NHTSA Complaint #11517303 — 2016 TOYOTA RAV4

At about 40,000 miles on the 2016 Toyota Rav4, the steering wheel response became sticky, in the sense that when the driver moves it from left to right (or right to left), it has resistance at certain spots and the driver has to use extra force to move the steering wheel against the resistance. Once the driver uses that extra force to steer the wheel over that resistance while turning the steering wheel, the steering wheel slightly jerks and shakes. The steering wheel almost remains stuck while turning, and the driver has to immediately correct to prevent turning too much while driving. This can cause the driver to lose control. The car was taken to a Toyota dealer and inspected. The owner of the vehicle has taken the vehicle to a non-manufacturer mechanic dealer for inspection. No warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms. The problem has been noted by the dealership and the dealership claims that other drivers have experienced the same thing. The non-manufacturer mechanic has also noticed the problem and says the part will arrive in 2 months, as it is currently unavailable. The vehicle is available for inspection by NHTSA upon request.