NHTSA Complaint #11270484 — 2009 TOYOTA TACOMA

HAD JUST ENTERED MY DRIVEWAY AND TACOMA CABIN SUDDENLY FILLED WITH HEAVY SMOKE AND SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING. STOPPED VEHICLE, SET BRAKE AND GOT AWAY FROM IT AFTER OPENING BOTH DOORS. SHORT TIME LATER OPENED HOOD TO TRY AND DETERMINE WHAT HAD GONE WRONG EXPECTING S RADIATOR HOSE LEAK. AFTER EXAMINING FLUIDS, ONLY THE POWER STEERING TANK WAS EMPTY AND PASSENGER SIDE OF ENGINE SMELLED LIKE CABIN DID. HAD TACOMA TOWED TO DEALER TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG. THEIR MECHANIC FOUND MASSIVE CORROSION OF THE POWER STEERING RACK AND LINES WERE SPLIT/ROTTEN BLOWING POWER STEERING FLUID ONTO MANIFOLD AND LOWER STEERING SHAFT FREEING UP. THEY HAD TO REPLACE POWER STEERING RACK, LINES, OUTTER TIE RODS AND STEERING SHAFT. THEN DID AN ALIGNMENT. BTW THIS TACOMA HAD A FRAME REPLACEMENT ABOUT A YEAR AGO. I FIRMLY BELIEVE POWER STEERING RACK COULD HAVE BEEN STRESSED DURING THAT TIME. ALSO THEY SHOULD HAVE DETECTED THE CORROSION PROBLEM THEN. THE MECHANIC AND SERVICE ADVISOR SHOWED ME WHAT WAS LEFT LEFT OF PSR...SEVERE CORROSION HAD LEFT PIECES OF IT FLAKING OFF. I'M NOT HAVING MUCH SUCCESS GETTING TOYOTA TO COVER PARTS $$$ REPLACEMENT AND I AM A 4 TIME BUYER OF TOYOTA VEHICLES SINCE 1980'S. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED I WOULDN'T BE WRITING THIS.