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alexander_beck77

Tacoma Power Steering Failure

Hey, I've got a 2023 Toyota Tacoma hybrid with 173438 km on it. The steering feels really stiff, like the power steering is failing. Plus, the steering wheel is shaking like crazy. I think it might be the steering angle sensor, maybe bad coding? Any thoughts before I take it in?

4 comment(s)

leapeters55

That sounds rough, especially on a newer Tacoma. While the sensor is possible, have you thought about a wheel alignment issue? I had something similar on an older car after a bad pothole. The electronic stability control uses that sensor, and bad data can mess things up. Any recent bumps or alignment problems?

alexander_beck77 (Author)

Thanks for the quick reply. I haven't hit anything hard recently, but could even a small misalignment cause the power steering to fail completely and the violent shaking, even if the steering angle sensor coding is bad?

leapeters55

A small misalignment alone might not kill the power steering and cause shaking, but with a bad or mis-coded sensor, it could make it worse. Modern sensors can be tricky, so I'd get it checked by someone with the right tools. Sounds like you're on the right track with the sensor, but confirm before replacing parts.

alexander_beck77 (Author)

Thanks, I took it to a tech like you said. Turns out it was a bad steering angle sensor with faulty coding, just like I thought. Recoding the sensor and aligning the wheels fixed it. Cost me 195€.

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