NHTSA Complaint #10350699 — 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA

MY 2004 TACOMA HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE (AROUND 64,000 MILES). THE STEERING WHEEL FEELS VERY LOOSE AND HAS ALOT OF ABNORMAL PLAY. DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES, VIBRATES, AND RATTLES AROUND ALL THE TIME AND BECOMES REALLY BAD ON ROUGH ROADS. WHEN THERE IS A SLIGHT BUMP IN THE ROAD, TURNING A CORNER, BEING BLOWN AROUND IN A LITTLE WIND, OR TRYING TO AVOID OTHER CARS, THE TRUCKS STEERING IS SO LOOSE THAT I CONSIDER IT A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. I'VE DONE MY RESEARCH ONLINE AND HAVE FOUND NO RECALLS OR TSB'S FOR THIS PROBLEM FROM TOYOTA, BUT I HAVE FOUND MULTIPLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM WHICH ALL RELATE TO A POORLY DESIGNED STEERING SHAFT ON THE COLUMN WHICH WEARS OUT AND RESULTS IN LOOSE STEERING. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO RESORT TO THE ONLY KNOWN FIX OF WELDING THE TWO PARTS OF THE SHAFT TOGETHER. SOMEONE SHOULD REALLY BE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AS IT'S A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. *TR