NHTSA Complaint #10507347 — 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA

THE TOYOTA TACOMA BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER, AS THOUGH THE POWER STEERING WAS FAILING. TO NEGOTIATE THE VEHICLE THROUGH A BEND IN THE ROAD I HAD TO EXERT SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FORCE ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND HAD TO MANUALLY FORCE THE WHEEL BACK TO CENTER. THIS MOMENTARILY INHIBITED ME FROM KEEPING THE VEHICLE CENTERED IN THE LANE. THIS PROBLEM HAS SINCE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. ON INSPECTION I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE IMPAIRED STEERING CONTROL TO BE CORROSION OF THE UNIVERSAL JOINT #2 STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT PART # 45203-04020. ON SEARCHING FOR A REMEDY I LEARNED THIS PART HAS BEEN REDESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM, AND THE REPLACEMENT PART IS 45220-04020. APPLICATION OF PENETRATING OIL TO THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINT HAS REDUCED THE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM BUT NOT PERMANENTLY RESOLVED IT. IF THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE A YOUNGER, OLDER OR OTHERWISE PHYSICALLY WEAKER OPERATOR WAS DRIVING THEY MAY HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY KEEPING THE VEHICLE IN ITS LANE. *TR