NHTSA Complaint #10954113 — 2007 TOYOTA RAV4

AUDIBLE CLUNK SOUND IN THE STEERING WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DRIVER CAN ALSO FEEL A KNOCK THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. I AM WORRIED THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE FOR THIS MODEL AND YEAR (E.G., ABOUT 40 COMPLAINTS OF THIS KIND HAVE BEEN FILED FOR 2007 RAV4S ON CARCOMPLAINTS.COM). IT APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT; TOYOTA HAS FOR EXAMPLE ISSUED TSB 0318 08 TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO OUR TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, IT IS DUE TO A SHAFT TOLERANCE THAT IS TOO LOOSE; THE CLUNK SOUND WOULD ONLY BE AN ANNOYANCE, BUT NOT A SAFETY CONCERN. GIVEN THAT THE STEERING IS CRITICAL FOR CONTROL AND SAFE OPERATIONS OF THE CAR, I FEEL THAT ANY NOISE IN THE STEERING MIGHT INDICATE A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. WE BOUGHT THE CAR USED WITH 107874 MILES (FROM THE FIRST OWNER) ON 05/09/2014, AND NOTICED THE PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY DURING THE FIRST WEEKS OF USE. WE BELIEVE THE CONDITION HAD ALREADY EXISTED BEFORE WE PURCHASED THE CAR, BUT WE HAVE NO INFORMATION AT WHICH MILEAGE THE PREVIOUS OWNER STARTED TO NOTICE IT.