NHTSA Complaint #10424284 — 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA

I WAS TRAVELING TO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS ON I 540 ROUNDING LEFT A CURVE AND MY STEERING DID NOT RESPOND UNTIL TURNING IT A HALF OF A TURN MORE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT RETURN TO CENTER. I FOUND A DOCUMENT ON THE NHTSA ODI ACTION NUMBER PE99-070 INDICATING OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS SIMILAR PROBLEM. I ALMOST WENT OFF THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN. I TOOK IT TO A FIRESTONE SHOP AND THE REPLACED LOWER BALL JOINTS, INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD ENDS AND SAID IT WAS "TIGHT". I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT RETURNING THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS AND ASKED FOR A THOROUGH CHECK. THEY SAID IT WAS AS GOOD AS NEW AND SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY OTHER PROBLEMS. THE FIRST MAJOR LEFT TURN ON THE WAY HOME HAD THE SAME RESULTS. I TOOK IT TO FIRESTONE IN MY HOMETOWN AND THEY SAID THE RACK AND PINION BUSHINGS WERE DEFECTIVE AND THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED COSTING ME $900. I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE AND IF I HAD NOT BEEN THE ONLY ONE ON THE ROAD WOULD MOST CERTAINLY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE THE INVESTIGATION TO BE RE-OPENED. *TR