NHTSA Complaint #10808124 — 2005 TOYOTA PRIUS

I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND MY STEERING COMPLETELY GAVE OUT. I COULD TURN MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT, BUT MY WHEELS WERE NOT RESPONDING TO THE MOVEMENT. THERE WAS A ROUGH NOISE AS I TRIED TO CORRECT THE STEERING BUT THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING OF THIS (I HAD BEEN DRIVING AROUND TOWN EARLIER THAT DAY JUST FINE - ON BUSY ROADS WITH HIGHER SPEED LIMITS). IT WAS VERY SCARY AND THANKFULLY, I WAS ONLY GOING 5MPH SO I JUST STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND PLACED IT IN PARK. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP IN AUSTIN, TX AND THEY SAID THE SPLINES BROKE WHICH DISABLED THE STEERING (AND THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THE STEERING RACK AND YOLK). I'M GETTING A SECOND OPINION AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT THEY SAY, BUT THIS MAJOR FAILURE WAS EXTREMELY ALARMING. MY PRIUS HAS APPROX 92,000 MILES ON IT, AND I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF IT FROM A MAINTENANCE STANDPOINT. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF A PROBLEM LIKE THIS BEFORE. I HAVE PLENTY OF FRIENDS WITH OLDER CARS WITH MORE MILEAGE AND NONE OF THEM HAVE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE FAILURE OF STEERING WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. ADDITIONALLY, MY FATHER SPOKE TO A FRIEND WHO OWNS A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AT HOME AND HAS SOLD MANY PRIUS VEHICLES - HE SAID THIS WAS VERY SERIOUS AND UNCOMMON. ....UPDATED 12/30/15 *BF PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT OTHER INFORMATION YOU NEED TO ADEQUATELY LOOK INTO THIS. *JS