NHTSA Complaint #10811637 — 2007 TOYOTA RAV4

I PURCHASED MY RAV4 USED ABOUT 12 MONTHS AGO. WITHIN THE PAST 3 MONTHS I'VE NOTICES PROBLEMS WITH MY STEERING. SLOW TURNS MAKE A CLUNKING SOUND WITH LOOSE MOVEMENT AND VIBRATION FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. INITIALLY I WAS TOLD IT WAS A BAD STRUT, WHICH I REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO GET A LITTLE WORSE BY THE DAY. IN CHECKING ONLINE I SEE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME NATURE, SOME RESULTING IN SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. IT APPEARS THAT THE RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY IS DEFECTIVE SINCE THE PROBLEM IS SO WIDESPREAD. I HAVE NOT SEEN A RECALL ON THIS AND WONDER WHY SINCE STEERING IS SO ESSENTIAL TO THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. I WILL BE CONTACTING MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE DEPT. TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE.