NHTSA Complaint #10347005 — 2006 TOYOTA AVALON

ISSUE: AFTER A PERIOD OF APPROXIMATELY 2,000 DRIVEN MILES, THE LOCKING DEVICE ON THE TELESCOPING STEERING COLUMN WILL LOOSEN TO THE POINT WHERE IT BECOMES FULLY DISENGAGED. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN WITH THE TELESCOPING COLUMN FULLY EXTENDED AND THE DRIVER IS UNAWARE OF WHEN THE LOCKING DEVICE HAS BECOME DISENGAGED. DURING HARD BRAKING SITUATIONS THE DRIVER NATURALLY APPLIES SUPPORT PRESSURE TO THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSING THE DISENGAGED STEERING COLUMN TO FULLY COLLAPSE. THIS SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED COLLAPSE OF THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSES THE DRIVER AN ADDITIONAL CONCERN AND AN EMERGENCY REACTION, UP TO AND POTENTIALLY INCLUDING THE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, TO AN ALREADY HAZARDOUS SITUATION (HARD BRAKING). THE ABOVE INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. REPORTING: THIS INCIDENT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AT EVERY SCHEDULED 5,000 MILE CHECK UP FOR AT LEAST THE LAST 2+ YEARS. THIS ISSUE IS NOT NEW AND AT MY REQUEST THE SERVICE AGENT CONTINUES TO ADD THE ISSUE TO THE SERVICE ORDER. TOYOTA RESPONSE; TOYOTA SERVICE PERSONNEL STATE THAT THEY CAN NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE SINCE THEY CAN NOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE. AS WAS STATED ABOVE THE ISSUE OCCURS AFTER APPROXIMATELY 2,000 DRIVEN MILES. HOW TOYOTA EXPECTS TO REPLICATE 2,000 DRIVEN MILES BY DRIVING THE VEHICLE AROUND THE PARKING LOT IS ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE TO ANY REASONABLE PERSON. TWO MONTHS OF DRIVING CAN NOT BE CONDENSED INTO 10 MINUTES. FOR SAFETY ISSUES, ESPECIALLY FOR ONE CONSISTENTLY REPORTED OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS, TO BE DISMISSED AFTER A 10 MINUTE CURSORY INSPECTION OR NONE AT ALL, IS BEYOND WILLFUL NEGLECT AND IS EVIDENT THAT TOYOTA'S SAFETY CULTURE HAS NOT IMPROVED. THE ISSUE WITHIN TOYOTA REMAINS UNREPORTED, UNACKNOWLEDGED AND UNRESOLVED. *TR