How To Turn Off Power Steering [Explained]

Taking off the power steering has some advantages as it can improve the performance of your car and give you better control of your at times. So, you’ll learn how to turn off power steering in this guide.

We’ll also discuss how you can turn off the steering assist in Toyota vehicles, the common reasons behind power steering failure, its symptoms, and how to proceed when it happens. Let’s dive in!

How To Turn Off Power Steering [Know A-Z]

Taking off the power steering in your car is an easy job. We’ll cover how you can do that in this section. But before you go ahead and do that, you should know the main advantages and disadvantages of doing it:

Note: You can also read how to fix the Steering wheel keeps turning problem.

Advantages Of Taking Off Power Steering:

Here are the reasons why you should turn off the power steering:

Better Control Of Your Car

When you have a front-wheel-drive car and you’re steering in the front, you can lose traction if you don’t have racing wheels. You can lose control of your steering wheel if you launch fast. But taking off the power steering will make it stiffer and give you more control.

Better Feel Of The Road

You’ll feel more attached to the ground when you’re driving at higher speeds if you take off the power steering.

Improve Performance

Removing the power steering is known to increase the performance of your car by 3-4 HP. This horsepower enhancement occurs as removing it puts less strain on the crank. It’s not a huge difference but still something to put into account if you want to turn off the power steering.

Disadvantages Of Taking Off Power Steering

There are also some major disadvantages of turning off the power steering. Here are the cons of removing it from your car:

Harder To Turn Car

It’ll be much more difficult to turn your car at slower speeds. It’ll be difficult to steer your car when you’re trying to park it or driving in tough spots. The wheel won’t move at all when you’re stationary because of the friction between the tires and the road when you turn off the power steering.

You’re not converting to manual steering when you disable the power steering. What you’re doing is essentially turning off the power assist in your car. It’s much harder to turn a car with power steering that has no power assist compared to manual steering with no assist.

Slower Steering Ratio

The steering wheel will feel heavier without power steering. Your car turns faster with power steering and removing it will slow it down. Anything over a quarter of a turn will be very hard to make and you may also snap a bolt when you try to do it.

How To Get Rid Of Power Steering

The easiest way to remove the power steering is by bypassing the steering wheel pump’s pulley. Unscrew the bolts connected to the pulley and pull off the belt to disable the power steering.

Another way to go about turning off the power steering in your vehicle is to disconnect the lines and seal them up so that the steering fluid doesn’t leak from them.

Should You Turn Power Steering Off

Now that you know the main advantages and disadvantages of driving with and without power steering, you can decide on your own. You need to gauge whether the pros of taking off the power steering outweigh its cons.

The good news is that you can always switch back and forth and you don’t have to make up your mind until you try out what it’s like to drive without power steering. Go on test drives and see if you like it or not.

You can turn it back on if you don’t like driving without it. How to turn the power steering back on? You just undo what you did to turn it off. If you removed the pulley, put it back in and that’ll do the trick.

How To Turn Off Steering Assist Toyota Camry 2022

Toyota has cool steering assist feature with LDA to help the people driving the car stay in their lanes. LDA stands for Lane Departure Alert. It uses the cameras to figure out the car’s position on the road with respect to the white and yellow lane boundaries.

It works at its highest capability when the roads are clear and the weather conditions are favorable. When the LDA recognizes that a car is deviating from its position, it sends a warning message to the driver. 

If the steering assist function is activated, it’ll automatically provide information on what you need to do to stay in your lane. It’s easy to turn off the Steering Assist feature or adjust its settings in a Toyota car.

Here’s how you can disable it in a Toyota Camry:

• Locate the meter control switches that are on the left side of the steering.
• It has an “Ok” button in the middle and arrow keys for navigation.
• Use the navigation keys to get the “Settings” option.
• Hold the “OK” button for at least two seconds to enter that option.
• You’ll see that the steering assist is turned on.
• Use the navigation keys again to select the “Steering Assist” option.
• Press “OK” and the steering assists will be turned off.

Now you know how to turn off the steering assist in a Toyota Camry. But it’s not recommended that you do that as this feature is an extra safety protocol and it’s good to just leave it on.

Note that this feature doesn’t let you off the hook and it’s used well when you’re paying attention. It also doesn’t work well when the weather is rough and windy. It’s handy when used as an assistant but not as a boss.

What Causes Power Steering Failure

You don’t want to get caught up in the middle of the road and suddenly notice that you can’t turn the steering wheel despite giving it your best effort. But if you are in that unfortunate situation, here are the most common reasons that cause power steering failure:

Low Level Of Steering Fluid

When the level of steering fluid in your is low, it’ll be hard to turn the steering. If it has been a long time since you added the fluid, it’s normal for the level to be low. In that case, you need to add the fluid and your car will be good to go.

But if it hasn’t been long and you think the level of fluid shouldn’t be as low as it is, there are leaks that are causing the fluid to go out. Normally, it’s a leaky hose that causes this issue. Once you identify the hose, you can replace it and that’ll solve the problem.

Another thing you need to check is the quality of the fluid. If the color of it has become too dark, then it has become contaminated. Also, check for bubbles in the fluid and see if it’s milky. Drain the contaminated fluid and replace it with fresh fluid when that happens.

Bad Power Steering Pump

If you have no power steering but the fluid is full, the next thing you should check is the power steering pump. If it fails, you will get zero steering assist. A damaged steering pump can be the cause or consequence of a low level of steering fluid.

A common indicator of a failing power steering pump is that you’ll often hear noises when your steering pump fails. You can confirm if you have a bad pump by going underneath the vehicle. There will be fluid leaking from it if it’s bad. You’d have to replace the steering pump with a new one if it has gone bad.

Damaged Drive Belt

The steering pump sends the fluid from the reservoir to the steering box. And it’s powered by the drive belt. Check the tension of the belt and if it’s not putting a lot of tension, it could be slipping over the pump.

The drive belt is also called the serpentine belt. If there’s a residue of water on it, that could also stop the drive belt from functioning properly. The rubber can also wear out with time. Replace the belt if it’s damaged.

Deflated Tires

When the level of air in your tires is low, it decreases the pressure on them. If your tires aren’t properly inflated, it will put a lot of strain on the power steering and make it difficult to turn your vehicle. Fill your tire with air and that will solve the problem.

What Are Power Steering Failure Symptoms

The most obvious symptom of a power steering will be impossible to miss. You will have difficulty turning the vehicle and you’ll have to apply the force in your muscles to make a turn at times.

But there are also other symptoms that you can be on the lookout for and know in advance when your power steering fails before it’s too late. These symptoms are:

Squealing Noise

When your power steering is low on fluid, the pump makes squealing noises. The noise can get louder and more prominent with time as your system keeps running out of fluid.

Puddle Of Pink Liquid

The sure shot indicator of power steering failure is a fluid leak. If your car has been sitting idle for a while and you notice that there’s a pool of pink or amber liquid behind it, that’s the steering fluid.

You can expect your power steering to act out when that happens. So, it’s good to refill the steering fluid before your power steering goes bad.

Vibration During Idling

If your car vibrates excessively when idling, that’s a sign that the serpentine belt has gotten loose or become damaged. Inspect it and make sure you take care out as you don’t want your power steering to bail on you in the middle of your journey.

Power Steering Failure What To Do

It’s easier said than done, but the first thing you should do when you find that your power steering isn’t working properly is to not panic. Here’s the course of action you should follow if your steering wheel goes out:

Let Other People Know

Instead of panicking and bringing harm to yourself and others, turn on the hazards and honk your horns to warn others that you’re in trouble. Keep pressing the horn unless they move out of your way.

Move To The Side

Doing it will take a lot of effort without the power steering but you must give it your all to get to the side of the road as soon as possible. Make sure you’re watching the other cars on the road as well to prevent any injury.

Stop The Car

Once you’ve safely reached one side of the road, it’s time to stop the car but you should do it slowly. If you press the brakes hard, it’ll throw the car into a skid and it’ll be impossible to steer without the power steering. Apply the brakes slowly unless you come to a stop.

Once you’ve stopped the car, you can assess the situation and see whether you can drive the car or not. Turn the wheel right and left and see how difficult it is to turn it. If it’s not difficult, you can get to the nearest mechanic.

But if you find that it’s difficult to turn your car, then you should get your car towed to a shop. It can take a while for the tow truck to come to you. So, make sure that your car is in a safe spot.

How To Prevent Power Steering From Going Bad

Driving your vehicle when the power steering has failed is no walk in the park. But you can easily prevent it by maintaining your car properly.

The most important thing you need to do to take care of your steering is to change the fluid on a regular basis. Be on the lookout for leaks as well and check underneath your vehicle before you go out to drive. Doing these things will minimize the chances of power steering failure.

Conclusion

Now you know how to turn off power steering in your car and whether it’s a good idea to do it or not. It’s an easy process but you won’t most likely enjoy the experience of driving without power steering as it’ll be difficult to maneuver your car at a slower speed.

You also know the main reasons behind power steering failure and how you can proceed if the steering fails when you’re driving. Leave a comment below if you have any questions or you want to know more about power steerings.