NHTSA Complaint #10598032 — 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA

OUR 2002 TOYOTA SIENNA HAD THE GEAR SHIFT REPAIRED AT A MAJOR ATLANTA AREA TOYOTA DEALER ON MAY 5, 2014. THE GEAR SHIFT REPLACEMENT REQUIRED THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN TO BE DISASSEMBLED. ABOUT ONE WEEK AFTER THAT REPAIR, THE STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED. THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED WITH ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OF THE WHEELS. BY SHEER LUCK THIS STEERING FAILURE OCCURRED IN A PARKING LOT AFTER JUST TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE. HAD THIS STEERING FAILURE OCCURRED AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS, THIS MAY HAVE BEEN FATAL. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE SAME MAJOR ATLANTA AREA TOYOTA DEALER AND THE CAUSE OF THE STEERING FAILURE WAS IDENTIFIED AS "STEERING JOINT BOLT BACKED OFF FROM CONNECTION". I WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY ONE BOLT COMING LOOSE. THE STEERING FAILURE WAS CORRECTED BY "RE-TIGHTENED' BOLT WITH LOCK TIGHT". IN SUMMARY, THE REPAIR OF A GEAR SHIFT BY A CERTIFIED TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE CENTER RESULTED IN COMPLETE STEERING FAILURE DUE TO ONE BOLT THAT "BACKED OFF FROM CONNECTION" OR THAT WAS NOT PROPERLY TIGHTENED OR SECURED. IT IS VERY CONCERNING THAT TOYOTA?S STEERING COLUMN DESIGN HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE COMPLETE STEERING FAILURE WHEN ONE BOLT COMES LOOSE. IT IS ALSO A MAJOR ISSUE THAT A CERTIFIED TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE CENTER IS UNABLE TO SAFELY DISSEMBLE AND REASSEMBLE THE STEERING COLUMN AND PROVIDE A SAFE AND DRIVABLE VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT HOW OFTEN THIS TYPE OF STEERING FAILURE HAS OCCURRED ON THIS AND SIMILARLY DESIGNED TOYOTA VEHICLES. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY CRASHES, SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATHS HAVE RESULTED FROM THIS ISSUE. THIS CERTAINLY CAN?T BE THE ONLY OCCURRENCE. I FEEL IT IS IMPERATIVE TO ALERT OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE AS WELL AS AUTHORIZED REPAIR CENTERS OF THE SITUATION OR ISSUE A RECALL TO ENSURE THAT THE STEERING JOINT BOLT IS SECURE. VIDEO CAN BE SEEN AT: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=6XB-CPKR4HY UPDATED 1/9/2015 *JS