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Need Help with a strange steering issue on my 2016 ES350

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Old 09-06-21, 03:44 PM
  #16  
rmak
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Originally Posted by bc6152
Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think that our cars have power steering fluid. The PS is electrically assisted...
and I thought I was too old to learn........
Old 09-06-21, 03:48 PM
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rmak
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Originally Posted by autotech13
All cars today have electric power steering! No fluid and no pump!
Pretty sure there are still pumps and fluid out there. 2021 4runner and Tacoma come to mind.

Last edited by rmak; 09-06-21 at 03:53 PM.
Old 09-06-21, 05:30 PM
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bc6152
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Originally Posted by rmak
and I thought I was too old to learn........
Welcome to the club...
Old 09-07-21, 09:24 AM
  #19  
Moondoggy1
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Originally Posted by jgscott
Yes it's Electric power steering. There is also a way to reset or something that has it Calibrate at restart, but I don't know that much about it. Has something to do with the wheel being calibrated in the start position being straight?
I spoke with my local auto service provider and he said he thought it was the electronic steering as well but he was unable to get me in today to check it out. I called the nearest Lexus dealer in Mobile, AL and the Service Consultant confirmed that it is the electronic power steering. It's kind of a Catch-22 as he said that in order to determine the exact problem it has to be exhibiting the behavior at the time it's in for service but with the dealership being 70 miles away it's impossible to make an appointment when the problem is intermittent and if the car is turned off then it might reset itself before the diagnostic can take place. The Lexus Service Consultant said that it may or may not show up in a diagnostic scan but they would be glad to scan it for me but that's another 70 mile trip to Mobile. My local dealer said that he has a brand new 2021, $15,000 scanner and he would scan it for me as well so for now, I think I'll go that route. My local guy said that sometimes when they do this sort of thing the fact that it quits pulling is an indication that the system is resetting itself after the car is turned off and who knows the next time it will fail.

If it does have something to do with the wheel being straight when the car is started then that may be the whole issue. My garage is 90 degrees off my driveway and I usually turn in at an angle to get it in and I usually straighten it out a bit once I'm fully in. Perhaps on those occasions I didn't get the wheels straighten out so I'll try to make sure that the wheels are straight from now on and see if that makes a difference. I do know that each time a stopped and turned the car off and it did reset the wheels were straight so we'll see.

If I get a diagnostic reading or a confirmed diagnostic I'll update this posting. Thanks everyone for your input.
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Old 09-07-21, 10:48 AM
  #20  
mcomer
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Shade Tree mechanic fix for the hydraulic systems was to turn the wheel lock to lock
a couple of times. This (sometimes) would free up a worn or stuck spool valve. Easy
enough to try this with the Electric Assisted rack. Must be mechanical sensors in the
rack somewhere right? My everyday driving never calls for full lock steering maneuvers.
Old 09-07-21, 10:34 PM
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yeskay
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my 2016 ES 350 also had intermittent steering issues and occasional starting issues. Replaced the battery. Both issues resolved.
Old 09-29-21, 04:55 PM
  #22  
Moondoggy1
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Originally Posted by yeskay
my 2016 ES 350 also had intermittent steering issues and occasional starting issues. Replaced the battery. Both issues resolved.
I may go down and have my battery checked tomorrow to see if there's a issue developing. With the hot weather here in Florida it doesn't take too much cranking power to turn over the engine as it's starting OK but the battery is the original battery. It has been interesting over the last week or so. To get in my garage I have to make a sharp right from my driveway and when I've made it a point to straighten the wheel before I turn off the car I have not had a problem. However I forgot once and the wheel was turned right and when I went to leave the next day the car was pulling right. Today I was out and about and made a sharp left while parking in parking lot and when I got back in from shopping the car was pulling to the left. I pulled over, straightened the wheel turned off the engine, restated and the care no longer pulled left. Weird but this proves that whatever is going on is related to the electronics in the care.
Old 10-01-21, 06:25 AM
  #23  
afpj
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+1 on the battery. Had this happen twice on our Camry, because standard lead acid batteries don't last maybe 3 years in the high desert. You live in Florida doesn't get as hot as here in the desert, but still hot enough and it's 5 years old.
Old 10-08-21, 12:27 AM
  #24  
Moondoggy1
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Originally Posted by yeskay
my 2016 ES 350 also had intermittent steering issues and occasional starting issues. Replaced the battery. Both issues resolved.
Over the last few days the steering problem became worse than before. If I parked the car anywhere and didn't have the steering wheel centered the car would pull to one side or another depending on which way the wheels were turned. Straighten out the wheels and stopping and restarting the engine would resolve the problem but it was a pain to remember to park straight . The good news is that the problem was due to a bad battery that as YesKay suggested. As it turns out the battery had a crack in the top near one of the terminals causing it to severely corrode as a result. I had AutoZone put a tester on the battery and they said that it was so weak they couldn't believe that it was still starting the car. Since the battery was 6 years old I just had a new battery installed and afterwards, no more issues with the car pulling even after several tests where I cranked the wheel in either direction before restarting. Anyway, I wanted to thank everyone for replying to my inquiry especiallyYesKay who suggested in was the battery..

Old 10-28-22, 04:55 PM
  #25  
djlehman
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Originally Posted by Moondoggy1
Over the last few days the steering problem became worse than before. If I parked the car anywhere and didn't have the steering wheel centered the car would pull to one side or another depending on which way the wheels were turned. Straighten out the wheels and stopping and restarting the engine would resolve the problem but it was a pain to remember to park straight . The good news is that the problem was due to a bad battery that as YesKay suggested. As it turns out the battery had a crack in the top near one of the terminals causing it to severely corrode as a result. I had AutoZone put a tester on the battery and they said that it was so weak they couldn't believe that it was still starting the car. Since the battery was 6 years old I just had a new battery installed and afterwards, no more issues with the car pulling even after several tests where I cranked the wheel in either direction before restarting. Anyway, I wanted to thank everyone for replying to my inquiry especiallyYesKay who suggested in was the battery..
@Moondoggy1 Man I wish I would have seen this thread a year ago when i started having the exact same problem you described. And wouldn't you know it about a year ago, my mechanic told me that my batter was testing weak and that I should change it. I ignored the recommendation and have been dealing with the problem getting worse and becoming more annoying for about the last year. However, I would bring my car to the mechanic complaining of the issue and they couldn't figure out what was causing it. Alignment was perfect. Struts were in good condition / not leaking. Tire wear was even. All of us baffled. So I've just been suffering thought this inconvenience for months. Then earlier this week I popped the hood and noticed the battery leaking acid at the top. It too was an original 6 y/o battery on a 2016 ES350. So I got a new battery installed at AutoZone and wouldn't you know it the problem just disappeared.
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Old 10-28-22, 05:10 PM
  #26  
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[QUOTE=djlehman;11384908]@Moondoggy1 Man I wish I would have seen this thread a year ago when i started having the exact same problem you described. /QUOTE]

Glad my posted solution resolved your problem. It's posts of real life, verified solutions like this that are the backbone of forums like this. Give some credit to YesKay as he or she was the original person that suggested a solution.

Last edited by Moondoggy1; 10-28-22 at 05:14 PM.
Old 11-01-22, 10:47 AM
  #27  
bkhenry
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I had the same steering issue on my 2016 ES-350 where it was pulling to the left. I would stop at a stop sign and turn the ignition off and back on and it would reset and be fine.
Also' before the steering issue began I would get a random warning display that my Lane Departure has an issue even though I wasn't using it during the times the warning came up. I would engage the Lane Departure button and the warning display would go away.
I think this was an early warning sign that my battery was going bad.
Anyway, thanks for the help from all yall.
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