"loose" steering?

[detroiter]

Just wonder if anyone elses car ever feels this way. I swear, for a day or two after an aligment, the car feels great. A very solid and "heavy" feel to the steering but after a while, not even hitting any bumps or potholes, it starts feeling loose and disconnected. I am not making it up or going crazy, I really want to know if anyone has this problem with their Yaris? I know it sounds bizarre and it really is :iono:

[cali yaris]

I've never felt that. Once the alignment is right, it should feel the same every time you get in the car.

[detroiter]

I'm really not sure what it can be. It's seriously the weirdest thing, I've never had a car that acts this way. Like I said, it'll feel nice and solid steering for a while...then it just is kind of light and disconnected feeling.

[nookandcrannycar]

I'm really not sure what it can be. It's seriously the weirdest thing, I've never had a car that acts this way. Like I said, it'll feel nice and solid steering for a while...then it just is kind of light and disconnected feeling.

If your battery isn't new (even if it is holding a charge and starting the car) try getting a new battery. I was experiencing exactly what you describe, plus lots of interference and weakness re the radio, and several other issues. I got a new battery 3 days ago and these issues disappeared. I was thrilled. I thought I might need a new steering rack or something equally as expensive. I wasn't a happy camper. It makes sense that this might happen with a Yaris, but not lots of other cars ,as how many other cars have electric power steering? I got a Wal-Mart EverStart 1 year Free replacement battery code 26R. Other Yarisworld members have purchased the EverStart MAXX 3 year Free replacement in series 35, but for some reason in my car the Maxx is a bit too tall and the bar that comes over the top to be clamped into place won't lay flat on the Maxx. Wal-Mart's system (machine near the batteries in the showroom) shows that all that Wal-Mart is allowed to install in the Yaris is the Maxx. You can let them try the Maxx, and if it fits...great. if not, the 26R will fit and they should make an exception for you. They did for me. Size 26R worked fine in the past in my Yaris. The new EverStart was a replacement for the Sears PlusStart in 26R that had lasted me for 3 years and nearly 87,000 mikes but had increased too much in price (no longer an acceptable value)...unless you can get Sears web price in your area....then it is only $1.00 more than the Wal-Mart EverStart 1year I bought.

[nookandcrannycar]

^^^^^ If your battery isn't new and this clears everything up you might have a temporary new problem --- a rough idle. It might stay like that for 24 hours or so and will iron itself out. CTScott enlightened me that this is because when the battery is disconnected and than a battery is again connected, the ECM has to relearn the fuel trims.

[detroiter]

I'm curious...does our steering on this car "learn" or anything like that? I think I remember reading a thread that since it's electric PS, that it has a sensor to know when to compensate for left and right wheels, that's how it knows to give the steering feedback a "real feel". I ask because I took the car out on a dirt road that has some nice long curves and gave it a little bit of hell, kicking out the rear end, etc...the usual fun business. After all of that back and forth steering wheel action...when I came back out onto the pavement and started driving away, the "weighted" steering feel was back again and no more disconnected/loose feeling.

I do remember a few days ago that the disconnected/loose feeling came after hitting a decent size bump. It wasn't a killer enough one to destroy an alignment but it was big enough to make a lowered car "BUMP" a little bit. Was the steering feel trying to compensate itself after something like that? Like I said, I'm not making this up or trying to troll. It's really weird and I've never once had a car that feels like this when it comes to steering/road feedback

[nookandcrannycar]

I'm curious...does our steering on this car "learn" or anything like that? I think I remember reading a thread that since it's electric PS, that it has a sensor to know when to compensate for left and right wheels, that's how it knows to give the steering feedback a "real feel". I ask because I took the car out on a dirt road that has some nice long curves and gave it a little bit of hell, kicking out the rear end, etc...the usual fun business. After all of that back and forth steering wheel action...when I came back out onto the pavement and started driving away, the "weighted" steering feel was back again and no more disconnected/loose feeling.

I do remember a few days ago that the disconnected/loose feeling came after hitting a decent size bump. It wasn't a killer enough one to destroy an alignment but it was big enough to make a lowered car "BUMP" a little bit. Was the steering feel trying to compensate itself after something like that? Like I said, I'm not making this up or trying to troll. It's really weird and I've never once had a car that feels like this when it comes to steering/road feedback

Your previous post didn't mention that you had driven on a non paved road and then returned to a paved road and the 'weighted' feel returned. In that case, I think you are okay (but don't take my word for it) if it is only happening on a non paved road. My steering previously (when my previous battery was newer) was more like what you describe it this post. Then for the last few months the off road experience you describe here was happening to me on paved roads and the weighted feel 'recovery' was intermittent. In the 3-4 weeks before my battery replacement 4 days ago I tried to do as much research as possible re the steering issues I was having. During that period I learned (through a word search on Yarisworld) that the boost from our Yari power steering virtually disappears at a certain MPH. I can't remember the exact number, but it was something between 35-45MPH. I'm glad I now know a bit more about our steering through reading old Yarisworld posts.

I'm also glad that my trying to milk my old battery as long as possible hasn't caused any damage that is apparent. If you haven't replaced your battery in a long tome, it still could likely only help. Trini has had his battery replaced every year (at least when he was really piling up the miles) and he has 472,000 miles + on his Yaris. However, Wal-Mart no longer offers the guarantee he has, but the current guarantees still rate as the best re ratio of cost/guarantee time.

[detroiter]

I recently replaced my battery so that thing is good to go. I didn't mention that in previous post because I just did it today. I'm sorry for the confusion. I just thought it was strange that after going down some bumpy dirt roads, that once I came back to smooth pavement...the weighted steering feel was back again. Best way to describe it is you know how when you're driving 5mph in the Yaris and the steering is really loose and floaty feeling? Well imagine that even when you're driving 70mph or so on the freeway, you still have the same feel and response out of the steering wheel, you don't have the gradual weighted feel that grows the faster your car is going.

[nookandcrannycar]

I recently replaced my battery so that thing is good to go. I didn't mention that in previous post because I just did it today. I'm sorry for the confusion. I just thought it was strange that after going down some bumpy dirt roads, that once I came back to smooth pavement...the weighted steering feel was back again. Best way to describe it is you know how when you're driving 5mph in the Yaris and the steering is really loose and floaty feeling? Well imagine that even when you're driving 70mph or so on the freeway, you still have the same feel and response out of the steering wheel, you don't have the gradual weighted feel that grows the faster your car is going.

It's such a hard thing to describe, and therefore hard to get on the same page about, but I think that point has been reached. Also, most people probably think we are crazy because this issue hasn't become part of their own realm of experience re their Yaris. My Yaris got to the point where intermittently i'd have that '5 mph feeling' while going 70 mph, but this cleared up when I got a new battery. If you are still having this issue after installing a new battery, and continue to experience this issue, then I'd look at both the steering rack and the wheel bearings. These are the only things that have been wrong on previous cars i've owned when I was getting the feeling we're describing (or something somewhat related) while driving the car.

[detroiter]

I'll definitely check into it, thanks!

[TerryAdams]

any update ?