2012 Steering very stiff

I've treated that joint at every oil change with Liquid Wrench rust inhibitor. 5 years old and still looks and feels new.



I certainly recommend some kind of lubricant for future protection

 

I will from here on out. Thx. From the looks of your underbody pictures you don't live in a snowbelt/rustbelt area where salt trucks rule in the winter months.

 

Not quite the rust belt.....but we see our share of winter weather and salt. I keep the undercarriage cleaned out and I treat the problem areas twice a year with the same Liquid Wrench rust inhibitor. I've seen a lot of Taco frames succumb to rust in my area

 

For who ever was following this thread, I just returned from the Toyota Dealer concerning the Trac Malfunction Light not resetting. I didn't mention earlier that I had a small amount of tar/black top build up on front tires from truck sitting so long on any older blacktop driveway area. When I took truck for test drive after installing new Intermediate Steering shaft I had a heavy vibration in front end until all the tar separated from the front tires. That's when I noticed the malfunction light.

Dealership ran a diagnostic and the Trac Light On had a code that just needed reset. They said it was from the heavy vibration I had experienced earlier (system was trying to reset itself or something from the heavy vibration). They test drove and said I'm good to go. $89 total. Glad it was just a reset code and not something.

 

Thanks for sharing your outcome. I just got my truck back today from getting an alignment, and I'm getting the same light coming on after driving a couple hundred feet. It turns off after each drive cycle, but as soon as I start driving, it comes back on. I'm wondering if this could be cleared at Autozone, or if I need a Toyota dealer to clear it.

 

You said that you just had an alignment. Was a new Zero Point Calibration done following the alignment?

The toe angles would have been adjusted by the tie rod ends which in turn can change the relationship of the steering angle sensor to the actual steering angle making it closer to the system's enable threshold. A slight turn of the steering wheel would then activate it whereas not before.

A proper alignment should result in a straight steering wheel and new Zero Point Calibration.

 

Where can a zero point be done? Stealsrship only?

 

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