NHTSA Complaint #10550938 — 2007 LEXUS IS

AS I JUST EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT OF MY WORK, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY FROZE. I WAS ABOUT TO PARK IN AN OPEN SPOT, SO THE SPEED OF THE CAR WAS VERY LOW. AS I WAS REVERSING INTO THE SPOT, THE STEERING WHEEL JAMMED AND WOULD NOT TURN. I TRIED SHUTTING DOWN AND RESTARTING MANY TIMES BUT THE WHEEL WAS STUCK, AND REQUIRED ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF POWER TO TURN EVER SO SLIGHTLY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE LEXUS DEALER. THEY WERE ALSO UNABLE TO TURN, AND UPON THEIR REVIEW, THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN TIMING COVER, WHICH ACCUMULATED OVER TIME AND WENT INTO THE HARNESS OF THE ECU AND BURNED THE ECU, WHICH IN-TURN JAMMED YOUR STEERING. THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL LEAKS ON THE BOTTOM, AND THE DEALER ALSO CONFIRMED THAT BUT SAID IT WAS AN INTERNAL LEAK, YOU WOULD NOT SEE IT ON THE FLOOR. THE CAR IS STILL AT THE SHOP AND ONLY AFTER REPLACING THE ECU THEY WILL CHECK FOR STEERING ASSEMBLY. THE EXPLANATION PROVIDED BY THEM IS NOT VERY ADEQUATE AND IF IT IS TRUE THEN THERE SEEMS TO BE A SERIOUS FLAW IN DESIGN THAT ANY UNSEEN LEAK FROM TIMING COVER COULD CAUSE YOUR STEERING TO FREEZE UNEXPECTEDLY, WHILE YOUR VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. *TR