NHTSA Complaint #10186635 — 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY

SHORTLY AFTER WE PURCHASED A NEW 2004 CAMRY SEDAN, WE BEGAN NOTICING LOOSENESS, RATTLING, KNOCKING SOUNDS AND "PLAY" IN THE STEERING CHARACTERISTICS. IN ADDITION, IN SLOW, TIGHT-RADIUS TURNS (AS IN PARKING LOTS), IT ALMOST FELT AS IF THE FRONT TIRES WOULD SLIDE LATERALLY OVER SLICK SURFACES -- SNOW, ICE, LOOSE GRAVEL, WET PAVEMENT. THE PROBLEM WAS SUBTLE AT FIRST BUT BECAME GRADUALLY MORE NOTICEABLE. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THERE WAS A BARELY-PERCEPTIBLE OSCILLATION OR VIBRATION OF THE STEERING WHEEL. AT ABOUT 28K MILES WE NOTICED A PULLING TO THE RIGHT. WE ASKED FOR AN ALIGNMENT TO BE DONE AND THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE KNOCKING, RATTLING, LOOSENESS, PLAY, LATERAL SKIDDING IN TIGHT-RADIUS TURNS BECAME WORSE OVER TIME AND AT ABOUT 50K MILES WE ASKED THE DEALER TO CHECK AGAIN. DEALERS SERVICE ORDER STATED, "TSB ST001-06 APPLIES TO THIS CONCERN. AN UPDATED STEERING SHAFT ORDERED." THE COST TO REPAIR WAS OVER $400. WE BELIEVE THIS DEFECT EXISTED FROM THE TIME THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED, AND THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM SOUNDS SIMILAR TO RECALLS OR DEFECTS I HAVE RESEARCHED THAT AFFECT THE PRIUS, AVALON, AND OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES. WE BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. *JB