NHTSA Complaint #10660215 — 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA

WHILE MAKING A U-TURN THE STEERING DID NOT RECOVER TO STRAIGHT AHEAD POSITION. THE STEERING FELT LIKE IT WAS BINDING. THE VEHICLE KEPT TURNING, LEAVING THE ROAD SURFACE, ALMOST STRIKING A STONE WALL. NOTHING WAS HIT. MORE EFFORT THAN NORMAL WAS NEEDED TO CORRECT THE STEERING. AIR TEMP. APPROX. 20F. ONCE HOME I INSPECTED THE TIRES, POWER STEERING FLUID, POWER STEERING BELT, ALIGNMENT, LEAKS. ALL WERE NORMAL. I GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THE TSB FILE ON THE STEERING SHAFT KNUCKLE (U-JOINT) CORROSION PROBLEMS. I CRAWLED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE STEERING SHAFT AND KNUCKLE CORRODED. I LIBERALLY SPRAYED THE KNUCKLE AND SHAFT WITH WD-40 WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *TR