NHTSA Complaint #11221667 — 2007 TOYOTA YARIS H/B

P/S DASHBOARD RED LIGHT CAME ON WITH SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING ASSIST WHILE TURNING AND DRIVING. LUCKILY THE CAR IS LIGHT, BUT I COULD HAVE EASILY HIT AN OBJECT, HAD IT HAPPENED IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION OR AT A DIFFERENT SPEED. PROBLEM DISAPPEARED BY ITSELF. TWO WEEKS THEREAFTER, AN EXTREMELY STRONG BURNED ELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY SMELL SUDDENLY FILLED THE VICINITY OF THE CAR, COULD BE FELT FROM ABOUT 10 FEET AWAY, WHILE IDLING, WHILE STOPPED FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS WITH FRONT WHEELS TURNED TO THE RIGHT ABOUT HALF-WAY, AS I WAS CHECKING MY MAIL BOX UPON ENTERING DRIVEWAY. A LOW PITCH WHINING/DRONING NOISE WAS EMANATING FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHILE THE CAR WAS IDLING. THE NOISE AND ODOR PERSISTED AFTER THE STEERING WAS SET AT 0 DEGREE ANGLE AND AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED. NO P/S DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. NO LOSS OF STEERING ASSIST. NO VISIBLE SIGN OF SMOKE, FIRE, OR MELTED PLASTIC IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUSE BOX. WIRE HARNESSES LOOKED INTACT. SUSPECT EPS - ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MOTOR. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE ABOUT 85OF. CAR DRIVEN FOR JUST 3 MILES ON THAT DAY, SIDE STREET DRIVING ONLY, NEVER OVER 35 MPH. AC FAN ON FULL BLAST, HEADLIGHTS OFF. CAR HAD DIFFICULTY ACCELERATING UPON DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL ON SAME DAY, PRIOR TO AFOREMENTIONED INCIDENT.