NHTSA Complaint #10516125 — 2008 TOYOTA RAV4

I HAD JUST DROPPED OFF MY FIANCE AT WORK AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN AROUND IN THE PARKING LOT WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL DROPPED ROUGHLY 8 INCHES HITTING MY LEG. THE STEERING WHEEL CAN BE MOVED 8 TO 12 INCHES UP AND DOWN WITH LITTLE RESISTANCE. IT CAN ALSO MOVE BE MOVED 6 TO 8 INCHES LEFT TO RIGHT WITH NO RESISTANCE. IT'S NOT GUIDED IN ANY WAY, YOU CAN MOVE IT AROUND IN A LARGE CIRCULAR MOTION. THE CAR AMAZINGLY ENOUGH STILL STEERS. THE STEERING ASSEMBLY IS STILL ATTACHED TO THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AS WELL AS THE RACK AND PINION. THOUGH WHEN YOU DO ATTEMPT TO STEER, IT MAKES A HORRIBLE POPPING SOUND, WHICH MAKES SENSE BECAUSE THE SHAFT IS NO LONGER IN A FIXED POSITION. UPON INVESTIGATION IT LOOKS LIKE A FACTORY WELD HAS FAILED. FOR A 2008 RAV4, THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY IS MOUNTED TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REINFORCEMENT BAR. THIS IS A LARGE BAR THAT RUNS THE LENGTH OF YOUR DASHBOARD. THIS BAR HAS A FEW WELDED MOUNTS ON IT THAT ALLOW YOU TO BOLT ON THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY, WHICH HOLDS THE STEERING WHEEL IN PLACE, IT IS THESE WELDS WHICH HAVE FAILED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, IF THE STEERING WHEEL HAD DROPPED 5 MINUTES EARLIER WHEN I WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS I COULD HAVE EASILY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAR HAD 65,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT. *TR