NHTSA Complaint #10346797 — 2002 TOYOTA AVALON

ON 14 JUNE 2010, WHILE DRIVING IN FAIRLY HEAVY TRAFFIC, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF MY 2002 TOYOTA AVALON. THE WHEELS IMMEDIATELY JERKED TO THE LEFT. I REGAINED CONTROL AND MOVED THRU THE INTERSECTION WHEN THE ACTION REPEATED ITSELF. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO FINDLAY TOYOTA IN HENDERSON NV. AFTER EXTENSIVE TESTING, THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG NOR DID AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. FOLLOWING THE 29 JULY NEWS RELEASE FROM TOYOTA, I E-MAILED TOYOTA FOR INFORMATION REGARDING AVALON'S PROBLEM. ON 30 JULY TOYOTA RESPONDED "AT THE PRESENT TIME, TOYOTA HAS NOT IDENTIFIED A REMEDY FOR THIS SAFETY RECALL." IN YOUR 2 AUG RELEASE, NHTSA STATES THE PROBLEM IS "DUE TO IMPROPER CASTING OF THE STEERING LOCK BAR". NHTSA GOES ON TO STATE THAT "DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING INTERLOCK DEVICE FREE OF CHARGE". MY QUESTION IS, WHY IS IT THAT NHTSA HAS IDENTIFIED A REMEDY FOR THE PROBLEM AND TOYOTA HAS NOT? *TR