2008 Toyota Tacoma

I NOTICED THE TRUCK WAS NOT HANDLING RIGHT (STEERING). IT GOT TO THE POINT THE STEERING WAS LOCKING UP AND I HAD TO MANUALLY RETURN THE WHEEL IN ORDER TO STEER THE TRUCK. THIS IS DANGEROUS. I WENT ONLINE AND DISCOVERED THIS IS COMMON . TOYOTA ISSUED A S.B. FOR A STEERING RATTLE UNDER A 3 YR PROGRAM. THIS IS NOT A RATTLE ITS MUCH WORSE AND AS STATED ITS DANGEROUS. I INSPECTED THE STEERING KNUCKLE AND IT WAS SEIZING UP. THE COST TO REPAIR IS APPROXIMATELY $750 DOLLARS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE ALLOWING UNSAFE VEHICLES TO KNOWINGLY OPERATE WITH THIS DESIGN FLAW. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.

POWER STEERING IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT. I CHECKED A TOYOTA FORUM AND THIS SEEMS TO BE COMMON. THE PROBLEM IS THE LOWER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINT IS EXPOSED TO ROAD SALT AND SPRAY AND SEIZES UP. SO AT TIMES THE STEERING IS TOUGH THEN IT EASES UP AND DOES NOT RETURN TO CENTER AFTER A TURN. LIKE I SAID THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WELL KNOWN TO THE FORUM. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM! 77,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK.

I HAVE NOTICED THE STEERING IS STIFF WHEN DRIVING. IT WILL BE FINE THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, DURING A TURN IT WILL SEEM TO STICK. THIS HAS CAUSED CONCERN WHEN DRIVING AND WHEN IT HAPPENS UNEXPECTEDLY COULD RESULT IN OVERCOMPENSATION AND LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. THIS SAME ISSUE HAS BEEN NOTICED BY SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS OF THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE AND HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT #2. THIS POSES A SAFETY ISSUE AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED TO PROVIDE A REPLACEMENT PART THAT WILL NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE.

FIRST LET ME SAY THAT THIS IS MY FIFTH TOYOTA TRUCK, ALL MANUAL TRANSMISSION 4 CYLINDER ENGINES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THIS ONE, WHICH IS 6 CYLINDER (I DON'T HAVE THE OTHER VIN'S WITH ME NOW, BUT COULD DO SOME RESEARCH TO PROVIDE THEM IF NEED BE). A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I NOTICED MY TRUCK'S STEERING BECOMING STIFFER, MAKING STEERING MORE DIFFICULT. I READ UP A BIT ABOUT IT, INSPECTED THE BELT (OK) AND CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID (LOOKED A BIT LOW). I DECIDED A FLUSH AND FILL OF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID MIGHT DO THE JOB AND DID SO SATURDAY, 11/19/16. IMMEDIATELY AFTER, I REALLY DIDN'T NOTICE MUCH OF A CHANGE. YESTERDAY, SUNDAY, IT SEEMED MORE NOTICEABLY STIFF. I RESEARCHED MORE AND READ THAT IT MIGHT BE DUE TO A CORRODED SHAFT ' MANY RECOMMENDED GREASE AS A SOLUTION AND OTHER RECOMMENDED A NEW SHAFT. TODAY IT WAS VERY STIFF AND EVEN A BIT WOBBLY ' MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. I WAS READING UP ON HOW TO REPAIR THIS AND CAME ACROSS MANY OTHER WHO EXPERIENCED THIS AND SUGGESTED I FILE THIS SO THAT OTHERS MIGHT BE WARNED/PROTECTED. I LOVE MY TRUCK, JUST DON'T LIKE HOW THE CORROSION OF TACOMA'S RUINS EVERYTHING. HOPE THIS CAN BE OF HELP TO SOMEONE.

I WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK IN THE PARKING LOT OF A SHOPPING CENTER. AS I WAS GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION THE STEERING COLUMN FELL DOWN CAUSING ME TO BE UNABLE TO TURN CAUSING A WRECK WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY WILL NOT PAY FOR REPAIRING THE STEERING COLUMN. TOYOTA HAS BEEN JERKING ME AROUND FOR 3 MONTHS. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN REPAIRED AS FAR AS BODY WORK BUT TOYOTA TELLS ME THAT I WILL RECEIVE A LETTER WITH THEIR DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER THEY WILL REPAIR THE STEERING COLUMN. 4 WEEKS AGO THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD RECEIVE A LETTER. I AM STILL WAITING. WHEN I CALL THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF MY CASE AT TOYOTA (CASEY) HE NEVER RETURNS MY CALLS. MY CASE NUMBER IS 1603142032. CASEY'S NUMBER IS 800-331-4331.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEALS WERE CORRODED AND THE POWER STEERING JOINT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V604000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

POWERSTEERING NOT WORKING PROPERLY WHEN MAKING A TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION HAD TO PHYSICALLY TURN STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT RECOVER ON ITS OWN. BROUGHT TRUCK TO TOYOTA DEALER FOR PROBLEM THEY REPLACED THE DRIVE BELT,THINKING IT WAS SLIPPING ON THE POWERSTEERING PUMP. THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM,TOOK IT BACK,THE DEALER DECIDED THE POWERSTEERING RACK WAS THE PROBLEM AND COST FOR THE RACK WAS ABOUT $1400.00. I DECIDED TO CHECK INTERNET TO SEE IF THIS PROBLEM WAS COMMON. I FOUND IT WAS ,THE UNIVERSAL JOINT ON THE STEERING SHAFT AT THE BLOCK IS NOT PROTECTED FROM WEATHER AND IS PRONE TO RUST IT IS A SEALED JOINT AND CANNOT BE LUBED. I SPRAYED THE UNIVERSAL JOINT WITH RUST BLASTER WHICH LOOSEN THE JOINT UP, I THEN SPRAYED A WATER PROOF SILICONE SPRAY ON IT. WORKS LIKE NEW. THIS IS NOT ONLY A SAFETY PROBLEM BUT A FINICAL PROBLEM AND IS AN EASY FIX FOR TOYOTA.

RACK ASSEMBLY SHOT CAUSING STEERING TO "STIFFEN" HAD TO REPLACE THE REST OF THE COMPONENTS AROUND 60000 MILES. WHEN I CALLED A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. HOPEFULLY, NO ONE GETS KILLED BEFORE THIS GETS ADDRESSED. SEEMS LIKE TOYOTA IS PERFORMING ANOTHER MANUFACTURER WATERGATE BY ISSUING BOGUS RECALLS FOR THE STEERING COLUMN SPIRAL CABLE AND THE FRAME INSPECTION AND PREVENTIVE UNDER COATING. REALLY SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THE REAL PROBLEM AS PER OTHER COMPLAINTS.

MERGING ONTO HIGHWAY AND STEERING BOUND UP WITHOUT WARNING. TOOK ALL MY STRENGTH TO AVOID HITTING GUARDRAIL AND NARROWLY AVOIDED CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE OF AN EXPOSED JOINT IN THE STEERING SHAFT RUSTING AND BINDING UP. JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. EXTREMELY POOR DESIGN OF THIS PART. I NO LONGER WILL TAKE MY FAMILY IN THIS TRUCK AND WILL BE LOOKING TO TRADE IN FOR A DIFFERENT VEHICLE. TOYOTA NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM AND PROTECT ITS CUSTOMERS. *TR