I just had Toyota install a new Lexus remanufactured steering rack and OEM outer tie rods on my 95 LS400. I do a decent amount of work on this car myself but due to job and family this is just one I didn’t have time or appetite for and figured I will pay up but will only do this once but will last rest of useful life of the car. The steering is now tight and true vs sloppy before, which is good, but feels stiff and heavy compared to very easy before (easy but sloppy and rack was leaking). Way too challenging for an LS based on prior LS400 and LS430 I have owned. Particularly in parking lots and low speeds it feels a bit difficult to turn the wheel, and I’m not a small or frail person but it feels like a chore. Not like there is no power steering but just too difficult. Has anyone ever experienced this before? FWIW I just replaced OEM lower ball joints and strut rods and had alignment done while I was there but not sure why that would affect it. Car has 115k. The PS pump was last rebuilt in 2017 by prior owner. That would be maybe 10-15k miles ago because they weren’t driving it much. Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

 

I notice differences in steering feel and weight from an alignment change, and I noticed a pretty definite difference when I replaced the power steering rack bushes.

However. I've driven a lot of cars and the 400 is still one of the lightest, overboosted steerings I've ever used. Why it would get substantially heavier... I'm not entirely sure.

Maybe the idle-up functionality isn't working correctly to boost the line pressure in parking lot speeds?

p.s how does the car drove otherwise with the ball joint and strut bars replaced?

 

I am convinced something is off with the remanufactured rack and apparently that’s not uncommon based on what I’m reading. Like you my experience is with this car you can one finger steer in parking lots…if the system is working properly. I’m going to have to take it back.

I was having a clunk over speed bumps and dips and it was ultimately the left strut rod that was making noise. I did lower ball joints also for good measure. I was initially intimidated by the strut rod job but did it in my driveway in part thanks to a massive 3 foot breaker bar I bought that made it easy to get the old ones off. Now drives more confidently over bumps for sure. Amazing how those strut rods wear because based on the prior ones having Toyota/Lexus parts stickers on them, this would appear be the third OEM set now on a car that has only 115k miles…

 

Where did you buy the reman rack?
A steering rack is much more tedious to rebuild than a vane pump, or an alternator.
It's fairly safe to say the rebuilder used generic/lower cost seals, bearings, etc. You also have to wonder if they actually do a comprehensive rebuild or just replace the low hanging fruit...

I would also call or visit the Toyota dealer who did the work and verify what type of fluid the used.

 

Thanks for responding. The Toyota dealer bought the reman rack direct from Lexus. It cost me an arm and a leg for just the rack. But I figured let me do it once and right, ie with OEM parts (I know reman is not same as factory new but I trust Lexus in theory) as I have a job and family stuff and I just don’t have the time to do it myself. And this should be the last rack this car needs.

When I was part way home stopping to run an errand I checked the PS fluid reservoir and it looked to be at the right level on the dipstick and it was the reddish ATF color of fluid I’m used to seeing.

 

That's good news!
Those Lexus reman racks are so damn expensive hardly anyone buys them.
I'd take it back to the dealer they should understand stiff steering isn't right.

 

From the 1998 LS400 FSM. I cross-checked it with TIS; this is the same for a 1995 LS400.

 

Thank you. I actually have my 1995 FSM in print and figured no way I’d ever test something like this but if the dealership refuses to believe it’s too stiff, this may be exactly what I have to do.

On the bright side, the new OEM motor mounts feel great. Such a nice car if I can get the steering sorted it will basically be perfect.

 

Update and possible last post on this one.

I had my local Lexus dealer test it and they did give me a write up saying steering is stiffer than known good LS400 and “possible faulty” steering rack.

I then took it back to the Toyota dealer at some distance away who did the install of the reman Lexus rack. They had two different master techs go through the whole front end and look at the rack extensively. They said everything looks fine and the rack is not making any weird noises or sensations. Absent some kind of evidence of malfunction, they say that Lexus will not entertain a warranty claim on the reman rack. They said that when a rack is not working properly, there will be some evidence, such as a sound or vibration or not re centering properly, etc.

It’s a shot in the dark but maybe I take a swing eventually by replacing the pump?

I am a bit disappointed but at the point where I think I may just need to move on and enjoy the car otherwise. I was just hoping by paying up for the Lexus reman rack that I would have more of that effortless feel these cars had from the factory, but the car is still extremely enjoyable to drive. I feel myself starting to get used to the heavier steering a bit. It’s no matter of importance at speed. In parking lots it is a little annoying.

 

The true litmus test is to drive other LS400's and compare. Maybe your steering had gotten super light over the years for a variety of reasons, and now it's "reset" to where it should be. Or maybe the idle up valve became damaged or inoperable somehow, though I would imagine the techs would look at that too during their inspections.

The best judge of effort I can translate into test is: that in parking lots at 2-12 mph, you should be able to pretty easily palm the steering wheel even when making 90 degree turns.

 

Raise both front wheels, turn the steering wheel quickly (engine off) it should move like butter. If it does then the problem is with the power steering assist not stiff/binding suspension components. Assuming power steering fluid is circulating normally that would mean a defective rack.

 

Thanks both. I am going to do some more fiddling and one thing I’m considering is to replace the pump with a Lexus reman. Because replacing the pump seems like something I can do myself it should just be a bit of a cost for the part itself, but no labor cost. The prior owner had it rebuilt not so many miles ago but a significant number of years ago (2017) and I see evidence of non OEM being used by this car. Maybe the pump is pooped out even if it isn’t whining. I am also going to try the test of raising the wheels and seeing if revving engine makes it easier to turn, if that makes sense.

 

Steering should turn with 1 finger when the engine isn't running (wheels raised of course). Don't fire the parts canon find out the cause.

 

I do get not firing the parts cannon…I just brought a neighbor’s car back from a no start and we did full diagnosis before we replaced anything and even though car was throwing a MAF and ignition code it just turned out to be a bad fuel pump. I just have a situation here where a very reputable Toyota dealership is saying we had two master techs climb all over the car today for several hours and check out every aspect of your front suspension and listen for anything weird coming from the rack itself, we had the car lifted up turning the rack back and forth and seemed 100 percent normal and we observed no leaks. Maybe there’s another explanation but weak PS pump seems a possibility. I do know it would be a roll of the dice to just replace it. I will see where I get experimenting with lifting front wheels and turning and report back if I learn anything useful to the group as I know I’m simply speculating ..

 

Has anyone ever seen a hydraulic Toyota PS pump fail to operate? I've seen them leak and make noise but they all still worked.