Is this normal?

[95TRDXLEV6]

Today I was at the freeway with my Camry, and I was behind a truck on the right lane (waiting for the other faster cars to overtake me), so I was doing about 50Km/h. Well while I was there waiting I decided to use my ECT button, I have already used on the city, and I felt it gave me a better launch and a better aceleration. Ok, now it was my time to overtake the truck (with ECT on), I went to the left lane and gave it gas, when it was about 110km/h almost 120km/h the steering got very heavy (it was like it had no hydraulic assistence), I could barelly move it. Well I took my foot out of the gas and turned off the ECT, and gave it gas again, the steering was normal again. Is this some kind of issue or is it normal? Thanks for your help.

[Eye8Pussies]

loss of power steering or something??
if anything, while accelerating, the steering should get lighter....


nope...doesn't sound normal to me....

[95TRDXLEV6]

Thanks for your answer Eye8Pussies. I left the Cammy at the stealership this morning, they said they are going to call me later this afternoon. :-?

[Silver Streak]

Dunno what's going on with your steering but my suggestion is that you should leave your ECT in the power mode at all times on the highway. I almost got mashed by a truck once because I had it off and my car didn't downshift into the proper gear...I think I was stuck in O/D at like 60km....

[Eye8Pussies]

it means you don't mash the pedal fast enough, henry :wink:

I dunno, but once I tottally mashed the pedal while I was laready going about 140 or so, and it dropped into 2nd.....revved straight to redline and damn near scared the sh*t outta me....just going along....doo doo doo....and all of a sudden my engine's roaring liek a beast....couldn't have been good for the car....

[95TRDXLEV6]

When I mash the Camry it starts screamin' and gets moving! I only used the ECT to see if there was any improvement like there is on the streets. I used it and when it reached 120km/h my steering was soooo heavy that seemed I was driving a 4wd with the front locker on and 40" tires! That scared the *h*t out of me and I slowed down. By the way I just got my Camry back, they said there was nothing wrong with the tranny, steering or electronics. They flushed the tranny and have replaced the steering fluid. No leakages were found. I'm gonna take it to highway tomorrow again and see if this issue is gone. :roll:

[Eye8Pussies]

hmmm....now that's still one of the weirdest things I've ever heard....

if it still does that, go back to the dealer and demand that they take a test drive of it on the highway, and/or go with them when they do it too...

good luck

[95TRDXLEV6]

Sorry for not posting here the latest happenings earlier, but here we go... :P :o After going to 5 different Yota dealers, and let them drive my baby, no one knows whats going on. Only one dealer suggested to replace my tranny (which would cost me about 20% of the value of my Camry, and besides it cant be the tranny, the car is too new). But there is a good side on this story, the more I use this button, the better the steering gets, it's not as heavier as before, so it must be just a break in adjustment, since this feature was never used! Thanks for all the responces here.

[Fresco Bob]

ya my buddies cressida had a leak in the power steering fluid last summer. when it got low the car was so hard to steer, you got a mad workout just cruisin around.