NHTSA Complaint #10322543 — 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR IN WHICH A PART OF THE STEERING COLUMN?WORE OUT? UNTIL THIS PAST FEBRUARY. DURING FEBRUARY I HAD TO REPLACE THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ON MY 2005 CAMRY LE [XXX]; THIS CAR ONLY HAD 44,950 MILES ON IT WHEN I NOTICED THE PROBLEM (FEBRUARY 12, 2010). ON FEB, 25, I BROUGHT THE CAR TO LEXINGTON TOYOTA, (MA 781-861-7400) AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. I HAD TO GO IN AGAIN THE NEXT DAY AND PHYSICALLY SIT NEXT TO THE MECHANIC WHILE HE DROVE THE CAR BEFORE HE RECOGNIZED A PROBLEM WITH THE SHAFT. HOWEVER, IRONICALLY, WHEN I WENT BACK INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT I WAS THEN TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THESE 'INTERMEDIATE SHAFTS WEAR OUT ALL THE TIME' IF THIS IS THE CASE WHY DIDN'T YOU ISSUE A RECALL??? I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET $428.14 TO REPLACE THIS PART. (A FEW DAY LATER MY 1999 CAMRY DEVELOPED AN INTERMITTENT TIGHTNESS, OR VERY STIFF STEERING WHEEL BETWEEN 11' O'CLOCK AND THE 2-3 O'CLOCK POSITIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL, THE VIN NUMBER ON THIS CAR IS [XXX]; I'M STILL WAITING TO DECIDE HOW OR WHAT TO DO TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM THAT SERIOUSLY EFFECTS THE SAFE DRIVE ABILITY OF THE CAR.) LIKE I STATED, I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A STEERING COLUMN ON ANY OTHER CAR I'VE OWNED, AND I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS WITH OVER THREE EVEN FOUR TIMES THIS MILEAGE. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR WARRANTY ONLY LASTS 36,000 MILES OR 5 YEARS, WHICH EVER COMES FIRST, BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS; I THINK THAT YOU EITHER DIDN'T ENGINEER THE PART PROPERLY OR DESIGNED IN TO FAIL IN ORDER TO GET THE REPLACEMENT BUSINESS; EITHER CASE IT RANGES FROM NEGLIGENT TO CRIMINALLY FRAUDULENT. I JUST GOOGLED CAMRY INTERMEDIATE SHAFT? COMPLAINTS AND GOT OVER 17,000 HITS. DO YOU THINK THAT'S TOO MANY? I DON'T THINK THAT TOYOTA NEEDS ANY MORE BAD PUBLICITY, BUT PERHAPS ANOTHER STORY OF TOYOTA'S IRRESPONSIBILITY IS JUSTIFIED. WHY WOULD THE SERVICE MANAGER, BRUCE, CLAIM THAT THEY REPLACE THESE ?INTERMEDIATE SHAFTS, ALL THE TIME"? *TR