09 Yaris electric steering problem MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY

[kenora]

I'm the orig owner..its a 4 dr hatch, auto with electric steering 185000 km

About a month ago I detected a clunk coming from the L/F of the car when going down a gravel road or over a bump.. I investigated and found movement on the left inner tie rod (or so I thought)...I bought the inner tie rod tool (Amazon) and a inner tie rod (also Amazon) and started to the disassemble... however when I got the tie rod off I found the movement was from the electric power steering rack.

It appears the left side mounting bolt has rusted and broken off (on the bottom of the car...its a 17mm nut) allowing the rack to lift up a bit.... the right side appears OK.

WHat Now? HAs anyone else had this happen?

There is a bolt head (17mm)... inconveniently located aft of the steering shaft so very hard to get to..that appears to be the other end(top) of the broken bolt but it won't move..its seated in what appears to be a rubber grommet or bushing...

Can I pound that bolt out from the bottom (by pounding upwards with a punch in the hole the bottom end of the bolt broke left in the mounting plate ?

Thanks for any help!!!

[myfirstyota]

I dont think you'll be able to remove the bolt without first removing the subframe. If I recall correctly, those are some long ass bolts. But if you were able to remove, in pieces, I dont believe you'd be able to get the new bolt in.

[WeeYari]

Some times you just have to suck it up, take it to a shop and pay the $.

[kenora]

Thanks for the reply..:bow:

about an inch of the broken bolt came out of the hole!

.... can I King Kong the top of the bolt head (behind the steering shaft) to break it loose? If that's the case will it not come straight up out of the mounting hole and a new bolt go in its place?

Wondering if the mounting hole is threaded...if not then the bolt is just stuck in there...

I've searched youtube for a vid but can't find anything that shows the mounting bolts being installed or removed..

[kenora]

Some times you just have to suck it up, take it to a shop and pay the $.


... not if I can manage a fix...

It doesn't "look" hard to do (quoted from the book of Famous Last Words)..just a brutally small place to work

[WeeYari]

Bolt is going to be threaded into a nut which is welded in place.

[myfirstyota]

.... can I King Kong the top of the bolt head (behind the steering shaft) to break it loose? If that's the case will it not come straight up out of the mounting hole and a new bolt go in its place?


Problem is the body gets in the way. Not enough room on top of the bolt that holds the rack in to pull it out....if I remember correctly

[kenora]

Yup...Its killing me..I can get a closed end 17mm wrench on it but can't turn it far enuf to break the rubber's grip on it...it just bounces back to the orig spot.. I need to get a socket and ratchet on it but its too damn close to the steering column...

someone must have had to take this apart...what am I missing?

its #96 in the picture

[myfirstyota]

Telling ya buddy... you gotta pull the subframe.