2018 Toyota 4Runner Steering

There was a clunking noise coming from the front end when steering. Got worse over time. Also had a vibration in the front end at speeds above 45 mph. Dealer recommended replacement of upper steering column shaft assembly and dust boot cover along with lower intermediate steering shaft. The manufacturer knows about this problem because there is a NHTSA Campaign Number 19V67000 that states the suspension and steering fasteners were improperly tightened. This should be a recall and I should not have to pay for their mistakes! If it had come loose, there would be a loss of control leading to an accident! The dealer/manufacturer did not send out any notice or warning.

Vehicle steering shakes between 60-65 mph. After 4 different sets of tires in 3 weeks, multiple road force balances, tire rotations, an alignment, an alignment checks, brakes checked, a “visual inspection” of suspension components from two Toyota dealerships, the vehicle continues to vibrate at highways speeds.

THE TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL IS FLAKING OFF LEAVING IT ROUGH AND ANNOYING TO THE TOUCH. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO TOYOTA WHO HASN'T TAKEN ANY ACTION.

THE STEERING WHEEL IS BEGINNING TO DELAMINATE WITH BLACK MATERIAL FLAKING OFF. THIS ONLY SEEMS TO AFFECT THE TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND NOT THE OTHER PARTS. IT IS UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING WITH CONSTANT SMALL PARTS OF THE STEERING WHEEL COVER COMING OFF.

I BOUGHT MY 2018 4RUNNER NEW IN NOVEMBER 2018. SHORTLY AFTER I NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD WOBBLE TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT WHILE DRIVING 50-60 MPH. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIX THE ISSUE EVEN AFTER REBALANCING THE TIRES EVERY TIME AND DOING AN ALIGNMENT ONCE. THE DEALERSHIP STATES THAT THIS IS NORMAL ON 4RUNNERS. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT NORMAL ON A NEW VEHICLE AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIX THE ISSUE. MANY PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR 4RUNNER WHILE DRIVING AT THE SAME SPEEDS.

THE RACK & PINION OR STEERING DOES NOT RETURN TO A "HOME" POSITION. SIMPLY PUT, IF YOU TURN AROUND A CORNER, THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT EASILY RETURN TO "STRAIGHT". IF YOU ARE DRIVING DOWN A STRAIGHT PATH AND TURN THE STEERING EVEN ONE DEGREE, LET GO OF THE WHEEL, IT WILL CONTINUE THAT PATH UNTIL THE VEHICLE RUNS OFF OF THE ROAD. THIS CAR HAS 2100 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER HAS CHECKED THE CAMBER, THE TOW, THE NUMBERS ON THE ELECTRONIC ACTUATED RACK & PINON. THE SERVICE MANAGER DROVE THE CAR AND AGREED IT WAS NOT CORRECT; HOWEVER IT WAS "IN THE LIMITS" OF TOYOTA SPECIFICATIONS. HE SAID HE DROVE OTHER NEW VEHICLES AND THEY REACT THE SAME. IF YOU DRIVE DOWN ANY STRAIGHT AWAY, YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY BE CORRECTING HOW THE CAR STEERS. THERE IS NO HOME POSITION WHICH IS UNLIKE ANY VEHICLE I HAVE DRIVEN. I THINK AN ACCIDENT IS WAITING TO HAPPEN AND IT LOOKS LIKE TOYOTA IS NOT WILLING TO ADMIT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM.

DRIVING LEGALLY AT 70 MPH ON OHIO INTERSTATE, SHARP CROSS WINDS DURING A PERIOD OF AMBIENT WIND OF 23 MPH, CAUSED VEHICLE TO CROSS DIVIDING LINES IN AN UNSAFE MANNER. VEHICLE IS KNOWN TO HAVE "SOFT" OR "SLOPPY" STEERING, WHICH IS "CHARACTERISTIC" OF THAT VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, AND UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES DOES NOT AFFECT SAFETY. HOWEVER, IN THE WIND, THE REACTION TIME TO CORRECT FROM A CROSS WIND IS SUFFICIENTLY EFFECTED TO THE DETRIMENT OF SAFE HANDLING. IN OTHER WORDS, BY THE TIME YOU REACT TO BEING FORCED OVER THE DIVIDING LINE OF TRAFFIC, ITS ALREADY TOO LATE, WHEREAS A NORMAL STEERING RATIO ON A PASSENGER VEHICLE WOULD ALLOW YOU TO CORRECT BEFORE BEING BLOWN FAR ENOUGH TO CROSS THE DIVIDING TRAFFIC LANE. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE VEHICLE UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES AND SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY RECALLED AND RE-ENGINEERED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO VIBRATE AS THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150.