NHTSA Complaint #10650412 — 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA

THE STEERING SEEMED TO SEIZE UP ALMOST INSTANTLY AS IF THE POWER STEERING WAS GOING OUT. ONCE I REALIZED THAT THE PROBLEM WASN'T A TIRE ISSUE; I.E. UNDER- INFLATION, I BEGAN TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT TO HAVE TOYOTA IDENTIFY AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP DID AGREE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM FOR $100+ BUT THIS DIAGNOSIS CHARGE WOULDN'T BE APPLIED TO THE REPAIR. THIS,METHOD OF SERVICE SEEMED ODD TO ME SO I USED ANOTHER AUTO REPAIR SERVICE CENTER THAT PROMPTLY IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AND SCHEDULE THE REPAIR. IT WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE LOWER STEERING COLUMN WITH A NEAR FROZEN U-JOINT. THIS PROBLEM RESULTED IN A VERY ERRATIC STEERING PATTERN. MOST OF THE TIME THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T RETURN TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION AFTER MAKING A TURN AND AT OTHER TIMES IT WOULD RETURN TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION RESULTING IN OVER STEERING. THE ANTICIPATED LACK OF RETURN TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION CAUSED ME ON OCCASION TO ATTEMPT TO STEER TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION RESULTING IN THE OVER STEERING. THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO OTHERS ATTENTION AND POSSIBLY HAVE ANY VEHICLES SUSPECT FOR A SIMILAR STEERING ISSUE INSPECTED SO REPAIRS CAN BE MADE BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURS. *TR