I took my 1995 Avalon into a mechanic to diagnose an irregular crackling sound in the front end and steering. The mechanic said that the upper strut mounts were binding and needed to be replaced. I replaced both of them today and the problem has not been alleviated.
The sounds seem to be coming the front left wheel area, and sometimes the front right wheel area. Occaisionally, the steering wheel makes a pop noise which can also be felt in the steering wheel. Also, when returning the steering wheel to center after turns, the steering (very rarely) slightly sticks in position.
I really don't have the time and money for another false diagnosis. So, I thought I'd tap into the expertise on this forum.
Your input is most appreciated and valued. Thank you.
You may be experiencing the somewhat common rack and pinion failure of the first generation Avalons.
The rubber boots on the joints fail over time, and if not replaced in time, will require a complete replacement of the steering system. Caught in time and its a simple procedure in itself, but requires a good deal of labor time.
__________________
Toyotas in the family/next of kin:
1982 Corolla Wagon, 1989 Corolla DX, 1991 Previa LE, 1993 Previa LE,
1993 Pickup, 1994 Corolla DX, 1995 Avalon XL, 1996 Camry XLE, 1998 Avalon XL,
1998 Sienna CE, 1999 Camry XL, 2000 Camry XLE, 2002 Tundra, 2003 Tundra,
2003 ES 300, 2004 Camry XLE, 2005 Tacoma
Gideon, thanks for taking the time to reply. Let's see if I can give some sort of competent information to help your assessment. (I give myself only "2.5 of 5 stars" in the auto mechanic category).
First, the car is at 160,000 miles. I forgot to mention the sounds are heard only when going over bumps in the road and SOME turns (most commonly when turning and going over bumps), never on flat ground.
I'm only mildly familiar with the rack & pinion system. I did see a couple rubber boots down there. The last time the car was in very cold weather (15 degrees F) there was a significant leak coming from the rack, but as soon as the weather warmed up (40's) the leak stopped. I have kept a keen eye on the power steering fluid and I don't appear to be missing a drop ever since I started using the "anti-leak fluid" (about 20,000 miles ago). Also, for what it's worth, the CV driveshafts have been replaced just 1000 miles ago for their own need of replecement.
So, if the boots need replacing, how long before the entire rack needs replacing? For all I know, it's already beyond just a boot fix, maybe already needing a new rack. Hopefully, both are jobs I could do myself, if necessary. Also, what would you consider a "good deal of labor time?" (10+ hours ?) Finally, what is the penalty for not fixing it at all? (since I'm nearly out of $$ - and patience)
Did the mechanic look at the rest of the suspension parts when changing the strut mounts. Suggest returning the car and stating the problem is not fixed, the mechanic needs to take a closer look at things. But don’t let them just start replacing parts.
As to the rack boots, remove the tires one at a time and look at the boot on each side of the rack housing. See what condition they are in, torn, ripped, etc. Turn the steering wheel left and right whilst watching the boot, any binding or noise? You can do this yourself with the help of a friend.
Replacing the boots is straightforward. Requires removing the tie rod ends, removing and replacing the boot, then reinstalling the rod end. When checking out the boots, look at how they are installed.
Worn stabilizer bar bushings can cause a noise when going over bumps but should not effect steering.
To get an idea of the parts layout, download the Generation 3 Camry suspension/teering info from the link below, the cars are almost the same.
Actually, the mechanic only diagnosed the problem and gave me an estimate. He didn't charge anything for the diagnosis so I can't even ask for money back. I couldn't afford for him to fix it, so I got the parts and did the upper strut mount repair on my own using the Haynes manual for the Avalon (& Camry). Pretty simple job but cost $140 and didn't fix the problem.
I will check the condition of the steering boots and look for anything obvious. Although, when I was down there doing both CV driveaxles and upper strut mounts, I didn't see anything obvious. Let me jump the gun and let's say the steering boots are fine - what next?
When you replaced the upper strut assembly, did you replace the complete unit including the bearing?
CV joints can go bad but have not heard of them contributing to these types of steering problems. When they go bad they often make a click, click, click when making a turn opposite the direction the bad joint is on.
Check the boots first. Also jack up the front of the car (tires on is OK), rotate the steering wheel full one way then the other and check for binding. Rack and pinion can wear out but don’t replace it until you are 100% certain.
On the off chance check the u-joint between the steering column and the rack housing. You can see this with the hood open and looking behind the transmission. On later model cars there was a TSB on this item making a popping noise during steering. Could be the joint is wearing out, binding or needs lubing, just a guess. There have been other posts about a plastic bushing at the bottom of the steering column that made noise and required a spray lube to quiet. This could explain why you feel the pop in the steering wheel.
The link provided in a previous post has info on inspecting the suspension for play.
I'll be checking all the things you mentioned tomorrow. Thanks for the tips. I followed that link to the service manuals and found tons of useful information. However, under the "suspension and axle" chapter, it tells us to check the "suspension for looseness" but doesn't explain how to do it. Please forgive my stupidity, but should I assume that means to simply grab the various components of the suspension and try to shake them to see if they wiggle?
Ok, I guess it's been longer than I thought. For anyone who cares, I've found the problem! I took the car to a Meineke car center and they inspected my suspension for free. (A 6-pack of beer) They found the stabilizer bar bushings were starting to fall apart and gave me a 50/50 chance that would fix it. I replaced them for $15 and found they weren't in bad enough shape to cause such noises. While tinkering around the area, I started wiggling things around to see if anything would move - and something did, with a click noise! The right side stabilizer link to conrol arm had some movement with the noise. The part was fine except a bit loose. So, after about 6 hours work and $155 fixing the wrong things - it turned out to be a loose bolt. Thanks for the advice to "check suspension for play."
As far as the noise in the steering wheel, it is still there but sounds very minor and rare - so it was an unrelated issue. Unless anyone out there advises me otherwise, I'm going to ignore the steering issue until it gets worse or more frequent.
I guess in the future, I'll try asking here first.
Thanks for getting back on the problem. Can't beat cost of repairs of this fix! The stabilizer bushings needed replacing anyway. The pop again may be something in the steering column, if you get time do a TN search on this as it has come up before.
Everyone has changed the wrong part(s) at one time or another.
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
ToyotaNation.com is an independent Toyota/Lexus enthusiast website. ToyotaNation.com is not sponsored by or in any way affiliated with Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. The Toyota, Lexus and Scion names and logos are trademarks owned by Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.
Linear Mode
