NHTSA Complaint #10483600 — 2003 TOYOTA PRIUS

TWO YEARS AGO, MY CAR BEGAN EXHIBITING STEERING ISSUES. WHEN TURNING, BOTH IN REVERSE AND DRIVE, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHUDDER VIOLENTLY. AFTER A FEW SECONDS, THE SHUDDERING SUBSIDED AND THE CAR STEERED NORMALLY. THE ISSUE WAS ESPECIALLY BAD WHEN THE CAR WAS COLD AND IMPROVED AS THE CAR WARMED UP. OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THE ISSUE HAS WORSENED, OCCURRING WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY AND WITH INCREASING VIOLENCE. THE STEERING WHEEL NOW JERKS UNCONTROLLABLY AS I DRIVE, AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHUDDERS WHEN TURNING, SOMETIMES SO VIOLENTLY THAT I CANNOT HOLD ONTO THE WHEEL OR CONTROL THE CAR. TURNING LEFT IS BECOMING PROGRESSIVELY DIFFICULT; THE CAR PULLS CONSTANTLY AND SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT EVEN THOUGH THE TIRES ON THE CAR WERE JUST ALIGNED. THE 2003 TOYOTA PRIUS WAS ALREADY RECALLED FOR STEERING ISSUES EXACTLY AS I DESCRIBE. TOYOTA CLAIMED THE ISSUE LAY WITH THE PINION SHAFT NUTS. THE PINION SHAFT NUTS IN MY CAR WERE ALREADY REPLACED, PER THE RECALL. HOWEVER, THE STEERING PROBLEM PERSISTS AND IS GROWING WORSE. FROM MY RESEARCH, OTHER 2003 TOYOTA PRIUS OWNERS DESCRIBE THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THE SAME FAILURE OF THE RECALL REPAIR TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. MECHANICS NOT AFFILIATED WITH TOYOTA HAVE TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON, WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE 2003 TOYOTA PRIUS. ACCORDING TO THE TOYOTA RECALL NOTICE, "IF THE STEERING WHEEL IS REPEATEDLY AND STRONGLY TURNED TO THE FULL-LOCK POSITION, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THE NUTS SECURING THE PINION SHAFT IN THE STEERING GEAR BOX ASSEMBLY MAY BECOME LOOSE." (HTTP://PRESSROOM.TOYOTA.COM/RELEASES/TOYOTA+PRIUS+EPS+PINION+SHAFT+NUT+JUNE+2011+RECALL+FAQ.HTM). HOWEVER, MY CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN GENTLY AND MAINTAINED WELL THROUGHOUT ITS LIFE. DESPITE MY CAREFUL CARE OF THE VEHICLE, IT HAS BECOME DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I BELIEVE THE RECALL INSUFFICIENTLY ADDRESSED THE STEERING ISSUES ENDEMIC TO THE 2003 TOYOTA PRIUS. *TR