"Low Steering Power" Error Msg and Burning/Smoking Fuse Box (1 Viewer)

[Pepino]

I have an Overtrail

 

[FirstLexus]

I have a 2024 Overtrail with about 4,500 miles on it bought in December 2024. Yesterday I went to start it and I got a message saying "Low Steering Power". All the electrical things on the car seemed to be working: lights, dash lit up, courtesy lights, all the screens, etc. It just wouldn't turn over. I shut the car off and gave it a minute or two then tried again. Nothing. At the same time, the car started to make a low, continuous humming sound and made a couple of clicking noises about every 10 seconds apart. Sounded like the hum of a refrigerator. The car was totally turned off and it did this. At this point, I called Lexus Roadside assistance (the car was in my garage; hadn't used it in about 48 or so hours). When the flatbed driver arrived he tried to start it a few times. When he did this the car began to smoke from the fuse box! Pretty good amount of smoke and severe odor of burning plastic. We immediately pushed the car out of the garage for fear of a fire starting and engulfing more than just the car. We finally got it to the dealer and a tech came out to disconnect the battery as a safety precaution and he said he's never seen such a thing happen and that "it's pretty rare". After getting home and Googling a bit I found some info that said: "The presence of smoke from the fuse box along with a "low steering power" error indicates a severe electrical malfunction or short circuit and is a safety hazard. " Sounds like my problem although any such search results are taken with a grain of salt. Attaching a pic below of the burned out line of fuses from the fuse box. Looks like the first row of fuses on right-hand-side. I'm waiting for the dealer to come back to me with some feedback. Has anyone else had or heard of having the same issue?

That's really disappointing.

 

[vraa]

I think you have two problems

I think you have some fluid issue AND your guy jumped the car backwards

 

[bronco21]

Not sure yet but I can tell you that no attempt to jump start the car was made at all. I'm not a car expert at all. I can barely get gas in my car so I'm not sure what fluids would cause such a problem. Maybe you can elaborate? Car is at dealer and since it's a weekend nothing is gonna happen until tomorrow. Thanks for your comments.

Hopefully the dealer has useful info for you soon. Possibly the steering rack shorted or overloaded causing the warning and meltdown. Highly doubt it’s a fluid issue unless water penetrated where it shouldn’t have and caused a short.

 

[vraa]

Not sure yet but I can tell you that no attempt to jump start the car was made at all. I'm not a car expert at all. I can barely get gas in my car so I'm not sure what fluids would cause such a problem. Maybe you can elaborate? Car is at dealer and since it's a weekend nothing is gonna happen until tomorrow. Thanks for your comments.

I'm out of ideas, I misunderstood, thought the car was also jumped

 

[JoeRob]

I have a 2024 Overtrail with about 4,500 miles on it bought in December 2024. Yesterday I went to start it and I got a message saying "Low Steering Power". All the electrical things on the car seemed to be working: lights, dash lit up, courtesy lights, all the screens, etc. It just wouldn't turn over. I shut the car off and gave it a minute or two then tried again. Nothing. At the same time, the car started to make a low, continuous humming sound and made a couple of clicking noises about every 10 seconds apart. Sounded like the hum of a refrigerator. The car was totally turned off and it did this. At this point, I called Lexus Roadside assistance (the car was in my garage; hadn't used it in about 48 or so hours). When the flatbed driver arrived he tried to start it a few times. When he did this the car began to smoke from the fuse box! Pretty good amount of smoke and severe odor of burning plastic. We immediately pushed the car out of the garage for fear of a fire starting and engulfing more than just the car. We finally got it to the dealer and a tech came out to disconnect the battery as a safety precaution and he said he's never seen such a thing happen and that "it's pretty rare". After getting home and Googling a bit I found some info that said: "The presence of smoke from the fuse box along with a "low steering power" error indicates a severe electrical malfunction or short circuit and is a safety hazard. " Sounds like my problem although any such search results are taken with a grain of salt. Attaching a pic below of the burned out line of fuses from the fuse box. Looks like the first row of fuses on right-hand-side. I'm waiting for the dealer to come back to me with some feedback. Has anyone else had or heard of having the same issue?

Smoke! Melted plastic! Now they know where to start and don't have to troubleshoot much!

 

[incognito.gx]

Sorry to hear this happened. Are you first owner of vehicle?

 

[incognito.gx]

I am the one and only owner...bought it out of the showroom less than a year ago.

Thats wild man. I would think something like salt water intrusion but obviously not the case.

 

[spkrmakr]

Did you receive a loaner while your car is awaiting repairs?

 

[Mike'sGX]

I received a Lemon Law guide I purchased my GX. You may want to find that guide and familiarize yourself with your rights.

 

[RickBullotta]

"Lexus is high quality" they said. "Land Rovers suck" they said. I hope you get it sorted...stay with it and escalate to Lexus corporate.

 

[RickBullotta]

Thanks for your encouragement! Corporate is involved. I just down't know how they replace a 10 month old vehicle with 4,700 miles on it and make me whole at the same time. Lemon laws factor in a charge to me for "usage". That's about $4k out of my pocket. You can't even buy a used GX OT for less than the original MSRP. These are 2 year old cars with more mileage than mine, that sell today for more than they did when they sat in the showroom. I feel like I'm getting totally hosed. If there was nothing at all wrong with my car I could sell it for more than I bought it for. So they sell me a lemon, expect me to settle for way below the market value when they want to buy it back and I'm left holding the bag. It's totally ridiculous.

Another option is to get it functional then trade it in yourself on something else. GX are getting fairly decent trade-in values - I got MSRP when I traded mine with 1700 miles on it.

 

[Pepino]

Did you receive a loaner while your car is awaiting repairs?

I did receive a loaner but only after a few days. When the car was first dropped off at Bridgewater (NJ) Lexus they said they had no loaners available at all because, wait for it...they were all being recalled! Ultimately, the car was lemon lawed. However, the jerk-offs at Bridgewater Lexus demanded their loaner back almost a month before we settled the lemon law claim. Lexus of Bridgewater and Lexus of Edison are own by the same group of jackasses. They were nothing but uncooperative, hostile, and indifferent. Considering the car could have very well burned my house down, one would think they would be a bit more understanding.