NHTSA Complaint #10307934 — 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA

BELOW STEERING PROBLEMS PERSIST TO THE PRESENT, DESPITE NUMEROUS REPAIR ATTEMPTS BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP EMPLOYEES AND TOYOTA ENGINEERS. THE APPROXIMATE DATE OF INCIDENT LISTED WITH THIS REPORT REPRESENTS THE DATE OF PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE / TIME FIRST OCCURRED. ALTHOUGH SEVERAL ISSUES ARE PRESENT, I DID TRY TO DESCRIBE THEM INTO 3 DISTINCT PROBLEMS. 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA LE AWD, BEARING STEERING ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE: 1. THE VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL PHYSICALLY TURNS TO THE RIGHT, WHILE BRAKING. 2. STEERING WHEEL FAILS TO CENTER PROPERLY AT ALL TIMES. 3. STEERING WHEEL HAS TO BE HELD TO LEFT TO KEEP TRACKING STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL PHYSICALLY TURNS TO THE RIGHT, WHILE BRAKING. THE GREATEST EFFECT / TURNING IS OBSERVED AS THE VEHICLE'S SPEED DECREASES. THE GREATEST EFFECT / TURNING IS ALSO OBSERVED AS THE VEHICLE'S SPEED DECREASES AND THE VEHICLE IS TRAVERSING DOWN A STEEP GRADIENT. THIS OCCURS IF I DRIVE IN THE CENTER OF THE ROAD, WITH THE CENTER OF THE ROAD CROWN, CENTERED ON THE VEHICLE AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHERE A VEHICLE MUST LAWFULLY TRAVEL. CONVERSELY, IF I DRIVE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD / OR THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD CROWN, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ADVERSELY PULL TO THE LEFT. IT WAS NOTED BY THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT THIS IS DUE TO ROAD CROWN. THIS ISSUE PROVIDES A FALSE SENSE OF STEERING, ESPECIALLY IN THE SNOW, AS IT IS SOMETIMES BELIEVED THAT THE ROAD CONDITIONS ARE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO TRACK RIGHT, AND OVERCOMPENSATION IS USUALLY APPLIED. VEHICLE PULLS OR DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING. ONCE THE VEHICLE STARTS PULLING / DRIFTING, IT CONTINUES ABRUPTLY. DRIVING ON LONGER TRIPS 2-3 HOURS DOES CAUSE ARM STRAIN, FROM CONSTANT CORRECTING OF THE STEERING WHEEL ATTEMPTING TO CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO TRACK STRAIGHT. I DID FILE A LEMON LAW CLAIM AGAINST TOYOTA REGARDING THESE DEFECTS, AND RECEIVED COMPENSATION. THEREAFTER I DID NOT TAKE TO DEALERSHIP, AS TOYOTA SIMPLY CANNOT REPAIR THE ISSUES. *TR