NHTSA Complaint #10393947 — 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY

STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND DID NOT RETURN TO CENTER WHEN RELEASED. CHECK POWER STEERING FLUID IT WAS OK. NO POWER STEERING LEAKS. TOOK CAR TO HAVE PROBLEM EVALUATED. MECHANIC SAID THAT STEERING SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINTS WERE WORN AND RUSTED AND BINDING UP. ONLY SOLUTION WAS TO REPLACE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. IF ALLOWED TO GO TOO LONG STEERING COULD LOCK UP COMPLETELY OR SHAFT COULD SHEAR CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. REPAIR WILL COST $900 SINCE ENTIRE SHAFT MUST BE REPLACED AND PART IS ONLY AVAILABLE FROM TOYOTA. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS KIND OF PROBLEM WITH A VEHICLE AND WAS SHOCKED TO KNOW THE DESIGN OF THE STEERING SHAFT LEFT IT EXPOSED TO ROAD SPRAY AND SUBSEQUENT CORROSION DAMAGE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND GAVE NO WARNING AS TO THE IMPENDING FAILURE. STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN EVEN WITH THE POWER STEERING ASSIST. *TR