NHTSA Complaint #11155784 — 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

AROUND A YEAR AGO, AT APPROXIMATELY 58000 MILES, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A KNOCKING SOUND AND STEERING VIBRATION WHEN I TURNED IN EITHER DIRECTION AT LOW SPEED IN CITY DRIVING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR EVALUATION AT RICE TOYOTA. THE TECHNICIANS COULD NOT HEAR ANYTHING. I TOOK IT BACK AT 61,118 IN FEBRUARY 2018 AS THE STEERING HAD GOTTEN WORSE, NOW LOOSE AND SLOPPY FEELING AT ANY SPEED. THEY COULD HEAR/FEEL IT THIS TIME AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MOTOR AND TO JUST "TURN THE RADIO UP". I WAS READY TO TRADE THE VEHICLE IN, AS I FELT UNSAFE DRIVING IT ANYMORE, BUT KNEW I COULDN'T IN IT'S CURRENT CONDITION.I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT OTHERS WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. THERE WAS EVEN A TSB (BULLETIN T-SB-0034-13) ISSUED ON 4/26/17 REGARDING THE STEERING PINION SHAFT. AFTER I FELT THAT I COULDN'T DRIVE THIS CAR IT ANYMORE, I RETURNED TO RICE TOYOTA ONCE AGAIN ON 11/24/18 AT 67,770 MILES AND THE REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. "IMMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED" FOR A TOTAL OF $588.23. THE VEHICLE NOW DRIVES BETTER, HOWEVER, I HAVE LOST FAITH IN IT , AS WELL AS TOYOTA. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO TO BE ADDRESSED FOR THE SAFETY OF ANYONE DRIVING A 2008-2013 HIGHLANDER.