FanTC

Hey all,

Any of you had any steering issues? When I turn my front wheels to the left I hear a funny creaking sound like something is loose. I know the car is front wheel drive and steering not sure if this is normal...I don't believe it is. Wanted to hear from yall before taking it in and the dealer telling me its normal.

Also my window switch does not work for the passenger window. Hmmm...last time I buy 100% Japanese built...lol.

Car has lees than 700mi on the meter.

ack154

iTrader: (7)

You shouldn't be hearing any creaking from the steering... there's no way they can tell you it's normal. If they do... ask them to explain why.

Did you recently disconnect the battery for anything? That might explain the window. Which would be your fault if you did, not Japan's.

lyrictenor1

Yeah I just had my car aligned at the dealership too and now there are some creaking sounds-- actually a soft *clunk* when I initiate braking and some creaks when turning the steering wheel at slow speeds.

The car feels pretty loose actually--and I have TRD springs and sway bar.

I think some bolts are loose--I'm betting the steering rack bolts weren't tightened up to the correct torque--or maybe the alignment bolts are loose? I dunno.... I'll probably take it back in to the dealer tomorrow.

farberio

Check your child lock on that window. Im not saying it to riddicule...I thought my window was broken too but that was why.

Vapid

You have to use the passenger side switch to roll down and then roll up the window. The ECU needs to be updated from when you had the battery out.

They easy way to find out when this happens is if your LEDs are flashing on the drivers side window controls.

Vapid

ohhh and RTFM

The_Sciontist

I have creaking noises-usually while idling or sitting on the brakes at a red lite etc..

THere is a tsb out for early model tc's for faulty power steering pump/vane assembly-Steering Pull Drift.
I had this done and the alignment and only noticed slight improvement. My steering still feels "Loose" or indirect, and i do hear those creaking noises. Feels like i have to turn the steering wheel way more than i should to turn the front wheels.

I think the "creaks" are more suspension/chassis related than steering rack etc.. but yes they seriously worry me. Kind of reminds me of a noise i had on my old mazda protege before i broke a cv axle.

lyrictenor1

Sciontist, when you had the TSB done, did they actually replace the steering pump and link assembly or did they just do the alignment and call it quits (that's what the TSB says--if the alignment fixes it, then they won't replace the components)?

paultg

My steering feels strange on my 2006 tC, but only when I first start it up and roll slowly. Once things warm up it is fine. Car has 5500 miles on it.

Sort of feels like the steering "binds up". I know it isn't doing that. It just doesn't seem to turn "smooth".

I had the dealer check things over, and they said nothing appeared loose. They also said the car doesn't need an alignment, even though it changes lanes on it's own sometimes.

I'm going to put the car up on ramps and check things out myself. I was thinking that the power steeering system might have a little air in it or something like that.

You should take your car to the dealer and have it checked out just to be safe.

lyrictenor1

Yeah they've already checked it--also they took it out and drove it and didn't think anything was wrong it. I've actually had it at a few dealers and a few independent mechanics and they can't figure it out without more dissasembly (one dealer quoted me about 3 hours of diagnostic time to do this--my comprehensive warranty is already over, so I'd have to pay).

My problem is kind of the opposite of yours: My steering feels loose--it's been okay when I drive for the first couple of miles, but after things warm up for a bit it starts to feel loose; mainly when staight-line driving (when cornering it feels fine, like there's a good amount of resistance in the wheel.

I'm starting to think it's the tires. I'm running Kumho ASXs, and they've got about 15k miles on them and the tread is starting to feather. Hopefully I drive someone else's tires for a little just to see if this is the problem...

novice_01

I had something like that on my wife's 2005 tC when it had around 5000 miles. They actually had to replace stearing column, had to wait for the parts about 3 weeks. Good luck.

lyrictenor1

really? oh man I hope that's not the problem...my comprehensive warranty has been gone for a while now! (46k miles on the clock)

did your wife's car experience all the same symptoms as mine?

DK01

Ever have the front sway bar changed?

lyrictenor1

nope.
had the tranny overhauled though, so i'm aware of the subframe bolts. they're tight as far as I can tell.

paultg

I took my car in again for the 10K oil change. They looked everything over again and said they can't find anythng wrong with the steering. I'm just going to continue to document things when I bring it in, just in case I end up with some unusual wear on steering/suspension parts down the road.

Paul G.

lyrictenor1

Did you try bleeding out the P/S system?

good luck, paultg.

paultg

I have not. With the car under warranty and being that I purchased the Premium Extended Warranty, I don't really feel like touching the car.

I'll have to search here for how to purge air out of the PS system though. Might not be a bad idea.

Paul G.

lyrictenor1

It's actually really easy. This is from the repair manual:

1. Lift the front end of the car
2. With the engine off, turn the steering wheel from lock to lock several times.
3. Lower vehicle
4. Turn vehicle on
5. Slowly turn steering wheel from lock to lock, holding the steering wheel for a couple of seconds at the locked position for a couple of seconds. Repeat several times.

That's it!

But you're right--w/ the extended warranty, you shouldn' have to touch the thing....I just thought I'd include these instructions in case you got urge to do something

paultg

Thanks for the directions. I'm sort of confused though. The PS system is a "closed system" similar to the brake system. How would air escape by doing what you suggested above? Is there some sort of 1-way air release valve in the PS system, to bleed off air w/o any tools? On brakes, you have to pump things up, and then release the air by cracked a bleeder screw on each caliper.

Paul G.

V0RT3X

I just got mine 07 tC for about 2 months and I get the same thing too. Sometimes when I'm turning with the brake pedal pressed, I'll hear some weird creaking noise, I can actually feel the brake pedal jerk slightly. Should I bring it to the dealer to have them check it ?