NHTSA Complaint #10692815 — 2006 LEXUS RX HYBRID

WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, I BUMPED A TREE WITH THE PASSENGER'S SIDE MIRROR. THE IMPACT WAS SLIGHT, ESTIMATED SPEED WAS 5MPH AS THE DRIVEWAY WAS ICY. THE WHEELS WERE NOT TURNED MUCH AS THAT PORTION OF THE DRIVEWAY IS STRAIGHT. AFTER THE IMPACT, I FOUND THAT THE WHEEL WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN AND THE "P/S FAIL" LIGHT WAS LIT ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. AFTER EXAMINING THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR, THE ONLY VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WAS A PAINT CHIP ON THE MIRROR. THERE WERE NO FLUID LEAKS. THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL IN NOV. 2011 (LEXUS SAFETY CAMPAIGN 9LC) FOR THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE DUE TO OTHERS HAVING SIMILAR SUDDEN AND UNEXPLAINED LOSS OF POWER STEERING. MY INSURANCE COMPANY DENIED MY CLAIM FOR REPAIR BECAUSE THE EXPERTS THEY CONSULTED SAID THIS TYPE OF IMPACT COULD NOT HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. I HAVE WRITTEN LEXUS DESCRIBING THE ISSUE AND AM AWAITING A RESPONSE. HAD THE POWER STEERING FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER HITTING ONE OF THE NUMEROUS POTHOLES ON THE HIGHWAYS, INSTEAD OF IN MY DRIVEWAY, THE CONSEQUENCES TO MY WIFE AND I COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SEVERE. *TR