2007 Toyota Camry Solara

WHEN I BROUGHT IN MY 2007 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA CONVERTIBLE FOR A FAULTY LOW TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR, ANOTHER PROBLEM WAS DETECTED. I ASKED TO SEE THE ISSUE WHILE THE CAR WAS UP ON THE LIFT. I COULD OBSERVE WHAT LOOKED LIKE A SHREDDING/DAMAGED RACK AND PINION POWER STEERING BOOT WITH FLUID VISIBLE. THE FIRST DEALER WRITTEN ESTIMATE SAYS "REPLACE POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION (FOUND POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING INTO BOOT OF RACK AND PINION)" FOR $1354.88, PLUS 4-WHEEL ALIGNMENT FOR $160.95. THE SECOND DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDED REPLACING ONE RACK AND PINION BOOT AND THAT POWER STEERING FLUID GASKET, FOR $594.58 PLUS A $99 ALIGNMENT, WHICH I DID. THE DEALER CHECKED AND THERE HAS NOT YET BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT I CHECKED ONLINE AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME/SIMILAR ISSUE. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY POWER STEERING SYSTEM, WHETHER THE OTHER GASKET WILL LEAK OR THE SYSTEM FAIL WHILE DRIVING.

2007 SOLARA CONVERTIBLE CONTINUALLY VEERS TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND PARTICULARLY WHEN BRAKING. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE AUGUST 2009 WHEN I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THIS WAS OCCURRING EARLIER THAN THAT BUT I SUSPECT IT MAY HAVE BEEN. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES ALIGNED THREE TIMES AND THOSE ALIGNMENTS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM AT ALL. NO ACCIDENT HAS OCCURRED; HOWEVER, IT IS DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TO HAVE TO CONTINUALLY PULL THE CAR TO THE LEFT TO COMPENSATE. ALSO, THE CAR IS ON IT'S THIRD SET OF TIRES BECAUSE OF THIS STEERING DEFICIENCY AND IT HAS ONLY 65,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

MY 2007 TOYOTA SOLARA POWER STEERING LOCKED UP INITIALLY 12/17/2009 WHILE EXITING A FREEWAY OFFRAMP CAUSING ME TO CONTINUE VEERING LEFT INTO THE CURB FORTUNATELY WITH NO INJURY TO MYSELF OR CAR. THE CARS BEHIND, ALSO EXITING, NEARLY SLAMMED INTO ME BUT HAD ENOUGH ROOM TO STOP AND SWERVE AROUND. THE WHEEL WAS LOCKED FOR NEARLY 2 MINUTES THEN FINALLY RELEASED WHILE THE CAR REMAINED RUNNING WITH NO ENGINE FAILURE. THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED 12/24/2009 IN THE EVENING WHILE EXITING A PARKING LOT WHICH AGAIN FORTUNATELY NO ONE HIT ME. THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT UNLOCK FOR NEARLY TWO MINUTES AGAIN WITH NO ENGINE FAILURE. CURRENTLY THE CAR IS WITH TOYOTA DEALER AND HAS HAD NO PAST HISTORY OF ISSUES AND UNDERGOES REGULAR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. IT IS CURRENTLY BEING FURTHER DIAGNOSED AFTER I FILED A COMPLAINT 12/28/2009 SINCE THE SERVICE TEAM REPRESENTATIVE WAS ADVISING ME THE CAR WILL BE RELEASED AND TO BRING IT IN IF ANOTHER INCIDENT OCCURS. I AM REPORTING THIS ISSUE AS THE THIRD TIME MAY BE FATAL TO MYSELF OR OTHERS. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A DEALERSHIP TO RELEASE A CAR WHICH COULD CAUSE FATALITY. AS A RESULT I AM AWAITING APPROVAL FROM THE DEALER TO APPROVE THE CHANGE OUT ALL TECHNICAL COMPONENTS THAT DEAL WITH THE POWER STEERING. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA SOLARA. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD, WHINING NOISE WHEN SHE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS REPLACED TWICE WITHIN AN EIGHT-MONTH PERIOD. THE DEALER STATED THAT HER TYPE OF VEHICLE HAD A REPUTATION FOR THIS FAILURE; HOWEVER, IT COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,000. UPDATED 01/17/08 *BF UPDATED 01/17/08 *TR