NHTSA Complaint #10706344 — 2006 TOYOTA SIENNA

NOTICED LEAK IN FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF SIENNA VAN. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, WHO IDENTIFIED THE LEAK SOURCE AS THE STEERING RACK. PART WAS NOT REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, AS TOO MANY YEARS AND 423 MILES BEYOND WARRANTY PERIOD. BROKEN PART 44250-08040 REPLACED PART AS TOYOTA 44250-08041 FAILURE OF PART, IF NOT CAUGHT SOON, ENOUGH, COULD CAUSE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. TOYOTA IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND EVEN ISSUES A SERVICE BULLETIN AS TSB-0097-12 IN ADDITION TO A NEW REPLACEMENT PART. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE FAILURE OF THIS PART NOT LONG AFTER WARRANTY PERIOD IS OVER. I BELIEVE THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE AS INSTALLED. I ADD MY VOICE TO THE MANY WHO HAVE REPLACED THIS PART AND WISH TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE LACK OF RESPONSE FROM TOYOTA CORPORATION. DOT SHOULD INVESTIGATE THIS AND SIMILAR STEERING RACK PARTS. AFTER TOYOTA BRUSHED OFF MY COMPLAINT VIA PHONE SUPPORT, I RECEIVED WRITTEN USPS MAIL IDENTIFYING A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT NOTIFICATION FOR A SEPARATE PROBLEM WITH THE DASHBOARD/INSTRUMENT PANEL , DUE TO CRACKING AND STICKY DASHBOARDS. OBVIOUSLY, IF ENOUGH AFFECTED OWNERS DOCUMENT THEIR COMPLAINTS ABOUT FAILING STEERING RACKS, TOYOTA MIGHT BECOME SERIOUS ABOUT THE PROBLEM. TYPICAL COST OF PART IS $1200-$1600. *TR