to check the lower steering shaft- that is the short shaft that is connected to the rack, to make sue it is fully engaged on it's spline. If it isn't fully engaged then we have to replace it. A bit extreme in my opinion, but I'm only a technician.

Second stage is to check the first U/J to see what type it is. Some U/J's have a slot from the coupling end all the way to the yoke end- this is the type that have to be changed. The replacement U/J has a slot cut about half way along its length which terminates in a small diameter drilling. The reason for the slot in both U/J's is to allow the clamp bolt to compress the spline tightly on the mating shaft. The one which is slotted all the way to the yoke is slightly weaker than the replacement one with the drilling...

Having seen plenty of steering systems, some a lot lighter than these in question, I think you have nothing to worry about...

Cheers Ray

[rickers]

Richard;

this letter from the US can you post it anywhere, Iam interested to see whats on it, and what could be caused by it too.

rickers

[Richardp8]

The documentation I found from the States can all be found on this website -

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems...ecallsearch.cfm

OR you can link directly to the documents -

1. RCMN-06V188-8082.pdf -- Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)- Reminder - 7-17-2006 ( 73.83 KB)

http://199.79.180.162/prepos/files/Artemis...06V188-8082.pdf

2. RCMN-06V188-7326.pdf -- Updated Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)- 7-28-2006 ( 95.02 KB)

http://199.79.180.162/prepos/files/Artemis...06V188-7326.pdf

3. RCRIT-06V188-4467.pdf -- Remedy Instructions and TSB ( 33472.06 KB)

http://199.79.180.162/prepos/files/Artemis...06V188-4467.pdf

4. RCMN-06V188-5919.pdf -- Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) ( 1851.28 KB)

http://199.79.180.162/prepos/files/Artemis...06V188-5919.pdf

5. RCDNN-06V188-1283.PDF -- Defect and Noncompliance Notice(Part 573) ( 141.86 KB)

http://199.79.180.162/prepos/files/Artemis...06V188-1283.PDF

6. RCAK-06V188-8346.PDF -- Recall Acknowledgement ( 66.91 KB)

http://199.79.180.162/prepos/files/Artemis...06V188-8346.PDF

I hope these help.

Even though my car has now been 'fixed' (ie Put back as it was before the dealer messed with it!) it still feels odd sometimes - I hope that is just in my head and the feeling will go away.

The way the dealers treat owners is appaling!! Put it this way - I've asked dealers in the UK about heated door mirrors only to be told "They're not an option", end of conversation! Well, I've just ordered a pair of hydrophylic heated door mirrors from a Japanese dealer (I am going there to collect them...it's not my only reason for my trip!) . They asked if my car is 'cold specification' which it is not.... at which point I thought they'd say it was not possible (no heater wires to the door).... instead they are going to provide me with wiring schematics and talk me through the process of rewiring my car AND supply connectors if they have any available!! Fantastic!! Can you imagine such brilliant service from a UK dealer!!?

....plus they only cost £52 for a pair!!

Think I may order a windscreen jet adjustment tool too... that's another thing that doesn't seem to exist here!

Never did get an answer from Toyota as to why heated mirrors aren't fitted as standard....

Richard