A recent failure of the steering rack on my car has somewhat caused be to be phobic about another imminent failure. I'll try to cut a long story short. Basically I am curious to know if anyone has had experiences with the failure of the steering rack in your vehicle. If yes, is your vehicle running on electric power steering and at what mileage did the steering rack fail.

From my conversation with an experienced mechanic, I was made to understand that the steering rack failure is common with all vehicles which operate on Electric Power Steering, and the lifespan is about 8 to 10 years. He mentioned that vehicles with hydraulic power steering rarely have steering rack failures. Is this true?

The recent failure of the steering rack in my vehicle has also suggested that a half-cut steering rack is not a wise option for the replacement of the faulty or broken steering rack as in my experience, it does not last long. The steering rack of my vehicle a Ford Focus mk3 malfunctioned last year when it was 8 years old with mileage 70,000+ km. During that time, the steering rack could not be turned when the engine was started and the error message came up on the display, it was towed to the workshop for the replacement of the steering rack. However, just after 8 months, the (half-cut) steering rack failed again this year and this time, it was much dangerous. It happened when I was driving the car on the road, and the message suddenly came up and the steering wheel cannot be turned! This was when the car was moving at speed on the road and the steering wheel became very stiff and cannot be turned easily. I have to use all my energy to steer the vehicle to the emergency lane. This is extremely dangerous and can cause an accident. If it's a senior citizen, he/she might not have the energy to steer the vehicle to the emergency lane due to the very stiff steering wheel, and the vehicle might need to stop in the middle of the road or highway.

I am not sure if this is an inherent issue with the Ford Focus mk3 in that the steering rack fails rather early, in my case going into the 8th year with low mileage. I was made to understand that all other Focus mk3 also has this same problem and some owners experienced even earlier failure in their 3rd or 4th year. So back to the question. Does anyone here experience a steering rack failure in your vehicle, and how was the situation like? In my case it was a dangerous experience. Does this happen in all vehicles which come with EPS? Some checks on the internet revealed that the steering rack has a lifespan and will somehow fail at some point of time, and the average lifespan is around 160,000 km depending on usage pattern.

Perhaps I made a mistake of going with half-cut steering racks which have a short lifespan. A new steering rack will likely have a longer lifespan but it's fairly costly (RM13k at service centre for the Focus mk3), lower price at outside workshops.

I've 3 cars with EPS and 1 car with hydraulic power steering.

Most problem i had was with the hydraulic one.... steering rack needed repairs, i refurbish it... power steering pump serviced once... and after leaking again, replaced it.
EPS only 1 car had a minor issue, reduced power assist, steering just a bit heavier, never bothered to replace it... just live with it.
Overall i prefer EPS over hydraulic. Simpler and less problems.

Car age
- 1st EPS car : 4 years (accident and total loss)
- 2nd EPS car : 17 years (sold off in 2021, new owner i think still happy with it)
- 3rd EPS car : 10 years (still driving it)
- 1st hydraulic car : 13 years (still driving it)

Sorry to hear from your encounters
I guess it is really hard to put a number on steering rack lifespan.. There are certain models with higher reported steering rack issues like Civics, certain Honda models and F30s with low mileage while some are just fine after more than 10 years. It also got to do with design issues and the way owners driven their car.
My previous VW has clicking sound and knocking sound underneath the car as I go over uneven roads. Got it refurbished instead during 8th year of ownership (120,000km). Not life threatening, just annoyed by the sound coming from underneath the car.

This post has been edited by OrangeGrove: May 29 2023, 05:33 PM

Thanks for the response. It appears that not all vehicles with EPS are built the same, and the failure pattern of the steering rack with different vehicles is also different. Good to note that you didn't encounter any serious issues with the steering rack of your car, just minor symptoms unlike my case whereby the failure is way more dangerous. Looks like the steering rack of the Ford Focus mk3 is poor with low durability with it's low lifespan not withstanding the danger that comes with it when it fails.

how much to refurbish the existing one?

Good to know. Yes, clicking and knocking sound is not life threatening. My case is just dangerous. If one has not experienced the real situation he wouldn't know.

Those driving ford with eps failure will see death infront of them

D S Auto Enterprise Sg Buloh
Initial quote was RM880 but turn out to RM1500 as VW's steering rack is a combination of EPS and hydraulic, a bit more complex for them to do.
This was 2021.

OK.. Thanks boss

My VW Polo Sedan steering rack first knocking about 1.5 years 15k km, sent back they repaired the steering rack coupling under warranty.

Second time knocking around 55k km, about 6th years ownership (out of warranty), didn't replace it and it gradually getting worse knocking at very slight uneven road, sold the car at 73k km.

Thanks for all responses.

From the responses here so far, it's only with VW vehicles that show issues with the steering rack, and those issues are minor since it's knocking or clicking sound from the steering when going over uneven road.

Are there any severe cases of steering rack failures with other cars other than the Ford Focus mk3 whereby the steering wheel suddenly became very stiff without warning when the car is in motion on the road? To me, this is a serious safety flaw where the failure of the steering rack happens when the driver is still driving the vehicle on the road, and the driver is unable to control the vehicle anymore as the steering wheel is locked. Women or senior citizens will likely not be able to steer the vehicle to the emergency lane if this happens and it's a dangerous situation especially when the vehicle is on the highway with other vehicles traveling at high speed.

Both issues you say are common with Honda cars (Civic for the past 2 generations, City for past 2 generations, Accord gen 9)

Thanks for the information. Does this apply to the current Honda vehicles as well, Civic or City etc.? I wonder if car manufacturers or perhaps engineers can prevent this from happening as it's a serious safety issue. To me, this problem with the steering rack failing without warning thus causing the steering wheel to be very stiff has a high potential of creating an accident especially if the vehicle is on the highway.

I was guessing that this serious steering rack issue is only applicable to the Ford Focus mk3 model only but apparently Honda cars also have this problem.

First of all, need to understand why it become stiff? Usually electronic power steering after certain speed like 60km/h it will cut off power to the EPS to provide better road feel and control at high speed. If suddenly become stiff, mostly is due to the motor controlling the rack already fail/off and with big & heavy sport rims you will feel even more worse.

BTW, most of the time is not the steering rack motor issue but the ECU that controlling it, from my mechanic experience a lot of modern EPS failure are not from the rack itself but related to the ECU control box & wiring issue. He recently encountered a Mazda EPS issue due to poor earth connection, the owner go do painting outside and the paint thickness (too thick) until unable to get good earth grounding and cause the EPS fail, spend few thousands fixing it still fail and finally drag to my mechanic place use voltage meter test gg fail earth reading. Solution: sand the wiring ground area..

If a good mechanic, they will do test using meter and also try feeding power to the steering rack motor to test if it is the EPS rack or ECU control box issue.

This post has been edited by littlefire: May 30 2023, 10:49 AM

Yes, I am aware of that as the steering rack specialist and another mechanic had explained to me earlier on the failure of the steering rack. The electronic control box or ECU control box or whatever they call it, it's a small box fixed to the steering rack of the Mk3. It's the electronics that fail and for this reason the whole steering rack needs to be replaced as the electronic control box is fixed to it. So basically we just refer to a "steering rack failure" as the electronic control box and steering rack come together as a one-piece. So it's basically replacing the whole thing altogether.

The cause of the failure of the electronics, as explained to me by both the steering rack specialist and experienced mechanic (consistent advice from both which is a good thing) is that contaminated rain water will seep into the electronic control box as the vehicle goes through puddle of water and especially deeper puddles of water on the roads during a rainy weather. With prolonged deterioration, the electronics inside the box that is fixed to the steering rack will be damaged. So the advice is to avoid driving the car through deep puddle of waters wherever possible to avoid early damage of the electronics.

First time I'm told about this. Of course we can avoid driving into puddles of water but during rain, eventually water will splash onto the box. I wonder why manufacturers can't waterproof the ECU box to prevent water from seeping into it thus damaging the electronics? Water on the roads will still splash onto the box and if it's not properly sealed it will eventually find its way into the box.

There is no such thing need to replace whole set if just the electronic control box issue. If someone fix or assembly with it together means it can be taken out individually and ECU or PCBA board can be fix or exchange out. Nowadays a lot of PCBA/ECU repairer outside, is just either your mechanic or specialist did not get the correct personal to fix it. If really cannot fix, i believe open market especially China sure got people selling individual PCBA/ECU board for replacement. There is always a way if there is a will, unless you are cash rich and cannot take risk then buy whole set new.

hydraulic steering issue i have is just small leaking and steering play.
nothing serious.

EPS problem i had is knocking clunking noise when going over rough road.
5 years old bezza, 6 years old elantra, 3 years old saga vvt.
not much problem on the motor or sort.
got 1 incident got motor grinding noise when in carpark. afer restart car noise gone.

my bezza after 5 years need to change to refurbished type, costing RM 600+

Civic - Current generation and previous.
City - GM6
Accord Gen 9

https://www.autoblog.com/2023/03/21/nhtsa-h...-investigation/

I can tell you from a perspective of "engineer". We take calculated risks, and sometimes we do not convey this risk in terms of RPN properly to management. In the name of cost, time and performance, a lot of design aspects related to reliability is short cutted. Often times we think the risk is 1 per million and it is well justified ie safe to ship. But we underestimate things and in reality the occurence is much much higher example 1000 per million. Then comes to the owh crap part.
Then, as management they also instruct the engineering teams to take more risks in the name of profit. You know where this goes.

Next, these subsystems are "reused" by other teams and projects and they are deemed extra safe to use because its been used for a long time "without issue". The problems goes unfixed for generations until another top engineer redesigns everything and thinks he is the smartest man alive, only to repeat the lessons not learned.

So, no, there are far too many examples of shit hitting the fan. Takata airbags come to mind.

Yes, it is a safety issue for steering to be sticky. If you ask me, there should be people being put into jail for these issues then perhaps someone will care. Look at recent Toyota side impact issue. Until now perodua pretends there is no problem, Daihatsu say there is no problem but Toyota chairman flying here and there and apologising up and down.

Thanks for the information. I've read the article and that's interesting. It didn't mention the issue in detail but the problem was described as "brief loss of power steering assistance". Not sure if brief loss would translate to few seconds or minutes where the steering wheel will turn stiff and cannot be turned, and then after that back to normal. In my case, it was PERMANENT loss of power steering assistance. Perhaps a different type of defect or failure.

That article is only the tip of the iceberg when comes to Civic.

If you ask me, a permanent failure of the EPS is just as dangerous as a temporary one and sometimes less of a headache to fix - just replace it.

FWIW, my Grand Livina with EPS, mfg year 2010 is still flawless driving until today with no issues, 140,000km (yes, low mileage).

I've also driven gen 1 myvi with hydraulic PS for decade+ without issue.

One thing for sure, is that an engineer with sufficient data (so many years have passed, they surely have it) and motivation can absolutely design a more reliable EPS than a hydraulic PS, simply because he can (the tools have flourished since then). But life is never straightforward in the real world. Again I speak from personal engineering experience, not related to automotive but close enough.

My last vehicle with EPS was Nissan Sylphy 2.0 year 2008. I sold it just after 5 years with mileage 51,000km to a 2nd hand dealer, surprisingly with a good price. No issues whatsoever but then again it's fairly new with low mileage.

My older cars were Proton Preve Turbo and going back older Waja, both cars on hydraulic steering I believe and driven more than 10 years without any issues other than the Preve Turbo needing a gearbox replacement.

This Ford Focus mk3 is the first car I own after more than 30 years driving experience that has the steering rack failed while I'm still driving on the road. Imagine while still driving on the road and suddenly the steering wheel cannot be turned at all. Well, that's a bit of exaggeration as strong muscular guys will still be able to turn the steering wheel albeit needing them to use some of their brute strength. With ladies and older seniors, chances are they won't have the strength to steer the vehicle to the emergency lane thus forcing them to stop the vehicle in the middle of the road if the unfortunate happens. In this situation, it's really dangerous especially when it's on clear highways where other vehicles are moving at high speed.

Can understand that all decisions are mostly if not entirely commercial driven as engineering just follow behind.

This post has been edited by SportyHandling: May 30 2023, 04:25 PM

Do you mind to share your mechanic contact?

My swift eps has failed since 2 or 3 years ago. When driving long distance or above certain threshold (140kmh), i will get alarm that eps is off. It will only recover after i off and cool down the car.

But its not life threatening. Just stiff steering and annoying.

Like I said if someone goes to jail, then it will be taken seriously. Until then it gets swept under the carpet. Takata airbags, VW dieselgate, Kobe steel, bearings, Boeing 737, dc-10. Not one engineer or QA or even executive goes to jail, lives have been lost!

Happened to my colleague's Honda CRV before, it was quite new, he said feel the steering suddenly lockup or stiff, claimed warranty to replace steering rack and drive shaft, that was before covid-19 pandemic.

I guess when there are accidents or at a more serious level where lives are claimed due to the inability of controlling the steering wheel caused by malfunction of steering rack or EPS electronics, then only there "might" be action. I'm surprised that there are no incident of serious accidents caused by steering wheel lockup yet although there are already vehicles that are affected by this problem, not only Ford but Honda or maybe other cat manufacturers as well, or perhaps there are incidents that I'm not aware of.

Terrible that this problem is also prevalent in Honda vehicles such as Accord, Civic, CRV and City. I wonder if Toyota Corolla Altis also show this steering rack malfunction which will cause the steering wheel to lock up? Any cases that you might be aware of? As you have known, the Toyota Corolla Altis is already at the top in my shortlist..

Thanks.

Randomly search through, previous 2 generations got member encounter steering rack noisy issue, kluk kluk noise on uneven surface, so far never seen anyone complain steering lockup or steering stiffness issue. Current gen got 1 complain steering feel light on highway drive, ended up found root cause was tyre very uneven wear due to prolonged alignment issue...

Haven't heard much issues with the Corolla..
Good car, very capable in handling and comfortable at the same time.. it was on top of my list as well, but I got another Toyota instead..
I wanted a Civic FC back then, and glad I didn't get one..

Thanks, that's good to know. I wonder if Honda owners have posted their experiences on the forum on the steering wheel lockup on this forum? So far, I am aware about few owners of the Ford Focus mk3 who have encountered the steering wheel lockup as they posted about this issue on the owner's forum here on Lowyat. Perhaps more people have experienced this issue but chose to keep quiet instead of sharing their experiences openly in the public.

Rattling noise or steering weight issue with Toyota Corolla, if they do not deteriorate to steering wheel lockup, then it should be fine. The steering wheel lockup without warning when the vehicle is still moving on the road is extremely dangerous and to me is a serious safety flaw in the design of the vehicle.

This post has been edited by SportyHandling: May 31 2023, 07:23 AM

I have always regarded Honda vehicles assembled here in Malaysia as being low quality mainly due to rattling noises in the cabin having sat in the older Honda Civic and Accords of my colleagues and business associates throughout the years, hence they are always scratched off the list. Somehow, the Accord 2.4 which I sat in show more rattling noises than the Proton Preve Turbo which I owned which is surprising. In fact, every Honda cars I have sat in will exhibit a higher than normal rattling sound inside the cabin. The design of the vehicle is good but I suspect the local factory churning out the CKD is not up to standard which is surprising since CBU from Thailand or Philippines can produce good quality vehicles but over here with Honda it's down.

Now that I know the steering wheel lockup is also affecting Honda vehicles, it's surely a no from me.

Toyota electric steering rack mostly only got sound, due to the gearing or rubber bush/seal already wear. That why a lot of toyota EPS just sent for refurbish, rarely heard of the ECU control box failure.

My mechanic at northern Penang main land area, if not around better ask any car wiring, electrician expert they got equipment can know what is the issue.

Yup. We have an HRV, rattling and knocking sound from behind and SC suggest to bring it to bodyshop to check.. I am like WT..
Had some replacement done during warranty for some electronics part.. I had a VW previously, NVH way much better than HRV although it is only a Polo and never had rattling sound.

And Honda SC sucks big time with the most unhuman policies and guidelines. The HRV will be our last Honda purchase.
Honda is good in making engines, but making car wise.. herm... As ppl say "Buy Honda Engine, and the car is for Free"

Yeah agreed

Not just engine though, general "specs" and offerings, like their interior and luggage space is best in class and to my knowledge, all segments and classes within Malaysia.

Basically an engineering company, but the rest leaves a lot to be desired (like Proton before Geely, but obviously much better overall)

W205 C-class, albeit not the EPS itself, but power harness that connect to the EPS.

For car enthusiasts, now Civic turbo got no competition since Hyundai stop selling Elantra Sport, Ford stop selling Ecoboost Focus, and VW stop selling 1.8 TSI Passat (some jump on price, but still sub-200k).

Until Toyota decide to put a detune 1.6 turbo 3-pots about 200hp to regular Altis, it is still no competition for Civic turbo.

What do we have if want to upgrade from Civic turbo, without horsepower deficit? Golf GTi? 320i? 2023 BRZ? All are 200k+ car.

stray bullet - 208GTi/308GTi, are they still selling or even if yes how many dare to buy?

This post has been edited by constant_weight: May 31 2023, 01:05 PM

Toyota can easily fit in the NA 2L dynamic force engine M20, it is a simple drop in. For around the same price as the archaic 1.8L we have today, I will snap it up without hesitation and dump my Civic. Alas, its the South East Asia strategy to hamper itself in this segment, perhaps to sell more SUV's.

I would think that Toyota very unlikely to put in a detune 1.6 turbo in to their regular Corolla. The 1.6 G16E-GTS in the Yaris and Corolla is pure hardcore, built for rally specification and they are more of halo cars to boost their company's image.
The new 2L NA M20A-FKS Dynamic Force is good enough for 170hp for regular Corolla, but of course not so much as an enthusiast car.

The way Toyota build their engine line up is either very hardcore or very regular everyday use engine but nothing in between. I guess that is where Subaru and BMW come in to fill the gap. The Lexus IS350, RC350 with the 2GR come close as enthusiast cars but that is a different segment.

Toyota next best bet is the new 2.4 turbo T24A which is a much improved from the previous 2L Turbo 8AR which is pretty lazy..

Interesting time..

This post has been edited by OrangeGrove: May 31 2023, 01:26 PM

Yeap, engine and power wise, uncontested. Unchallenged means they can be complacent.

Bad for consumers.

Too wishful. UMW more likely to fit a low tuned Atkinson cycle of M20

No it's not a simple drop in.
It's a drive train revamp with the direct shift CVT gearbox that was issued recalls (UMWT quiet oh )

And that dynamic force 2.0 NA still PALES compared to Civic 's 1.5T.
The main goal for dynamic force is still fuel economy -
similarly to Mazda SkyActiv regardless how many marketing bullshit they want to force down our throats.

and this is coming from a NA engine bias enthusiast.

What gap? those 2 jointly built cars are also for hardcore with very high price.

I heard something new gonna happen with Corolla facelift... lets see..
Wont be surprise if they price it to 150k... but seems ppl are accepting that price for C-segment (Civic, Mazda 3, Golf TSI)
I blame it on our weak ringgit

This post has been edited by OrangeGrove: May 31 2023, 01:30 PM

Steering rack depends on the suspension and road condition. If always drive on bad roads, the suspension will give way first then only the steering will follow.

EPS more sensitive because it is just an electric motor, wiring and sensor. After months of abuses, the motor will fail. Cars with EPS should only be driven on good roads like highways for example.

Those with hydraulic power steering will better luck as such outdated tech can withstand bad roads easily. Just ensure u check for oil leaks and belting.

I mean at least its not as if they need to do RND. The Corolla with 2.0 M20 engine already exists in many other production lines, only not in the Thailand line.... Of course I don't mean it is as straightforward as aftermarket change (mountings, GB, drive train all ready).
I for one, do not mind less power, less kick, less torque than the Civic. I just want something that is not as sedate as the current 1.8L, it is very sleepy at low RPM and CVT never lets you get to very high RPMS anyway, and by then the noise sucky.

Need RND la if they localising/CKD.
No CKD price will go to hell, either that or cheap out on specs in the name of profit (like current UMWT offerings)

CVT CAN get high RPM, sounds also can be tuned. Honda civic turbo does this exceptionally well.

After all, buy Honda engine, free car.

Nowadays almost all cars come with EPS as hydraulic power steering are phased out, correct me if I'm wrong. So it's unavoidable if the EPS fails with wear and tear even when driven on good roads. One of the causes of failure of the EPS or motor/electronics which form part of the steering rack, as explained to me is water seeping into the electronic box which is located below the car, fixed to the steering rack.

Corolla facelift, what news did you receive? Everyone including the sales advisors or even Toyota customer service are clueless when I enquired earlier this month. Will it be a hybrid? If not, what are the differences in comparison to the current Corolla model which is not available for sale anymore since earlier this month? The current high spec Corolla after discount was selling at RM130k+ and if they bump it up to RM150k without any major improvements, Toyota will have difficulty marketing the new model.

I dont think Corolla Hybrid will be coming in as the fully import for Hybrid will be expensive (no tax incentive for CBU) and locally UMW doesn't have a CKD production line for Corolla Sedan to assemble it.
It could be FL with new DFE, or FL with the old engine.

Whatever for Malaysia will be depending what configuration that Thailand will have.. Would need to wait and see..

cannot expect anything advanced or new from UMW bread and butter models lah

UMW understands our market well, the reason people buy Toyota within the price range is for - Comfort, Reliability and RV, that's it, everything else is optional

and people who mostly buy those models (eg: Vios, Corolla) tend to service their cars outside once the warranty period is over, the dinosaur 1.5L and 1.8L NA engines are perfect for this case since almost every ah beng workshop under the tree is familiar with it

that being said, putting aside powertrain. UMW Toyota models nowadays are actually pretty well spec'ed especially when it comes to safety. I still prefer Toyota Safety Sense compared to Honda Sensing or Mazda iActive Sense. And for some reason Honda in SEA market is still keeping Lanewatch instead of regular BSM + RCTA like other markets.

my only gripe with UMW is their OEM infotainment and the way they integrate it into the dashboard aka CRT TV

This post has been edited by ZeneticX: May 31 2023, 06:04 PM

the only brands that could give Honda a run for the money when it comes to engine power is VW, Hyundai/Kia, and any China brands using 1.6T. Toyota and Mazda don't have any small capacity turbo engines iinm

VW gave up with their locally assembled Golf R line. Same case for Hyundai and Kia, I blame the market and our exchange rate

that left us with only the upcoming China brands but I don't see people who could afford a Honda would consider any China brand. And their engine refinement leaves a lot to be desired still, when all China brands are focused on EVs now

in the end Honda will continue to reign in the C segment sedan market until its slowly consumed by SUV/crossovers

This post has been edited by ZeneticX: May 31 2023, 06:25 PM

No also.
Because their pricing and segments will be higher/different.

And if you go higher, there's the RS Hybrid which is pretty damn powerful and also the type R. (Too bad they didn't have the in between Sportier models like the manual hatchback and Si)

The main advantage for Honda in Malaysia is CKD.

VW had a good chance when they CKD the Golf 1.4 TSI

but they end up screwing the pricing and specs anyway

The Golf 1.4 TSI EA211 is tuned differently from Jetta 1.4 TSI Twincharged EA111.

Less fun, not going to give Civic any pressure.

but I've heard the fuel economy on that is kinda insane. Almost hybrid levels if you just drive it casually

And so is the Civic 1.5T.

what's your real world average fuel economy in Kl traffic? 1 full tank can go how many KMs?

I'm still contemplating between Civic and Corolla Cross now

Haven't you scare the hell out of SA during test drive?
ESP flashes? TC restrict the engine power corner exist?

No, then you are different group of consumers.

True FC, RV buyers will consider the Golf TSI and Civic, Corolla etc.
Enthusiastic buyer without 200k+ budget is forced to consider only Civic, dreaming to own Golf GTi or the likes one day.

Civic seems to sit between the sweet spot of value buy and passion buy.

In traffic (mostly Melaka, a lot of full stops and traffic lights, in a way worse than KL ) 10-11KM/L
If no regards to FC then between 9-10

If smoother traffic or highways, you can have it to up between 15-22KM/L.
yes that's hybrid level of FC.

Please use KM/L or L/100km instead of the archaic full tank ya lol.
The above figures can mean between 350 to 600+ km in a tank, huge difference oh.

For me now I just want something comfortable, practical, and handles decently with good fuel economy

Driving like an enthuasiast now scares me with the amount of cars and crazy motorcyclist on the roads. And its not like i visit Genting or Ulu Yam every weekends

Hence it's down to the Civic and Corolla Cross (hybrid) for me. If this is me in my single years I would've gone for Civic without a doubt, but with a family now the Corolla Cross is starting to tick the boxes


Got it. The traffic figure is what I'm concerned about mostly since I spend most of my time in KL anyways

Traffic is really crazy now even during weekends after MCO

This post has been edited by ZeneticX: May 31 2023, 08:15 PM

Top up more info. It is common to have high deviation FC for turbo, depends on how one drive.

My 2.0T PHEV mileage too can range from 250km-850km. FC from 20km/l combined usage to pity 5km/l if drive like maniac.

1.5L with 2 bar boost = squueze 3L of atmospheric air into 1.5L volume. O2 is same a 3L car, fuel is scale accordingly.

Turbo is very fuel efficient for low load, small throttle where the boost pressure is just enough to breakeven the pumping vacuum during intake stroke.

New 5th gen Prius Prime PHEV seems like a very good package, but gotta be expensive.

Corolla Cross has exact same power unit in some countries.

This post has been edited by constant_weight: May 31 2023, 08:31 PM

its gonna be enough for me if UMW would even bring in the normal HEV variant

2.0T PHEV? is that a 330e?

S60

Yup.. I would prefer Toyota keep it that way for local market. Enthusiast is still minority and majority buyers still look for value for money with the low cost of ownership. Toyota will be #1 passenger car sales this year even without going the turbo route.. Their offering and packing are one of the best, but like you said infotainment is still not the best here..
For those need a little bit more excitement, there are always Honda, Mazda and Subaru to choose from..

Steering rack failure is one of several issues with the Focus MK3 which happens to almost every single unit.
The other issues are TCM failure, clutch plate issue (this was fixed with a redesigned clutch plate) and a few others that I can't recall.

I was considering to buy a used Focus MK3/MK3.5 but after some research decided not to.
When it comes to Ford, when there is an issue it is usually a very prevalent one that affects almost all units.
I have a Ford Fiesta and all the issues I've had with the car are issues that impact almost all units (TCM, Clutch plate, door latch).

I thought the Ford Focus mk3 is the only vehicle which has this steering rack failure but apparently Honda cars such as City and Civic also have this which is surprising. I am not aware of any Honda owners who encountered this steering wheel lockup issue like the Ford Focus mk3. Since there are so many Honda cars on the roads, I suppose these should be complaints if the vehicle also has the steering wheel lockup problem where Focus mk3 owners are experiencing. It's a serious situation if it happens.

It's good to know that the Ford Fiesta does not have this steering rack issue which causes the steering wheel to lock up when the vehicle is still moving on the road. It's an extremely dangerous situation to me.

Forgot to mention that the TCM, door latch and clutch issues with the Fiesta are also affecting the Focus mk3. I've got the TCM replaced within the 10 year warranty period once, door latch also replaced all about 2 years ago. The clutch issue has been resolved after Ford came up with an improved design, and the latest clutch is now more durable, no more jerking issues for the past 4 or 5 years since I last replaced it at the workshop under warranty.

The most serious issue is surely the steering rack failure to me as safety is severely compromised when it fails.

Steering rack issues are quite common for most models but only very prevalent for some models like the Focus, Civic and City that you mentioned and also for BMW F30 where all the units also will kena one.
Other cars also have this issue but usually got symptoms before it creates a safety issue like your case. I think in your case the mistake is that you got a recon unit without warranty, which is a big red flag coz they probably already know that it is not gonna spoil soon. This probably played a role in the situation ending up so scary like you experienced.

Another thing, Honda cars are full of issues but people still like to buy them and claim it is reliable and good just coz the RV is good. Malaysia car market is really

Anecdotal, but I’ve owned 4 Hondas throughout my adult life – 3 MY-CKD & 1 JPN-CBU between 1998 to 2016 – and aside from a small power window motor issue with one of them (fixed under warranty), I experienced a grand total of zero issues. Could be that I just never kept a car long enough for issues to appear.

The thing that makes me avoid Honda these days is the quality gap between JPN-CBU/JDM and our local CKD. It really is huge. Once I experienced a JPN-CBU model (Odyssey), all the CKD versions felt like rattling junk. I would say the CBU-to-CKD gap is wider for Honda than any other car brand I’ve owned. I wonder if it’s the same for Thai or Indo CBU models sold here?

For this thread topic anyways - The steering rack issue is global, nothing to do with CBU or CKD.

muhrica is pursuing official recall. Honda not responding in kind so far.

For my e46, I have changed 3 halfcut steering racks. Rebuilt 2 different units with 2 different mechanics.

1st rebuild is my own mechanic who advised against it but I told him to proceed for me to experiment the longevity of it. Lasted 554 days and 37k km before it started leaking.

2nd rebuild is by D S Auto Enterprise in Sungai Buloh on a non-leaking halfcut rack because I wanted to fix the deadzone. Currently at 183 days and 11k km and it has already started leaking. I'm still awaiting their reply but I think the warranty is only for 3 months.

Any other suggestions to fix this steering rack issue? Looking for a brand new rack for this particular model costs at least 12k+ excluding shipping lol.

Thanks for the information. You can't get the steering rack for your vehicle locally and need to ship it at RM12k excluding shipping? If you add shipping and labour it will be a lot higher as the steering rack installation is complicated and quite labour intensive. A brand new steering rack for my Ford Focus used to cost RM9.8k everything in quoted by the local workshop in Klang Valley. The price has now dropped to below RM8k, still expensive.

In my view, if you still love the car and wish to drive it for few more years, I'd suggest to get a new one since you have now experienced premature failure(leaking) with your rebuild steering racks. I'm not sure about your car but with my vehicle, there is no rebuild service. It is either replace with 2nd hand or new one. 2nd hand steering rack is a matter of luck and no warranty, it's a time bomb as you wouldn't know when it will fail again. Get new one for peace of mind.

The other best option is to sell the car and get a, new vehicle.

At least you only experience leaking with your steering rack, and I presume the car can still be driven without much issue? With the Ford Focus you will just get a message on your screen on the steering system failure and at that moment you can't drive the car already as the steering wheel will become very stiff and lock up

May i know how much D S Auto Enterprise charge u to repair / recond steering rack?

1st rebuild was RM800. Brought my own rack in and installed at my own shop.

2nd rebuild was RM600. This time I just brought my car to check. This includes labour and power steering fluid.

Bro, if you go for the new 12k did you estimate how many years it will last compare to the fix/rebuilt cost?

Besides that, did you change your sport rim, wider wheels or done any modification to your suspension system (lowering the ride) and also driving attitude (A lot of owners tent to max the turning point on steering rack especially standstill, this is damn worse straining the steering components - Dry Steering) A lot of times, my mechanic told me is due to modification or driver attitude but they prefer not to tell the owner as it might hurt their feelings and also their earnings.


This post has been edited by littlefire: Dec 7 2023, 08:47 AM

Proton Exora 135k km, 10 years old, rack leaking on right side
Change to 17 inch rim in front less than 10k km ago

proton waja CPS - 15 Years and 300k km. no phone with Steering Rack so far

Nope, didn't bother calculating the feasibility for getting a brand new rack because I'm pretty sure it won't last from the amount of abuse I put this car through hahahaha...

Wheels are genuine BMW, and within specification too (there are several options, in different sizes, with different offsets for E46). All my suspension parts are either genuine or OE, not even OEM or aftermarket.

Definitely not from max turning point while stationary, let alone moving.

My mechanic abuses me quite often, telling me to stop abusing the car and stop wasting money, and to drive slower. So you get the idea

Sounds like my friend Kent Toh (KTS https://maps.app.goo.gl/DzF6SYf8ANiRnDhW7 )

Haha unfortunately not, he's a bm specialist in kuchai who dailies classics.

I guess your friend cares about your safety and wellbeing too.

Yes most certainly
They are the best mechanics and partners

Wow, I don't even hit 30k km over 4 years.

I think with the mileage you rack up + driving style, you're in good hands.

I have been told my old Iswara needs it's steering rack replaced and the mechanic showed me torn bushing of the lower arms both sides but I am not sure if that's really. How do you proof it's really bad? And as for lower arm bushings I read skme places can press out the bush but my mech wants to replace the whole LA. Into a few Ks of price range.

I only had problems of noise, which is rubbing bearing clicking noises during slow U-Turn steering full lock manuevres which I read is more likely related to Drive Shaft or CV but I see no leaks from CV boots.

I also do not experience shuddering or shaking when going over speed bumps or going past small potholes which is said to be 1 symptom of bad steering rack.

If drive in , DS AUTO remove steering rack on the spot and repair it same day?
I went to another workshop , on their facebook say can repair but reach their shop thy jz say will swap out mine and replace with recon and thy dont even get my car model & steering rack model correct , i dont trust them lol

U can try "Allied Pacific Steering Rack" https://apsteeringrack.com/
Thy r more pro , mostly fix BMW , Audi , merz and provide longer warranty like 6months to 1year but thy do not hv workshop to remove steering rack on ur car , mean u remove / bring ur broken unit for thm to fix .

This post has been edited by prdkancil: Dec 13 2023, 10:12 PM

Best to contact them before you send in so they can allocate a time slot for you. I only collected the following day.

For AP, when I tried to contact them, it seems like they are not aware of the type of specs for my rack, so I wasn't sure whether to go with them or not.

Honda HRV 1.8 2017 Claim Steering rack at 60k km in 2022. Mine was due to a knocking sound turning left to right and not moving back into place after turning (only happened during a full turn). HRV issue is due to the the size of the steering rack used on bigger and heavier car therefore, mostly are knocking sound issues. If not mistaken, the steering rack is the same as City.

Another issue is due to the underbuilt quality and electric power steering. Not how it used to be. Last time, we used a steering pump; therefore, the steering rack needed to be heavy-duty. Now totally flimsy.

This post has been edited by JON97: Dec 18 2023, 08:32 AM

Thanks for the information. It's good to know you managed to claim the steering rack of your HRV under warranty just before the 5 year warranty ends.

This DS Auto workshop, do they expert to check ECU as well?
Not sure the problem of my car related to steering rack or ECU, so thinking of sending it to workshop that expert in both.

My almera N17 9 year old plus using EPS steering send to workshop check the technician say that my steering rack on left side have sound when he hit the rack consider faulty, but my car didn't come out error indicator light and my steering become more soft when turned but have metal sound and kor kor sound . Do i need to replace the steering rack or continue driving or with cause in dangerous situation?

This post has been edited by acespeed88: Feb 24 2024, 07:51 PM