NHTSA Complaint #10313418 — 2008 TOYOTA AVALON

VEHICLE IS A 2008 TOYOTA AVALON. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS WITH THE STEERING COLUMN ADJUSTMENTS OF WHICH THERE ARE TWO ON OUR VEHICLE. THE GREATER CONCERN IS WITH THE LOCKING LATCH ON THE TELESCOPING STEERING COLUMN. IN APPROXIMATELY SIX SEPARATE INCIDENTS, THE LATCH FOR UNKNOWN REASON SLOWLY DROPS WITHOUT WARNING. THE LATCH CAN NOT BE SEEN FROM THE DRIVER POSITION. AN ALARMING SHOCK OCCURS WHEN YOU BRAKE HARD AND LEAN ON THE WHEEL CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO TELESCOPE DOWNWARD SUDDENLY. LOSS OF CONTROL IS TEMPORARY BUT IS DANGEROUS.THE UP AND DOWN ADJUSTMENT LATCH SIMILAR DROPS WITHOUT WARNING BUT NOT AS OFTEN AS THE TELESCOPE LOCK. THESE CONCERNS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER WHERE WE BOUGHT OUR VEHICLE. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THEY NOTED NO DEFECT. WE HAVE OUR DOUBTS AND CONCERNS IN VIEW OF THE RECENT ACCELERATOR PEDAL RECALLS. OUR AVALON ACCELERATOR HAS ALREADY BEEN REPAIRED, BUT WE REMAIN APPREHENSIVE. THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT SHOULD OPEN AN INVESTIGATION ON THE STEERING COLUMNS. *TR