Loss of Power Steering - 2013 Scion FRS Series 10

[Conch Shell]

This is my first post so please forgive me if I'm in the wrong place or need to post better information.

We got this car for my son to go to college and the power steering has gone out on him while driving 3 separate times. We are very concerned that he'll get injured in an accident or even hurt others if this happens at the wrong time.

We brought the car in for service at a Toyota dealer and they basically said that they really couldn't do anything if it wasn't happening while it was at the dealer. The problem is very random and goes away if we stop and restart the engine so it is unlikely that they can duplicate the issue. Nevertheless we did let them keep it and do a diagnostics check but it didn't turn up issues or reproduce while they had it.

Also, we haven't had any electrical work added to the car and only power steering goes out (not power brakes). This is a 2013 vehicle and the problem first started around October of 2016.

Our plan is to have him try to drive it to a dealership while/if it happens again but our obvious concern is his/others safety if he someone loses control when this suddenly happens.

Has anyone else experienced this and had luck with a service department fixing the issue when it isn't occurring? We are really in between a rock and a hard place.

Thanks in advance.

[Icecreamtruk]

My power steering goes out while im on the track at very high (for a street car at least) lateral loads while cornering (1.5Gs or more). I doubt this is your problem but I've read here that if the electric motor (its an electric power steering) overheats it will also shut down to avoid damaging itself. I dont think this is your issue either but those are cases where the EPS would just not work.

Did you get any warning lights in the dashboard at all? If you do, you could try reading them and see what the code is, other than that is a guessing game tho.

[FR-Sky]

how many miles when it occurs?

[new2subaru]

Originally Posted by Icecreamtruk

I doubt this is your problem but I've read here that if the electric motor (its an electric power steering) overheats it will also shut down to avoid damaging itself.

It might just be the problem if the power steering unit is faulty. You may have something here.

[Conch Shell]

Thanks for the questions. The dash alert with a steering wheel with and exclamation point comes on. Also, the car has 26,000 miles on it now so it probably started with 20,000 or so.

Fortunately we took it in for services while it was under warranty and they said it would be a warranty item since we are having the same issue.

Also, if it helps, it happened one time while he was following me out of the neighborhood while never reaching 45 MPH.

Edited to add dash alert image:

[humfrz]

[QUOTE=Conch Shell;2834364]This is my first post ............QUOTE]

Welcome to the forum, @Conch Shell .........

Well, since the dealership says the fix would be covered under warranty, I would suggest you ask the service manager, since this is a safety issue, that they replace the whole power steering unit.

If the service manager doesn't agree to that, I'd suggest you approach the dealerships general manager or owner ....... stressing that they are now aware of the problem and it is a "safety" issue.

If all fails, I would have them replace the unit at your expense.


humfrz

[Conch Shell]

humfrz, thanks for the advice. I'll do that.

Also, I did call the main Customer Care line and have a ticket number stating the problem and telling them it is a safety issue. They just told me to go to a dealer's service department and escalate from there if they don't offer to fix it. Funny thing is that the dealer told me to call Customer Care so they are both pointing me to each other.

[Tcoat]

There are a few examples of this but it appears the guys reporting the problem were not nearly as good at reporting the fix.
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2321579
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67939
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2812468


There was a recall for Australian vehicles but it was a very very specific issue restricted to a special set up only they had so if you come across that don't think you have found the answer.


The car is 100% stock?

[Conch Shell]

Thanks tcoat, i'll check out those links.

Also, i'll report the resolution in this thread once we get there.

Edited to answer tcoat's question:

Yes, it is 100% stock, no alterations.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Conch Shell

Thanks tcoat, i'll check out those links.

Also, i'll report the resolution in this thread once we get there.

Edited to answer tcoat's question:

Yes, it is 100% stock, no alterations.

The only know resolutions we have seen were overheat issues and I highly doubt that is what you are up against so I am sure others would like to know.


I asked if stock because we have spent days trying to figure out problems based on an initial post just to have the OP eventually say "well maybe it is the fact I changed my entire suspension, dropped in a different engine and swapped the body for a carbon fiber shell".

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Conch Shell

humfrz, thanks for the advice. I'll do that.

Also, I did call the main Customer Care line and have a ticket number stating the problem and telling them it is a safety issue. They just told me to go to a dealer's service department and escalate from there if they don't offer to fix it. Funny thing is that the dealer told me to call Customer Care so they are both pointing me to each other.

Well, Conch Shell, I'd suggest you keep after both of them.

The main thing is that you get the car fixed, before your son winds up in a ditch .....or worse.

I reckon I would "carefully" drive it to the dealership, have them replace the power steering unit ....... then argue over who is going to pay for it.


humfrz

[YankBoffin]

Subscribing to this because I'm having the exact issue in my 2013 BRZ with similar mileage. Unfortunately my car is out of warranty (powertrain warranty, I'm assuming doesn't cover steering), so I've been hesitant to take it to the dealer until I can figure out how to replicate the failure. So far it's been so frustratingly intermittent that I haven't bothered, knowing I risk incurring a hefty "diagnostic" free with no actual fix.

Things that set it off, sometimes, but by no means all the time:
- making a slow turn into a parking lot
- driving straight at 35 - 45 mph on a smooth road
- sitting at a red light, out of gear, foot on brake
- crossing train tracks

Sometimes the steering returns on its own after a few seconds.
Sometimes restarting the car is needed to make the steering return to normal.
Lately, neither has been true, but by the next morning the steering works again.

Over heating does not seem likely. Today the steering went out 5 minutes after starting the car. Mind you, it's 32°F at the moment.

I had no power steering when parked this evening. If it's still out when I start for work tomorrow I'll drive straight to the dealer instead.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by YankBoffin

Subscribing to this because I'm having the exact issue in my 2013 BRZ with similar mileage. Unfortunately my car is out of warranty (powertrain warranty, I'm assuming doesn't cover steering), so I've been hesitant to take it to the dealer until I can figure out how to replicate the failure. So far it's been so frustratingly intermittent that I haven't bothered, knowing I risk incurring a hefty "diagnostic" free with no actual fix.

Things that set it off, sometimes, but by no means all the time:
- making a slow turn into a parking lot
- driving straight at 35 - 45 mph on a smooth road
- sitting at a red light, out of gear, foot on brake
- crossing train tracks

Sometimes the steering returns on its own after a few seconds.
Sometimes restarting the car is needed to make the steering return to normal.
Lately, neither has been true, but by the next morning the steering works again.

Over heating does not seem likely. Today the steering went out 5 minutes after starting the car. Mind you, it's 32°F at the moment.

I had no power steering when parked this evening. If it's still out when I start for work tomorrow I'll drive straight to the dealer instead.

Good plan!

It may be an expensive fix ...... but, the alternative could be much more costly .....



Reminds me of the time when my daughter (age 16) was being picked up for a date by a boy driving his mom's car.

Our driveway slopes down rather steeply. When he went to back out, the engine died, thus the power brakes didn't work. The car crashed through my beautiful, freshly varnished, all wood garage door.

When I arrived upon the scene, his mom had a garage repair man on site making a repair estimate, which she was going to pay for (smart mom).

I took my daughter aside and told her that I wasn't going to stop her from dating that kid .......but SHE was to drive HER car.

They only had one date.


humfrz

[YankBoffin]

Originally Posted by humfrz

They only had one date.

Oh, man. Talk about first date nightmare scenario for the kid!

Anyway, at the dealer as the steering was still out when I started it up this morning. Not looking forward to the diagnosis, but if I have to drive it in this condition I'll have forearms like Popeye in short time, and that's just not a good look for me.