NHTSA Complaint #11241255 — 2007 TOYOTA TACOMA

THIS TRUCK HAS 12 YEARS AND 62,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS MAKING A U-TURN LAST WEEK, AND WHEN I FINISHED THE TURN I HEARD THE NOISE OF SOMETHING BREAKING. THEN A CLANKING NOISE OF METAL ON METAL STARTED TO SOUND FROM UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL AND RUNNING OVER BUMPS. I ALSO NOTICED EXCESSIVE PLAY ON THE TURN OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING ABOVE 50MPH. I AM A LICENSED AUTO TECH AND BETWEEN THE NOISE AND THE PLAY DETERMINED THAT THE TRUCK WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I PROCEEDED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND FOUND OUT THAT THE MID STEERING SHAFT WAS WORN OUT. THE PART CONNECTS THE LOWER SECTION OF THE STEERING COLUMN THRU THE FIREWALL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO REACH THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY. THE FAILED PART IS COMPOSED OF TWO SMALL SHAFTS JOINED TOGETHER BY A RUBBER DISK THAT ACTS AS A DAMPER. THE SHAFTS HAVE A SMALL METAL BASE AND IN THE SECTION OF THE STEERING COLUMN IT HAS A SMALL U-JOINT. THE SMALL BASES CONNECT IN TWO PLACES AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE RUBBER DISK BUT THE LOWER SMALL SHAFT GOES THRU THE CENTER OF THE RUBBER DISK AND THRU THE CENTER OF BASE OF THE SMALL U JOINT. AT THAT POINT THERE IS A PLASTIC BUSHING THAT FILLS THE GAP BETWEEN THE TWO METALS. THAT BUSHING BROKE AND IS THE CAUSE OF THE PLAY AND NOISE ALONG A DETERIORATED RUBBER DISK (SEE PHOTOS). THIS PART HAS DETERIORATED OVER TIME AND THE RUBBER AND PLASTIC HAVE DEGRADED. I REPLACED THE PART BUT IT HAS THE SAME DESIGN AND WILL FAIL AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. MANY PEOPLE FIX THE PROBLEM BY FILLING THE GAP WITH ZIP TIES AS I FOUND OUT SEARCHING THE WEB. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT TWO PIECES OF THE PART ARE HOLD TOGETHER BY A RUBBER DISK THAT DETERIORATES OVER TIME AND IF IT BREAKS, THE DRIVER CAN LOOSE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. ALSO DUE TO THE HIGH COST OF REPAIR, MANY PEOPLE MAKE MODS TO MAKE THE PART WORK CREATING MORE HAZARDS.