₦airaland Forum

Before commencing any job on a steering rack system, ensure the steering wheel is positioned straightforward.

This would prevent the spiral coil inside the steering wheels, from excessively extending (cutting). If it cuts, your horn won't beep a second (won't work).
I used the driver side seat belt to strapped the steering wheel to the seat.

Its a 2010 Ford fusion hybrid sedan car, with an engine capacity of 2.5L.

INTRODUCTION
Since the advent of hybrid electric vehicles, there has being a tremendous push by major automakers, towards the development of technologies, that would ease maintenance costs of owing such vehicles, as compared to their conventional counterparts (wholly gasoline engines).

One of such innovative techniques, has being to replaced all hydraulically operated power steering components, with an electrically controlled one.

These days, you see vehicles without a power steering pump, belt, pulleys, and hydraulic fluids on them. 

No need for fluids, belts, and even belt pulley changes.
What can be seen is just an electric power steering assist assembly, basically comprising of an 1) electric motor; 2) reduction gear; 3)torque sensor; 4) electric power steering module-EPS.

Using this Ford fusion 2010 as a case study
1.Owner drove through flooded waters in the island (depth of flood waters was above centreline of wheel)
2. After some days, noticed some terrible noise coming from the steering, when steering the wheels right to left.

INSPECTIONS/DIAGNOSIS
1. Got into the car to simulate the customer's complaint by turning the wheels in all directions.
Terrible noise confirmed coming from the steering rack region.

2. No malfunction indicator light on, especially that related to the electric steering system. I mean, there wasn't a P/S sign.

3. As long as I was able to stir the steering wheel, with some electric assist, that made me realised that the electric motor was functional, and the noise was a mechanically induced one.

4. Turned the driver side wheel inwards to exposed the steering rack assembly, especially the tierod boot(that rubber thing that prevents grits, and water from entering the steering internal column itself).

5. We discovered that the tierod boot were torn on either sides of the steering rack.

6. Not satisfied with what we saw, we decided to rip apart the steering rack when it was removed to thoroughly investigate why the noise.

7. Electric motor, and the torque sensor mounted on the steering rack were still intact.

8. Electric motor drive belt, and its drive pulleys were also intact.

RESULTS
1. Brownish/red colouration depicts product of corrosion (water + air/oxygen=corrosion).
This happened as a result of WATER INTRUSION.

2. Torn shaft boots was the ROOT CAUSED of the problem.
The torn boots, allowed water intrusions, which corrosion, and erosion via grits, debris, etc of the steering rack column(I mean the internal diameter of the column itself).

The water decreased all the grease on the solid spline shaft of the steering rack.

THE FIX?
Two options were tabled here:
1. Get a replacement used steering rack assembly
2. Disassembled the entire system as I have done, assess, and replaced only the damaged part, then lubricate.
3. Either of the options would work, depending on a customer's financial standing.
4. Installed the steering rack, and do a steering rack CALIBRATION, in order to aligned the wheels.



CONCLUSION
This writeup isn't just limited to owners of hybrid electric vehicles. It applies to conventional ones too.

Always ensure your steering rack boots are inspected during any shop visits, and before the raining seasons sets in.

Its absolutely easier to have those steering rack boots replaced cheaply, than have an entirely assembly replaced.



PS:
In some of the failures we've tackled, steering feel was hard to stir, just like you'd experience on non hybrid vehicles.




Regards,
Joseph(08066643532)
DW Nig Ltd
www.dxta.com.ng
Isolo, Lagos

@Neededgist. Sure, you're right. Ponds of water was in the vicinity of the HV contactor's(relay assembly).
This is a typical example of resistance barrier breakdown between a high voltage system, and body ground (chassis of the car).

@lexusgs430: are you sure at all?

@tensazangetsu20.
Knowledge in that technology?
A lot involved.
Determination, willing to spend MORE time researching current trends on such a technology (personal development), etc.

ECU rebuilding? I don't rebuild ECUs. Although that depends on what is being rebuild.
For instance, I can only replaced electronic components like capacitors, and all that on a faulty ECU if the need arises.

Rebuilding ECUs isn't a small job. You need to Br knowledgeable software programming..., and get to know exactly what the manufacturer's engineers were thinking at the time of design(mode 6, if know what I'm saying).

For the hybrid system, you can't rebuild the transmission system, especially the generations 2 to current Prius (es), and others. Bit the transmission system on the gen 1, 1999-2001 can be rebuilt, since you could easily replaced any of the electric/generator motors, when any of the components is bad, especially faulty insulation issues on the motors. For the gen2 and current, any transmission system problems, means the whole assembly must be replaced.

Engine rebuilding is quite easy, on those cars, since they are internal combustion ones.
All rebuilding techniques are same here.
The only precaution you need taking is to ensure before and after the rebuild, the traction battery (HV pack) has significant juice to start the car.

That's the car at the car wash facility

Planned view of the exposed battery pack

Using a brush, and a bottle of methylated spirit to dry out moisture

HV relay assembly disassembled to provide access for proper cleaning and drying out

HV relays on a worktable.

Shows the HV relay assembly

Using a shop rag to fastened the cleaning

Drain seal unplugged to allow drainage

Water drain seal to drain the excess water

Ponds of water underneath the battery pack

Some few days ago, I got a call, from an owner of a hybrid Highlander, 2010.

He's complaint was that the car was just not coming on READY, after it was detailed at a car wash facility.

The guys at the car wash facility, were themselves not able to get the car on READY, hence the call to the owner, who was visibly infuriated by the development.

Dashed down to the vicinity, popped the bonnet opened, to check of there had being water intrusions into any high voltage electrical connectors or components.

Unfortunately, there was none.

The engine hasn't being washed yet as at that time.

The guys over there, had decided to start the detailing the interiors of the car, before they could commenced the engine portion.

When I saw the ponds of water in the floor of the car, I already knew where the problem was coming from.

Touched the rugs, and it was dammed wet.

Drove the car down to the shop, and commenced work immediately.

For those who have never experienced this after a car wash, you're lucky.

DIAGNOSIS METHODOLOGY
1. Brainstorm, and try to understand the customer's complaint (s).
In this case, he had brought the car to the car wash guys, in a working perfect condition.
So what would have happened?
That was my thought.

2.Are there any malfunction indicator lights showing on the instrument panel?
The check hybrid system was on, and airbag.
The airbag light didn't pop up from the car wash facility. It has being there, according to the owner of the car.

3. Retrieved the code from the hybrid system, using a hybrid enabled scanned tool, and got A high voltage ISOLATION problem (this means the high voltage system is leaking some measure of current on the chassis ground of the vehicle).

Not fixing this problem, is extremely lethal to the car owner, and to any technician that may be working on it.

4. Discovering the ponds of water at the floor of the car, and specifically the HV battery pack location, has somewhat solved the problem.

5. Performing a job like this one, entails you to prioritize your safety first, since you'd be working in the vicinity of a voltage that could electrocute, or even kill you of you're not lucky.

6. Don't wash your hybrid vehicle, if you're certain the car wash facility does not have prerequisite knowledge about hybrids.

Y would you even ever want to spend such an amount on that car?

air filter placed on the bonnet

Clear view

Filter at about 350000 km

Air filters, are an essential requirements in the efficient combustion of air/fuel mixture, and the smooth running of an engine.

Without a functional air filter media, ambient air, which is supposed to be cleanly filtered, before it gets to the throttle body assembly, via the intake manifold, would either caused a fuel rich problem, or some driveability issues.

Good, quality air filters, helps filters the air, and males it suitable for use during combustion.

Bad filters allows unfiltered air gained access into the combustion chambers, and cause cylinder scouring.
Below was a Prius I had worked on some days back.

After completing the oil change, I realized air filter was as below.

Always replaced those filters, as at when due. It saves you a lot.


PS: car is about 50,000km



Regards,
Joseph
DW Nig Ltd
Isolo,
Lagos
08066643532

@cemoney55555. Mehn, I kinda like your moniker.
Thanks a lot for your comments sir!

What you're proposing, isn't that bad.
But from your statement, it appears you're still contemplating, or in the planning stages, hence the "if I have time....".

Have you sat down to count the cost, in terms of time, finance, and the most important to me, is more of researching (this would help you understand the basics of some of your project).



Regards,
Joseph

@firstclass3030.
if you have such fears of your car not being OK afterwards, y not go ahead, and get another engine?

I have rebuilt a lot more engines, including 1zz, 2gr, 1mz, Honda pilots, v8 infinities, etc.
Those vehicles are still in service.



Regards,
Joseph

2012 Camry hybrid blower fan

Taking a side view look at the cleaned blower.

Finished cleaning the fan

Here's what we got out of the blower fan.

You can use an old toothbrush like I have done here.

Fully disabled

Blower disabling

A closer look at the Camry blower fan, how dusty it looked.

A brand new RX 400h hybrid pack from Toyota USA.