NHTSA Complaint #10158162 — 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY

I HEARD AND FELT A NOISE ON MY STEERING WHEEL ON MY 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY AN WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THAT I NEEDED A STEERING SHAFT/INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. I HAPPENED TO CHECK THE WEB AND FOUND THAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT THERE WAS A TSB ON THIS PROBLEM. ALSO THAT THERE WAS A NEW SHAFT MADE TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WHICH IN TURN HAD THE DEALER CONTACT ME. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT FIX IT SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. HE SAID THAT IF IT HAD 39,000 MILES THEY WOULD PROBABLY REPAIR BUT SINCE I HAD 60,000 THEY WOULD NOT. HE DID OFFERED ME A GOODWILL GESTURE OF 15% OFF THE COST. MY CONTENTION IS THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUED, AND SINCE THIS HAS TO DO WITH A SAFETY ISSUE SUCH AS THE STEERING WHY WASN'T SOMETHING DONE BEFORE HAVING COME TO THIS. THE CAR RUNS OUT OF WARRANTY AND PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE I ALSO TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTOMOBILE REPAIR SHOP TO SEE WHAT THEY THOUGHT AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE SHAFT AND STEERING GEAR BOX. THEY DID REPAIR A VEHICLE OF SOMEONE WHO 'S CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT ONLY A FEW HUNDRED MILES OVER THE EXPIRATION OF THE WARRANTY. *JB