2001 Toyota Tacoma

WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL FROM STRAIGHT AHEAD TO LEFT OR RIGHT, I EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY TURNING THE WHEEL ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH THE TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT RETURN TO CENTER WITHOUT EFFORT. THIS HAPPENS WHEN MOVING OR STANDING STILL AND SEEMS TO VARY IN INTENSITY. ONLINE RESEARCH INDICATES A DEFECTIVE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT.

THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT BALL JOINT FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH ON A SMOOTH SURFACES STATE ROAD. THE WHEEL FELL OFF OF THE CONTROL ARM AND SENT MY VEHICLE SLIDING DOWN THE ROAD. PICTURES ARE ATTACHED. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED IN A SIMILAR RECALL OF 4X4 VEHICLES OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. THE ACTION NUMBER OF THAT RECALL IS NHTSA#: EA 04024. I AM HOPING TO GET MY VIN ADDED AS AN AMENDMENT TO THEY RECALL TO FIX THE VEHICLE AND MAKE IT SAFE TO DRIVE. THANK YOU FOR THE HELP.

MY WIFE RECENTLY HAD A WRECK, SHE WAS GOING 45 MPH, THE TRUCK WENT OFF THE ROAD, CROSSING OVER CENTER LINE, AFTER MAKING IMPACT WITH THE DIRT WITH THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK, THE TRUCK LOST IT'S STEERING, FROM THERE THE TRUCK FLIPPED 5 TIMES ON IT'S SIDE, IT FINALLY CAME TO REST ON IT'S SIDE, 5 FEET AWAY FROM A HOUSE. SHE HAD TO BE CUT FROM THE TRUCK. HER L2 EXPLODED IN HER BACK, SHE'S NOW HAVING TO LEARN HOW TO WALK AGAIN AMONG OTHER THINGS FROM EXTREME NERVE DAMAGE. SHE JUST RECENTLY LEFT THE HOSPITAL/REHABILITATION FROM AN EXTENDED STAY. STILL UPSET ABOUT NOT KNOWING WHAT CAUSED THE WRECK, WE DECIDED TO LOOK UP THE TRUCK TO SEE IF THERE HAD EVER BEEN A RECALL DEALING WITH WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED IN HER WRECK, THIS IS WHEN WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE LOWER BALL-JOINT FAILING CAUSING THE ACTIONS OF LOSS OF STEERING, ACCIDENTS, AND ACCIDENTS WITH FLIPPING. AN INVESTIGATION HAS YET TO BE DONE ON THE TRUCK, WE'RE HOPING THIS COMPLAINT WILL INSPIRE AN INVESTIGATION, BUT ALSO EDUCATE ANYONE WITH THIS YEAR AND MAKE OF TRUCK, THAT THIS IS WHAT COULD HAPPEN POSSIBLY TO ANYONE. *TR

RUST SEEMS TO BE COMING OFF BY THE HANDFULS AND PIECES THICK ENOUGH THAT I AM CONCERNED. I LOOKED UNDER MY TRUCK AND AMONG OTHER THINGS, METAL LINES (BRAKE, STEERING, NOT SURE), THE GAS TANK, AND STEERING LINKAGE BECAME MY BIGGEST CONCERN. BY THE THICKNESS OF RUST I HAVE GOTTEN FROM MY VEHICLE I AM CERTAIN IT IS NOT SURFACE RUST. HOW MUCH WILL SOMETHING RUST BEFORE IT BECOMES A FAILURE, ESPECIALLY WITH A LINE UNDER PRESSURE SUCH AS BRAKE LINES? THE LAST TIME I FILLED UP I NOTICED GAS LEAKING ON THE CONCRETE. I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS COMING FROM THE TANK ITSELF OR NOT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK AND THE VEHICLE SWAYED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 10/23/14*CN UPDATED 10/24/2014*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL NOTICE FOR THE FAILURE WAS SENT TO THE WRONG ADDRESS. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIRS. UPDATED 4/20/2015 *JS UPDATED 7/8/2015*JS

AFTER BEING DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 60 MILES, THE 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK WAS BEING BACKED INTO THE DRIVEWAY WHEN STEERING SUDDENLY LOCKED. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE CAR. THE LOWER BALL JOINT HAD FAILED. I DETERMINED THAT TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE MODEL AND YEAR (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V225000) FOR THIS ISSUE, WITH THE FOLLOWING CONSEQUENCE: THE LOWER BALL JOINT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR. IT SEEMS THAT OUR VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE FOR WHICH VEHICLES WERE RECALLED BY TOYOTA. HOWEVER, WHEN I CALLED TOYOTA, I WAS TOLD THAT OUR VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND THAT TOYOTA WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. WE HAD TO SPEND THE MONEY AND TIME TO FIX THE FAILED BALL JOINT AND ARE CONSIDERING REPLACING THE DRIVER SIDE BALL JOINT PROPHYLACTICALLY AS WE NO LONGER TRUST THE WHEELS TO REMAIN ON OUR TRUCK. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A WHEEL COME OFF A CAR. IF THE WHEEL HAD DISENGAGED FROM OUR CAR 2 MINUTES PRIOR, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERE. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT TOYOTA IS NOT INCLUDING OUR CAR IN THE RECALL - EVEN THOUGH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE FOR WHICH THE RECALL WAS ISSUED (FOR OUR VEHICLE MODEL AND YEAR) OCCURRED ON OUR CAR. IF THE ACCIDENT HAD HAPPENED AT HIGH SPEEDS, SOMEONE WOULD HAVE DIED AND A LAWYER WOULD BE CONTACTING TOYOTA AND NHTSA. PERHAPS THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED! *TR