NHTSA Complaint #10153478 — 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS

MY STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN OF MY 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS INTERMITTENTLY SHAKES VERY VIOLENTLY! I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER BUT THEY SAY THAT THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. WHEN I COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA USA HEADQUARTERS IN TORRANCE, CA, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM IF THE DEALER COULD NOT REPRODUCE IT. I TOLD THEM THAT MY WIFE IS SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE VIOLENT SHAKING AND THAT I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY COULD BE SO CAVALIER AND NEGLIGENT ABOUT A SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THE CAR'S STEERING SYSTEM. ON TOP OF THIS, I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT TOYOTA HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN TO ITS DEALERS ABOUT DEFECTS AND FAILURES IN THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM OF THE 2001 PRIUS! IT TURNS OUT THAT THEY HAD TO COMPLETELY REDESIGN THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM FOR THEIR HYBRID VEHICLES AND THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH STEERING SYSTEMS OF THE EARLY PRIUS MODELS. THEY ARE JUST BEING TOO CHEAP TO FIX THE PROBLEM THEY CREATED. I THINK THESE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED SO THAT THIS PROBLEM CAN BE FIXED FOR ALL OF THE OWNERS TO AVOID ACCIDENTS, INJURIES AND DEATH. ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY AND ON BEHALF OF THEIR SAFETY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HELP IN THIS MATTER! SINCERELY, JOSEPH KREBS AUSTIN, TX. *NM