NHTSA Complaint #10141640 — 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA

ON FEB 2.01 WHEN REVIVING A NEW 200L TOYOTA TACOMA, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED (WOULDN'T TURN AT ALL). I GOT THE SALESPERSON WHO CAME WITH ME. HE JERKED THE STEERING WHEEL HARD AND IF WAS FREED. I ASKED IF THAT IS NORMAL, HE RESPONDED "IT'S OK, THEY ALL DO THAT." OVER THE YEARS WHENEVER IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE RIGHT, I REMEMBERED THE STATEMENT "IT'S OK, THEY ALL DO THAT". ON SEP 8, 2005 IN THE WALL-MART PARKING LOT WITH 18 CASES OF BOTTLED WATER TO TAKE TO MY CHURCH FOR SHIPMENT TO HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIMS IN BILOXI, MS, MY IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN NOR WAS I ABLE TO GET THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED, REPAIRED, AND PICKED IT UP. THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT MY HISTORICAL PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING/IGNITION SINCE THE DAY I PICKED IT UP NEW. I MAILED THEM A LETTER BUT THEY TOTALLY IGNORED IT. I BELIEVE THEY ARE BEING NEGLIGENT BY NOT DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS RELATED TO 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA PICKUPS STEERING COLUMN/IGNITION PROBLEMS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANKS AND I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A NICE DAY. *NM