NHTSA Complaint #11057791 — 2006 TOYOTA SIENNA

RACK AND PINION FAILURE. DEAR SIR/MADAM: I BROUGHT MY 2006 SIENNA (PURCHASED NEW) TO THE DEALERSHIP DUE TO WHAT I SUSPECTED WAS A BAD WHEEL BEARING ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THE BEARING PROBLEM, BUT ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE SEAL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE RACK AND PINION HAD GONE BAD AND HAD LEADED INTO THE BOOT ON THAT SIDE, AND SINCE THERE WAS NO WAY TO JUST REPLACE THE SEAL, I NEEDED A NEW RACK AND PINION SYSTEM INSTALLED, PLUS A FOUR-WHEEL ALIGNMENT AFTER THE INSTALLATION TOTALING $1187. I MENTIONED TO THE TECHNICIAN THAT I RECENTLY HAD NOTICED THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR LOWER THAN USUAL AND RECENTLY NOTICED FLUID ON MY DRIVEWAY, SO THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CAUSE OF THOSE OBSERVATIONS. THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM I BROUGHT MY SIENNA IN FOR OF THE BEARING NOISE SEEMED TO BE A FORTUNATE SITUATION, AS IT RESULTED IN THE REVELATION OF THE STEER SYSTEM PROBLEM BEFORE IT LED TO A MORE SERIOUS SITUATION. AFTER GETTING THE REPAIRS DONE, I RESEARCHED THE RACK AND PINION ISSUE AND REALIZED THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. IT ALSO SEEMS THAT WITH THE PREDICTABLE AND REGULAR OCCURRENCES OF THIS FAILURE, ADDRESSING THIS THROUGH A RECALL WOULD BE A REASONABLE ACTION TOYOTA CAN MAKE IN ITS EFFORTS TO CONTINUE MITIGATING POTENTIAL CATASTROPHIC SAFETY EVENTS FOR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN CONSIDERING THIS CONCERN. I CONTINUE TO FIND THAT TOYOTA PROVIDES A QUALITY PRODUCT. I HAVE BEEN A TOYOTA CUSTOMER SINCE 1984 AND DO APPRECIATE TOYOTA'S EFFORTS IN MAINTAINING THEIR REPUTATION AS A RELIABLE AND CONSUMER-FOCUSED COMPANY.