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

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.

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.

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