NHTSA Complaint #10254636 — 2006 LEXUS RX HYBRID

I WAS DRIVING 2006 LEXUS 400H WHEN I NOTICED THE POWER STEERING BEGAN TO FADE. OUTSIDE TEMP WAS 21 DEGREES AND I TRAVELED ONLY 8 MILES. I WENT OUT ON THE ROAD A HALF HOUR LATER. I HAD TO USE TWO HANDS ON THE WHEEL HALF WAY TO THE STORE SINCE POWER STEERING HAD FADED GREATLY. WHEN I GOT INTO THE PARKING LOT, I TURNED INTO A SPACE AND ALMOST HIT THE CAR NEXT TO ME BECAUSE THE STEERING JUST DIED. IN ANY EVENT, AFTER GRUNTING AND USING MUCH MUSCLE, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME. HOWEVER, WHEN I WAS MAKING A TURN AT INTERSECTIONS, THE WHEEL SEEMED TO PULSATE LIKE POWER WAS COMING ON. BECAUSE I WAS PUTTING MUCH STRENGTH ON THE WHEEL TRYING TO CONTROL THE TURN, I DRIFTED CLOSE TO THE OPPOSITE LANE TWICE AND CAME WITHIN INCHES OF A STOPPED CAR WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE. I AM UNABLE TO EVEN STEER THE CAR NOW. THE STEERING AND FRONT WHEELS WILL MOVE SIDE TO SIDE SEVERAL INCHES JUST SITTING THERE. THE CAR HAS 35,154 MILES ON IT. I KNOW THE MANUAL SAYS THE ELECTRONIC POWER UNIT WILL SHUT DOWN IF IT OVERHEATS FROM OVERUSE BUT THAT DID NOT HAPPEN IN MY SITUATION. IT JUST PROGRESSIVELY SHUT DOWN. I FEAR THAT AN ELDERLY OR A PERSON WITHOUT MUCH ARM STRENGTH WOULD NOT HAVE FARED AS WELL AS I DID. *TR