View Full Version : A rare venting
Papa_Complex
06-01-2010, 07:42 AM
Last week, while driving home in Toronto's horrendous traffic, I had my power steering go out. Fortunately this happened at about 20 MPH, or it could have been much worse, as steering effort went up about 10X. If it had happened on a ramp or during a lane change......
I managed to drive most of the way home and shut the car off at a stop light. When I started it back up the power steering was back up and running, so the last few miles home were no issue.
I did a quick internet search and found that there were a lot of people reporting that their Mazda 5 also had experienced a power steering failure, usually in heavy traffic or high temperatures. Checking the online vehicle recall database, however, showed no recalls for this safety-related failure.
So I called my dealership. Sure enough "some" Mazda 5 units are experiencing an overheat of the power steering pump, which they're replacing. I took the day off from work yesterday so that I could drop off my car and pick it up later in the day. Well once I'm ready to get a lift home from the dealership I'm told they'll be giving me a rental car, because the parts are back-ordered, and it could be TWO WEEKS before I get my car back.
Well I can't drive my car in that condition (constantly wondering if my steering will fail again), so I'm stuck. I wait around for the in-house rental person to show up and they give me a fairly new Camry to use. This morning I head out to the car, to drop the shock that I have to return because it won't fit my bike (another long story), only to find that the trunk is locked and they gave me a VALET KEY! The rear seats are locked in place too, so I can't get into the trunk PERIOD. Well I'm not going to leave a $800.00 shock in plain view in the parking lot at work all day, so it stayed at home. I'll have to get it tonight and then head off to UPS from there, instead of just dropping it off on the way home. Bugger.
End rant.
Particle Man
06-01-2010, 07:44 AM
Sucks dude. Why the heck did they only give you the valet key?
Papa_Complex
06-01-2010, 07:54 AM
The only thing that I can figure is that they don't want me using the trunk, since it was in the valet locked position and the seats were locked from inside the trunk. It's complete idiocy. I'm supposed to drive this thing for up to two weeks, get groceries, move my shit, but not use the trunk? They'll be hearing from me, as soon as they open.
Amber Lamps
06-01-2010, 09:08 AM
So taking the shock in to work with you was out of the question?...
BTW check for a trunk release button in the glovebox or next to the seat before you make a fool of your self.
So taking the shock in to work with you was out of the question?...
BTW check for a trunk release button in the glovebox or next to the seat before you make a fool of your self.
I believe the camry has one on the floor
I wouldn't exactly be worried about the shock. There are only .0000001% of the population that knows it's worth something!
goof2
06-01-2010, 10:18 AM
So taking the shock in to work with you was out of the question?...
BTW check for a trunk release button in the glovebox or next to the seat before you make a fool of your self.
As Dave said Toyota mounts their trunk release on the floor just in front of the drivers seat. It can be locked so the trunk release lever will not work and the valet key will not unlock it. It is pretty obviously placed so I would guess Papa has tried it.
azoomm
06-01-2010, 10:20 AM
I wouldn't exactly be worried about the shock. There are only .0000001% of the population that knows it's worth something!
That's what I was thinking. To everyone else it's a random piece of "ooooo, what's that?"
Amber Lamps
06-01-2010, 10:36 AM
That's what I was thinking. To everyone else it's a random piece of "ooooo, what's that?"
I can't see taking a day off work over it...
Amber Lamps
06-01-2010, 10:37 AM
As Dave said Toyota mounts their trunk release on the floor just in front of the drivers seat. It can be locked so the trunk release lever will not work and the valet key will not unlock it. It is pretty obviously placed so I would guess Papa has tried it.
Maybe but he sure didn't mention it...
Sorry about your trouble mango. I'm sure the valet key thing was just a mistake.
Sixxxxer
06-01-2010, 11:16 AM
I can't see taking a day off work over it...
He didnt take a day off work...He just didnt take the shock with him to work...
But yeah, bring the shock into your workplace if your worried about it being taken? or leave it on the floor and put a t shirt over it so it looks like a pile of clothes.
Hell its a camry noones probably gonna even look inside the dame thing...Lol
z06boy
06-01-2010, 11:50 AM
Sorry about your trouble mango. I'm sure the valet key thing was just a mistake.
I would imagine it was too. I've never had a loaner/rental that I couldn't access the trunk/spare tire area. :idk:
Hey look at the bright sides...it happened at low speed...made it to the dealer without having to wait on a tow...it's under warranty/recall (?)...you got a free loaner.
Yep it sure could have been a lot worse.
Papa_Complex
06-01-2010, 01:02 PM
So taking the shock in to work with you was out of the question?...
BTW check for a trunk release button in the glovebox or next to the seat before you make a fool of your self.
Too late. I already risked looking like a fool and they apologized for only giving me the valet key, stating that the regular key hadn't yet been returned from another office. The trunk release is on the floor and is disabled when the valet key function is used. I've owned Toyotas in the past ;)
Given that I've seen a good amount more than the usual number of smelly hippies and homeless, as the G-20 conference approaches, I'm not going to leave anything that might conceivably look like it might contain something of value visible in a vehicle.
Papa_Complex
06-01-2010, 01:03 PM
I can't see taking a day off work over it...
I took the day off from work to take my car in, not for the shock ;)
I would imagine it was too. I've never had a loaner/rental that I couldn't access the trunk/spare tire area. :idk:
Hey look at the bright sides...it happened at low speed...made it to the dealer without having to wait on a tow...it's under warranty/recall (?)...you got a free loaner.
Yep it sure could have been a lot worse.
It seems to be in the category of "secret warranty." One would presume that they know what vehicles are involved, so they could have sent letters out to effected owners. Waiting for the pumps to fail seems rather dangerous for them, from a liability standpoint. As you said, it could have been a lot worse. It could have happened when I was doing 70, going up highway 427.
Particle Man
06-01-2010, 04:14 PM
send me the shock. I'll take really good care of it :lol:
Papa_Complex
06-01-2010, 07:01 PM
send me the shock. I'll take really good care of it :lol:
Tough tittie. I just chucked it in the UPS bin and should have my money back in a couple of days redflip
Now I just have to figure out what shock to get instead, and I was really looking forward to being able to support a Canadian manufacturer. The only unit I can find from Ohlins has just rebound damping. I'll have to email Penske, or find an application chart somewhere, and see if they have something with at least compression and rebound. Anyone have any other suggestions?
Avatard
06-01-2010, 07:44 PM
I'm not going to leave anything that might conceivably look like it might contain something of value visible in a vehicle.
If it's of value, it's with me.
(See: Accordion joke)
Papa_Complex
06-01-2010, 07:53 PM
If it's of value, it's with me.
(See: Accordion joke)
If it's an accordion, you can keep it.
Avatard
06-01-2010, 08:46 PM
OK, every musician knows never to leave his instrument - not even for a second, out of their sight. One night, after a very long gig (Octoberfest, no doubt), an accordionist is too tired to carry his stuff up to his 5th floor walkup, and decides to leave his axe in the back seat.
The next morning, the accordionist wakes up, panicked, having had a terrible nightmare that someone has broken into his car, where he had left his prized instrument.
The musician runs down the stairs, and immediately notices the window of his parked car has been smashed, so he checks to see if his accordion is still there. But when he opens up the car, he finds out somebody has left three more accordions on the back seat.
101lifts2
06-01-2010, 08:49 PM
Man you guys complain about the smallest things.
Oh...you are going to have to pay the taxes on the rental car. IIRC, Ford does not pay. And in Canada that might be 50% of the bill. LOL
Papa_Complex
06-01-2010, 08:57 PM
I don't have to pay one cent for the rental. I'm pissed that they didn't think to tell me about the delay and I'm definitely not liking this Camry. It's nothing like my '91. You mash the accelerator on this thing and it feels like it has turbo lag, but without the big hit of speed.
Rangerscott
06-01-2010, 10:06 PM
Their tired of cleaning out the dead hookers they find in the trunks.
Papa_Complex
06-01-2010, 10:10 PM
Their tired of cleaning out the dead hookers they find in the trunks.
Huh. All that I found in the trunk was a "Club." Must have already dumped the hooker in the lake.
Particle Man
06-01-2010, 10:15 PM
OK, every musician knows never to leave his instrument - not even for a second, out of their sight. One night, after a very long gig (Octoberfest, no doubt), an accordionist is too tired to carry his stuff up to his 5th floor walkup, and decides to leave his axe in the back seat.
The next morning, the accordionist wakes up, panicked, having had a terrible nightmare that someone has broken into his car, where he had left his prized instrument.
The musician runs down the stairs, and immediately notices the window of his parked car has been smashed, so he checks to see if his accordion is still there. But when he opens up the car, he finds out somebody has left three more accordions on the back seat.
:lol:
I've heard that joke using a sophrano sax as well :lmao:
Man you guys complain about the smallest things.
Oh...you are going to have to pay the taxes on the rental car. IIRC, Ford does not pay. And in Canada that might be 50% of the bill. LOL
Uhhh... No... And the tax rate is about 13% on purchases (here, im not sure the exact number in Ontario)....
Papa_Complex
06-02-2010, 08:32 PM
Uhhh... No... And the tax rate is about 13% on purchases (here, im not sure the exact number in Ontario)....
The HST kicks in here next month, making the combined Federal and Provincial taxes 13% here also.
sherri_chickie
06-02-2010, 11:23 PM
Gotta love Alberta.. 5% GST and that's it... he he
Amorok
06-02-2010, 11:44 PM
If your power steering went out on the highway shouldn't it be easier to turn the wheel? If you have a good head of steam up as long as it's not too sharp of a turn it should be easier the faster you go.
Dnyce
06-03-2010, 02:52 AM
If your power steering went out on the highway shouldn't it be easier to turn the wheel? If you have a good head of steam up as long as it's not too sharp of a turn it should be easier the faster you go.
:?:
Papa_Complex
06-03-2010, 06:45 AM
If your power steering went out on the highway shouldn't it be easier to turn the wheel? If you have a good head of steam up as long as it's not too sharp of a turn it should be easier the faster you go.
Sure didn't seem that way. With an old gunboat from the '70s I'd agree, and have found that to be true. In this case the steering effort didn't seem to change with speed and I'm glad that it didn't happen at 70MPH, as I was approaching a ramp.
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