2004 TOYOTA PRIUS Steering Problems

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving 51 MPH, the vehicle experienced phantom braking and a loss of power steering assist with the engine overheating message displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 154,079.

I WAS DRIVING APPROX. 15 MPH ON A STREET ON 5/14/20 AND WAS MAKING A SOFT TURN AND HEARD A 'CLICK' NOISE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER MY STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SPIN FREELY WHILE TOTALLY DISENGAGED FROM THE FRONT WHEELS CAUSING TOTAL INABILITY TO CONTROL DIRECTION OF VEHICLE TRAVEL. THIS CAUSED A MINOR COLLISION WITH ROCK /DEBRIS WHICH CAUSED MINOR FRONT BUMPER DAMAGE. I THEN HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO NEAREST MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE MAIN BOLT AT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT AND STEERING RACK WAS DISCONNECTED. THE MECHANIC CHECKED THE SHAFT AND SPLINES FOR DAMAGE AND FOUND NONE, THEN PROCEEDED TO REATTACH BOLT. I WAS ALSO INFORMED BY THIS MECHANIC THAT TOYOTA HAD TWO RELATED RECALLS: ONE FOR THE STEERING SHAFT, AND ONE FOR THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT EXTENSION. BOTH OF THESE RECALLS HAD BEEN ADDRESSED AND REPLACEMENT PARTS INSTALLED FOR MY VEHICLE. THERE ARE TWO RELATED RECALLS: 06V188000 (STEERING SHAFT)...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V537000 (STEERING) BY BALISE TOYOTA (1399 RIVERDALE ST, WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA 01089, (413) 306-3037), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THERE IS A CLUNKING SOUND FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL FROM SIDE TO SIDE, EITHER STATIONARY OR WHEN MOVING.*DT*JB

CONTACTS STATED WATER PUMP AND ALTERNATOR STOPPED WORKING TWICE ON I'-5 TOWED TO TOYOTA TACOMA WHERE THEY FLUSHED FUEL BILLED $500 CAR BROKE DOWN ON WAY HOME TOWED BACK TO TOYOTA TOLD CHARGE WOULD BE 2500 TO FIX .. FLATBED DEDICATED CAR TO BRON'S AUTO HOSES AND COOLANT SYSTEM WAS MELTED PAYED $1500 TO REPLACE IN TIRE COOLANT SYSTEM AND STILL OWE 600 TO SYNCHRONY CAR CARE CARD NOW RETURNING HOME LAST WEEK TURNING AROUND TO BACK UP THERE WAS A LOUD CRUNCH STEERING BROKE STEERING WHEEL CRUNCHES WHEN TURNED WHEELS DO NOT TURN AT ALL MOVING DOWN THE ROAD CALLED TOYOTA THEY SAID THEY FIXED BOTH ON RECALL TO FIX IT MYSELF IT WASN'T THERE PROBLEM PARTS WORE OUT KICK ROCKS THE PARTS DIDN'T WEAR OUT THEY BROKE 5 MINUTES SOONER ID HAVE BEEN HEAD ON IN TRAFFIC ON HWY 405 INSTEAD OF BACKING UP ON THE CITY STREET....

MY DAUGHTER BORROWED MY PRIUS FOR A DRIVE FROM LAYTON, UTAH TO SEATTLE. WITHIN AN HOUR OF LEAVING MY HOME IN LAYTON, UTAH SHE CALLED CONCERNED ABOUT A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END OF MY PRIUS AS SHE APPROACHED 80MPH. WHEN SHE RETURNED TO UTAH, I HAD THE TIRES CHECKED, REBALANCED, AND THE FRONT END REALIGNED. SOON AFTER THAT, MY HUSBAND AND I LEFT FOR THE TAHOE AREA. WE EXPERIENCED A VIBRATION WHENEVER WE EASED THE STEERING FROM EITHER A LEFT OR RIGHT PRESSURE TO NEUTRAL. THEN AT LOW SPEED GOING OVER A ROUGH ROAD WITH POTHOLES, IT SOUNDED AS IF THE STEERING COLUMN WAS GOING TO FALL APART. I HAVE A RECORDING OF THE RATTLING NOISE IT MADE. I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED MY PRIUS FROM. THEY FOUND THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS LOOSE AND RECOMMENDED REPLACING IT. PARTS #45260,45209, AND 45221 WERE REPLACED. THE VIBRATION AND...

LOST POWER STEERING CONTROL

DURING NORMAL SERVICE AT DEALER SERVICE ADVISOR INDICATED THAT STEERING YOKE SUB ASSEMBLE AND SHAFT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF BINDING. DEALER INDICATED THAT THEY HAD DONE THE STEERING RECALL " NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V188000 " IN 2006 ON THIS CAR. IS THE CURRENT ISSUE (WHICH WE HAD REPAIRED AT A COST OF ALMOST $1000) ASSOCIATED/OR AS A RESULT OF THE PRIOR RECALL?

CONSUMER COMPLAINT CONCERNING 2004 PRIUS TRANSMISSION. *TS THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS STARTING IN LOW GEAR ON A HILL. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A NOTICE REGARDING THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT, HOWEVER WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP, HE WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO PARTS AVAILABLE. THE DEALER EVENTUALLY REPLACED THE STEERING SHAFT. *JB