NHTSA Complaint #10552852 — 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA

I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN, STOPPING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. ONE OF THE CONNECTIONS ON THE POWER STEERING RACK HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED DUE TO RUST AND THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS POURING OUT. IF I HAD BEEN GOING AT HIGHER SPEEDS (SUCH AS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY OR TAKING AN OFF RAMP) IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HARD TO IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. THE RUST IS CLEARLY EXCESSIVE AND HARD TO BELIEVE IT IS NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL THAT COVERED THE FRAME AND BRAKE LINES (WHICH I HAD REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL A FEW YEARS BACK AFTER SOME TROUBLE WITH THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMING IT DID NOT QUALIFY). A LOCAL GARAGE REPLACED THE STEERING RACK AT A COST OF OVER $900. I TOOK PHOTOS OF THE FAILED RACK. I CALLED THE NATIONAL TOYOTA NUMBER AND HAD A CASE MANAGER ASSIGNED TO MY COMPLAINT. THE BEST THAT TOYOTA OFFERED WAS TO HAVE ME TOW IT AT MY EXPENSE TO THE DEALERSHIP 40 MILES AWAY TO HAVE THEM INSPECT IT WHILE THE DEALER WAS TELLING ME THEY HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF THESE FAIL AND TOYOTA HAS NOT BEEN ADMITTING THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THEM IS THEIR FAULT. I HAVE A 1998 COROLLA THAT HAS NO RUST ISSUES AT AFTER THE SAME CONDITIONS FOR MORE YEARS. *TR