Driving 70MPH Loss of power steering, sudden stop, grinding sound (1 Viewer)

[zbenton5502]

My wife's 2005 LX 470 broke down. She said she was driving 70MPH and all of a sudden she heard a loud "grinding" sound, then the power steering locked up and the vehicle came to a sudden stop. Now it wont start but will crank and sounds normal doing so.

Checked the serpentine belt and its ok.

The vehicle has 138k miles and the timing belt/water pump were replaced about 5k miles ago.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[camino70]

No ideas, but hope she's OK and bump this to the top.

 

[Bomar]

How much fuel? Maybe fuel pump overheated? Starter?

Grinding maybe drive plates on end of axles?

 

[varythings]

Some questions: It stopped itself from 70mph to a dead stop? (that sounds quite scary) If so, how quickly? Was is controlled ie: hard braking, or like wheels locked up, or like engine died and and transmission downshifted?

Power steering lockup like it was difficult to steer or locked the wheel like when you remove the key?

 

[G-Cat]

Timing belt?

 

[ToHiHy]

It does sound like a timing belt.

 

[Sandroad]

I'd look first at the work that was done just 5K ago. I don't think it would "crank and sound normal" if the t-belt were gone. Was any other work done at the time the t-belt was replaced?

 

[97 AZ LC]

Since it's cranking OK have someone hit the starter while you're watching the serpentine belt - see if everything is turning freely.

 

[ton504]

The timing belt is suspect. Engine stalled after the belt went, stalled engine = no power steering. I would stop trying to turn it over until the Tbelt is checked. Just take off the passenger side front cover for a quick inspection.

Since it's cranking OK have someone hit the starter while you're watching the serpentine belt - see if everything is turning freely.

Not sure if you seen the starter location on the V8s.

 

[ponytl]

outcome? sounds like a timing belt to me

 

[Xetabur]

Since it's cranking OK have someone hit the starter while you're watching the serpentine belt - see if everything is turning freely.

It's next to impossible to hit the starter because of its location under the intake plentum.