My Solara has about 198,000 miles but ever since I got the car, about 15,000 miles ago, the steering wheel has been very loose. If I’m turning left or right I have to spin it 360 degrees and to make small adjustments I have to turn it about half that. I thought this was normal until I drove literally every other car. So far I have replaced the rack and pinion, the tie rods, one of the cv axles and I’m about to place the other. Any advise on how to make it more sensitive?
You can’t if the steering is imprecise from the factory. It is a near luxury car, not a sports car so it is what Toyota decided it should be.
It may be slop in the steering column itself. At least more than when new. I’d also suggest checking the ball joints for slop as well as the upper steer bearing and strut mount. Actually with 200K on the clock, I’d replace the entire strut-spring-mount assemblies (quick-strut is what they call them), the lower front control arms with complete with bushings and ball joints, and then have it aligned. It will drive like new. A new near luxury car, but new.
Thank ya Mustangman. When I had the rack and pinion replaced it was noticeably tighter but that quickly changed. Any idea as to why so much slop gets in there? And I have had all the struts replaced
The slop is 200k worth of wear and tear. The initial tightness you felt is the new rack and rod ends. Once it wears in a little that goes away. If only the struts themselves were replaced, the steer bearing on top of the spring is still old as is the rubber strut mount. And the ball joints which steer as well.