Toyota Rav4 under steer or bad EPS?

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Aug 12, 2015
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Central NY
My moms 2017 Toyota RAV4 AWD

34k miles and the PO was my cousin who brought it new. She serviced it regularly at a trusted mechanic. I have gone thru and nothing looks abnormal about the EPS system. Everything is tight and in good shape.

About the only AWD systems I’ve ever driven were either Subaru or a RWD biased system. Never FWD biased so I don’t know if this is normal.

Sometimes if I am on the gas even slightly during a sharp turn the steering wheel firms up to the point I cannot turn into the corner anymore. I either have to straighten out or let off the gas. There isn’t any abnormal noise and the AWD monitor always shows all power being sent to the front wheels when this happens. But unlike 4wd/AWD binding, I don’t feel anything thru the chassis. All of it is in the steering wheel.

Anyone else have a 2013+ RAV4 and can confirm this is normal? I’m driving this the same way I drive my Tacoma ie not like it’s a sports car. I’ve driven other FWD cars and the wheel gets tight but never to the point where it feels like forcing a turn would roll it over...
 
Have you double-checked that the PSF is at the proper level? Although if the pump was sucking dry you should hear it. Worth taking a quick look at though.
 
Verify tire psi.

Bad alignment could be a cause.

Had a dry slip/ujoint in the steering shaft cause this in another Toyota

And, in one, had to replace the strut bearings

So, grease the steering shaft.... common issue on every FWD/AWD Toyota and get a good alignment.
 
Did someone perform significant toe adjustments during an alignment and forget to perform a zero-point calibration?
 
Verify tire psi.

Bad alignment could be a cause.

Had a dry slip/ujoint in the steering shaft cause this in another Toyota

And, in one, had to replace the strut bearings

So, grease the steering shaft.... common issue on every FWD/AWD Toyota and get a good alignment.

as far as I know the alignment is still factory. A tiny bit of shoulder wear on the 34k mile old tires other than that tire wear looks normal.

will look closer at the steering shaft tomorrow. Is there supposed to be a grease fitting on them? I know my Tacoma has a few on the drive shaft but nothing the steering shaft
 
Just a guess, it sounds like the vehicle is smart enough to include an anti-rollover system and you have hit its limits. The sign that this is what is going on is that you said you have to let off the gas before it will allow you to turn the wheel more.

In other words, the vehicle sensed that if you turned the wheel more you would be approaching a possible rollover and it will not let you do that.

If you really feel like you were not going fast enough to be pushing that limit, it may be that the sensor for that system is too sensitive.

Has your mother ever complained of this limit steering happening when she drives it? If not, maybe you should ask her if it is something she has noticed.
 
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