NHTSA Complaint #10491440 — 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS

TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL IN AUGUST 2011 ON GEN. 1 PRIUS FOR A STEERING ISSUE. WE TOOK THE PRIUS INTO LOCAL DEALER AND THEY REPLACED STEERING NUTS PER RECALL. WITHIN A WEEK AFTER RECALL FIX, WE NOTICED A VIOLENT SHAKE TO THE STEERING WHEEL DURING A COLD MORNING START. IT HAD NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE THE RECALL. WE TOOK THE CAR IN AFTER IT OCCURRED AGAIN AND WERE TOLD THAT OUR RACK AND PINION WAS WORE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DURING THE RECALL WORK, THE DEALERSHIP DID A COMPLETE INSPECTION OF THE CAR AND NOTHING UNUSUAL WAS NOTED. HOW DID THEY DO WORK ON A RACK AND PINION AND NOT NOTICE WEAR ON IT THEN? WE BELIEVE WHEN THEY TORQUED THE NEW NUTS TO THE STEERING PINION, THIS CREATED UNDO STRESS ON THE TORQUE SENSOR AND IS WHY THE AFTERWORK SHAKING IS OCCURRING. TOYOTA NEEDS TO COME CLEAN AND REPLACE THESE RACKS FREE OF CHARGE FOR POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO ALOT OF GEN. 1 PRIUS'S WHEN THEY DID THE NUT RECALL. THERE IS MORE OF A SAFETY ISSUE NOW WITH THE VIOLENT STEERING WHEEL SHAKING OUT OF UNSUSPECTING DRIVERS THAN A NUT THAT'S GOING TO BREAK OFF. NHTSA, FORCE THEM TO DO A RECALL NOW!!!! *TR