NHTSA Complaint #10350204 — 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS

MY WIFE AND 2 DAUGHTERS WERE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 90/94 WHEN THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN SLOWLY DROPPED. I DOUBLE CHECKED THE LEVER UNDERNEATH TO ADJUST IT, BUT THAT WAS TIGHT. I COULD SEE WIRES AND BOLTS WHERE THE COLUMN HAD DROPPED SEVERAL INCHES. I LIFTED THE COLUMN UP AND THOUGHT IT WOULD LOCK IN OR CLICK BACK IN PLACE. WHEN I DID THIS, THE ENTIRE COLUMN COLLAPSED IN MY LAP. AN ALARM SOUNDED AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHILE GOING 70 MPH. SOMEHOW I MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER FIXED THE VEHICLE AND WROTE, "UPPER STEERING COLUMN PLATE CAME OUT OF BRACKET, POSSIBLY NOT LOCKED IN ALL THE WAY FROM FACTORY." DEALER HAD A FIELD TECH COME LOOK AT AND TAKE PICTURES. APPROXIMATELY 2-3 WEEKS LATER HAD A CALL FROM THE DEALER SAYING SOME ENGINEERS WANTED TO REPLACE MORE PARTS AND WANTED VEHICLE AGAIN. THIS TIME THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE COLUMN RATHER THAN FIXING PIECES. AT THIS POINT WE HAD NO FAITH IN THE VEHICLE AND BEGAN DEALING WITH TOYOTA TO GET A NEW VEHICLE AS THIS PRIUS ONLY HAD 6,293 MILES. *TR