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Steering in Parking Lots

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by snipercoder, Mar 2, 2018.

  1. snipercoder

    snipercoder Member

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    Not sure if anybody feels this way but I believe the steering of my 2016 Prius (about 25,000 miles) feels inadequate when navigating in parking lots. To describe it, in a traditional car with steering fluid and pump, it feels like there's a leak in the steering rack and you cannot make enough of a tight turn to pull into a parking space (at low speed). Then you have to back up and turn in again in order for the car NOT to be parked crooked and the front and rear wheels to be parallel with the parking lines.

    I know our Prius steering is electric and does not have fluid and pump but I'm just trying to describe that feeling like when you don't have enough power steering at low speed navigating in parking lots. I find myself doing this a lot (backing up and trying again). Does anyone feel this way or is there's something wrong with my steering rack? This has happened from the get go when I first got the car but I didn't notice it until now after owning the car for awhile.
     
    #1 snipercoder, Mar 2, 2018
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2018
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    The 4th gen Tourings have a bigger turning radius if I'm not mistaken. Our 3rd gen with 17" wheels is like that: getting squared away in a parking stall takes some back and forth.

    Did you have a previous Prius with 15" wheels? They have a tighter turning radius, in comparison.
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Mar 2, 2018
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  3. snipercoder

    snipercoder Member

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    No, I did not have the previous Prius with 15" wheels. It's just seems ridiculous after parking and and getting out of the car, you see you're not squared away in a parking stall, leaving others to say "that Prius driver doesn't know how to park, again."

    Whenever I drive my mother's Lexus ES350 sedan, which is bigger than the Prius, there's no problem pulling into a parking stall with one try. An open parking stall between 2 occupied stalls to the right? No problem, just turn the wheel all the way to the right and slide right in. No need to swing wide left in order to turn right into a stall, which is what I always have to do with the Prius. I thought the Prius would be a perfect car for the urban jungle with crowded parking lots with people and shopping carts, but the inadequate power steering proves me wrong. I might as well drive a car with manual steering, oh my... the flashback.
     
    #3 snipercoder, Mar 2, 2018
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  4. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    I noticed when my son, an experienced Prius v driver, drove my Gen 4 he put the car into Reverse after he stopped to check the parking distances using the rear camera.
    Just another idea.
     
    #4 Prodigyplace, Mar 2, 2018
  5. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    I haven't had a problem, in fact, mine has similar manoeuvrability to my previous smaller car (FIESTA), and considerably better than the FOCUS I had before - my wife has a FOCUS too and I notice it when I drive it. Mind you, it's not as good as my 1980 VOLVO - at least in turning circle - almost all other areas, the PRIUS is superior.

    It's in the design balance - there have been cars made with short wheelbase and tight turning, but it needed care at full lock to drive very slowly so the front tyres didn't scrub.
     
    #5 alanclarkeau, Mar 2, 2018
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  6. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

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    It's because their steering wheel is on the wrong side :rolleyes:
    When I use IPA I don't even have to touch the wheel. :p
    Seriously though, no problem with mine, the steering is a lot lighter than SWMBO's Gen 2.
    I remember the Gen 3 manual for park assist recommended being at 45 degrees to and just past the parking spot when backing in (being a bit further away, if possible, also helps).
    I find applying this method makes it easier, even when not using the park assist.
     
    #6 kithmo, Mar 3, 2018
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  7. goinskiing

    goinskiing Active Member

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    I was actually surprised at how small the turning radius is on my Gen 4, not as good as the C, but not as bad as the Scion iM I had before the Gen 4. I find the steering in parking lots to work really well for me. Granted I have 15" wheels, the 17" wheel seems to be the most plausible reasoning.
     
    #7 goinskiing, Mar 5, 2018
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    I think if you look up the stats, the 4th Gen 17" wheel model will have signif. bigger turn rad. That's the case on 3rd gen I know.

    I personally hate up-to-date parking lots; they're invariably built to minimum allowances. It'd be disaster, if a bunch of Crown Vic and Grand Marq owners all showed up at the same time. :whistle:
     
    #8 Mendel Leisk, Mar 5, 2018
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2018
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  9. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Or massive US built trucks. Our roads and carparks aren't made for them.

    I was at the Auto Parts store the other day, spotted just one parking spot left - but a huge F150 or RAM in the next bay was about 300mm into "my" spot. If I had have squeezed in, he would have scratched my car getting into his monstrosity.
     
    #9 alanclarkeau, Mar 5, 2018
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  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    I've attempted to get into some spots, then just thrown in the towel, skulked away. Parking interuptus. :oops:
     
    #10 Mendel Leisk, Mar 5, 2018
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