Hello! I have a 2009 Toyota Corolla with 118k miles, it’s been running good other than that every time I turn the steering wheel I’d hear a squeaking noise. What could that be? I went to Autozone and got power steering fluid but then realized there is no place to put it under the hood. The guy at Autozone told me it has electronic power steering and not hydraulic, I am not really sure what that means either
It is none of the above. Toyota uses a brass pin and a spring to put pressure on the grounding plate on the back side of the steering wheel so when you press the horn button, the circuit is completed. You need to get a new horn pin and spring (Ebay), remove the steering wheel, remove the spring clip and replace the pin in the steering column. Apply some dielectric grease, put it back together and it'll be good for another 150K miles.
If you're really cheap, you can remove the steering wheel and put a .22 caliber bullet casing over the worn out horn pin. This will give you about 50 thousand more miles with a horn. The .22 fits perfectly.
traditional power steering is driven by hydraulic pressure (technical language for pumping fluid). Electronic power steering uses electric motors. No fluid.
Is the squeaking louder inside the cabin, or under the hood?
@mountainmanjoe
It’s inside the cabin, you can hear it every time you turn the wheel, I only noticed it recently when I wasn’t playing music in the car
do you see any spot where plastic is rubbing on plastic? If so then apply some silicone grease. Otherwise the steering wheel probably has to be pulled off and investigated.
