2004 Toyota Camry Steering

WHILE DRIVING MY 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY (ABOUT 83,000 MILES ON IT), THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT, THE CAR REQUIRED GREAT FORCE TO STEER, AND "STEAM" WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I SLOWLY PULLED TO THE CURB TO LOOK UNDER THE HOOD AND THEN DROVE ABOUT A QUARTER MILE (WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY) TO A NEARBY TOYOTA DEALER. THE FOLLOWING DAY I WAS INFORMED THAT AN ALTERNATOR BOLT HAD "BACKED OUT." THIS CAUSED THE ALTERNATOR TO LOOSEN WHICH RELEASED THE SERPENTINE BELT. AS A RESULT THE WATER PUMP AND ALTERNATOR WERE DAMAGED AND COOLANT SPRAYED OVER THE ENGINE. TOYOTA WANTED ABOUT $1100 TO REPAIR ALL OF THE DAMAGE. I COMPLAINED AND THE COST WAS REDUCED BY THE PRICE OF A RECONDITIONED ALTERNATOR, I.E., $400. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THEY RECENTLY HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM. MY CAR HAD BEEN IN FOR SERVICE TO THE SAME TOYOTA DEALER JUST 3 WEEKS EARLIER. HAD I BEEN DRIVING ON A FREEWAY (INSTEAD OF A LOCAL STREET WHERE I SLOWLY PULLED TO THE CURB), MY TOYOTA COULD HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, SINCE I COULD HARDLY STEER THE CAR. THIS IS POTENTIALLY A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT/PROBLEM WHICH I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE.*CW

STEERING COLUMN MAKES BAD NOISES WHEN IT IS TURNED. THE NOISES CONTINUE AND STEERING IS ROUGH. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY LE. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTIONED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED IN THE CRASH. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO GIVE MORE DETAILS OF WHAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 55 MPH WHEN THE CRASH OCCURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. UPDATED 4/26/10 *CN UPDATED 04/30/10. *JB

DURING ROUTINE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE TOYOTA MECHANIC REPORTED LOOSE STEERING COLUMN. LOTS OF PLAY IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN DRIVING - VERY POOR RESPONSIVENESS. VEHICLE TAKEN TO TOYOTA DEALER - NEW INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT REPLACED AT MY COST. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE STEERING COLUMN MAKES A THUMPING NOISE WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CONCLUDED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT FAILED; HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN FROM THE DEALER STATED THAT ON HIS PARTICULAR MODEL THE ENTIRE STEERING SHAFT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNDER 60,000. THE CURRENT WAS 66,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.

STEERING LOOSE WHEN MOVING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH SLOWLY. HARDLY NOTICED AT FIRST. I DROVE THE CAR TODAY. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. STEERING WAS MORE LOOSE AND THE WHEELS ALSO VIBRATED ALONG WITH THE STEERING WHEEL AT ABOUT 60MPH. I GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND LOTS OF INFORMATION, SEE LINK: YES, SEARCH THIS FORUM FOR "STEERING NOISE" AND YOU'LL FIND A FEW THREADS. THIS IS WHERE THEY NAILED IT: HTTP://WWW.TOYOTANATION.COM/FORUM/SH...=155639&PAGE=2. *TR

THE STEERING COLUMN HAS FAILED ON MY 2004 CAMRY. A LITTLE BROWSING OF THE INTERNET REVEALS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CAMRY MODEL. MY DEALER IN COVINGTON, LA HAS SAID THAT ABOUT 1 IN 8 CAMRY'S HAVE THIS PROBLEM, BUT WOULD NOT OFFER TO HELD REPAIR MY VEHICLE SINCE ONLY THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY REMAINS. A CALL TO TOYOTA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE YIELDED THE SAME RESULTS. THE STEERING WHEEL MAKE A GRINDING NOISE AT SLOW SPEEDS, AND THE DEALER (NORTHSHORE TOYOTA IN COVINGTON, LA) HAS TOLD ME MY STEERING BEARINGS ARE "SHOT." THIS PROBLEM WAS FIRST REPORTED TO MY DEALER AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES. *TR

THERE IS A KNOCKING SOUND IN STEERING COLUMN OF MY 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY WHILE TURNING JUST BEFORE MOVING OFF. CAR HAS 27,000 MILES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A FACTORY DEFECT. WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE MAKING A TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN FOLLOWED BY A SHAKING SENSATION. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED UNDER THE SERVICE WARRANTY. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,944 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

THERE IS A KNOCKING SOUND IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE SOUND COMES WHEN THE STEERING TURNS RIGHT OR LEFT. IT STARTED AT AROUND 30K MILES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A FACTORY DEFECT. *TR

MY CAR HAS BEEN MAKING A STEERING WELL/UNDER THE HOOD POPING NOISE SINCE THE DAY I PURCHASED IT. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT KNOWS WHERE IT IS COMING FROM, THE STEERING WHEEL AND POSSIBLY TENSION BELT, BUT HAS TOLD ME TO HOLD OFF UNTIL A RECALL. MY MOTHER IN ANOTHER STATE, AS WELL AS MY COUSIN HAS THE SAME ISSUE. IF TOYOTA HAS A LEAD ON THE MARKET, WHY CAN'T THEY HONESTLY HONOR THEIR REPAIRS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN HE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN HE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL ALL THE WAY AROUND, IT SEEMED TO MALFUNCTION AS WELL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT MALFUNCTIONED AND THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN AVAILABLE, BUT NO RECALL. THE PURCHASE DATE AND SPEED WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,828 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,000. UPDATED 02-14-08. *KB UPDATED 02/14/08 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH OR GREATER, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN ALIGNMENT SHOP. THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS CHECKED AND APPEARED TO BE FINE. THE DEALER PERFORMED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 7,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10.

MY INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT HAS CRACKED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE REPAIR COST IS $500+. A REVIEW OF ONLINE COMPLAINTS INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN TOYOTA VEHICLES. THE REPLACEMENT SHAFT HAS BEEN REDESIGNED, INDICATING THIS PART HAD A DESIGN FLAW. COMPLETE FAILURE OF THIS PART CAN LEAD TO SUDDEN STEERING LOSS. A SAFETY RECALL HAS ALREADY BEEN ISSUED IN OTHER COUNTRIES (JAPAN AND CANDA, FOR EXAMPLE) FOR THE PRIUS, ALTHOUGH THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTS IN MOST TOYOTA MODELS. A SAFETY RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED IN THE U.S. FOR ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED. THE CONTACT WAS STILL ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE REPAIR WAS NOT MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,520.

TL* - THE CONTACT HEARD A CLANKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. .THIS HAPPENED WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT, WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN OR STANDING STILL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WILL NOT ADJUST, AND THE WHEEL LEANED A LITTLE TO THE LEFT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER , AND THEY DID NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, BUT GAVE HIM AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT IT WOULD COST TO REPAIR THE STEERING FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED HE HAS BEEN HEARING THE CLANKING NOISE EVERY SINCE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BACK IN DECEMBER 2004, BUT THE NOISE WAS GETTING WORSE. *AK UPDATED 01/30/07. *JB

2004 TOYOTA CAMRY HAS EXCESSIVE PLAY IN STEERING COLUMN AND MAKE NOISE WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN. DEALER STATES THAT IT IS JUST A NOISE BUT WOULD REPLACE LOWER COLUMN AT A COST OF $463.65. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE IN WHICH THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER IS AWARE. THIS IN MY HUMBLE OPINION SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM PAID FOR BY TOYOTA. THIS IS MY FOURTH TOYOTA AND I NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES LIKE THIS BEGINNING AT 39,000. NOISE WAS SMALLER AND ONLY NOTICED ON LEFT TURNS AT FIRST NOW MUCH LOUDER AND OCCURS ON LEFT AND RIGHT TURNS. *JB

SHORTLY AFTER WE PURCHASED A NEW 2004 CAMRY SEDAN, WE BEGAN NOTICING LOOSENESS, RATTLING, KNOCKING SOUNDS AND "PLAY" IN THE STEERING CHARACTERISTICS. IN ADDITION, IN SLOW, TIGHT-RADIUS TURNS (AS IN PARKING LOTS), IT ALMOST FELT AS IF THE FRONT TIRES WOULD SLIDE LATERALLY OVER SLICK SURFACES -- SNOW, ICE, LOOSE GRAVEL, WET PAVEMENT. THE PROBLEM WAS SUBTLE AT FIRST BUT BECAME GRADUALLY MORE NOTICEABLE. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THERE WAS A BARELY-PERCEPTIBLE OSCILLATION OR VIBRATION OF THE STEERING WHEEL. AT ABOUT 28K MILES WE NOTICED A PULLING TO THE RIGHT. WE ASKED FOR AN ALIGNMENT TO BE DONE AND THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE KNOCKING, RATTLING, LOOSENESS, PLAY, LATERAL SKIDDING IN TIGHT-RADIUS TURNS BECAME WORSE OVER TIME AND AT ABOUT 50K MILES WE ASKED THE DEALER TO CHECK AGAIN. DEALERS SERVICE ORDER STATED, "TSB ST001-06 APPLIES TO THIS CONCERN. AN UPDATED STEERING SHAFT ORDERED." THE COST TO REPAIR WAS OVER $400. WE BELIEVE THIS DEFECT EXISTED FROM THE TIME THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED, AND THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM SOUNDS SIMILAR TO RECALLS OR DEFECTS I HAVE RESEARCHED THAT AFFECT THE PRIUS, AVALON, AND OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES. WE BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. *JB

I OWN A 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY WITH ONLY 19,993 MILES ON IT. THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS DEFECTIVE. REFER TO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ST001-06. I HEARD CLANKING AND POPPING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE STEERING SHAFT. THE STEERING FELT LOOSE AND SLOPPY. AFTER READING THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN I BELIEVED TOYOTA DISCOVERED THE FAULTY PART IN PRODUCTION AND EVENTUALLY CHANGED TO A NEW PART. I WAS DISAPPOINTED TOYOTA CHARGED ME FOR LABOR TO FIX A PART THAT WAS DEFECTIVE FROM THE BEGINNING. TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THE PART AND REPLACED IT FOR FREE.*AK

2004 TOYOTA CAMRY WITH STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY PROBLEMS**CC *JB

IM A SOLARA 2004 OWNER. I'M HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THOUSANDS OF SOLARA'S OWNERS ARE HAVING. THE ISSUE OF PULL TO THE LEFT AND WHAT TOYOTA AND THE NHTSA ARE DOING TO RESOLVE THIS....NOTHING. TOYOTA SKIPS TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM AND THE NHTSA DOESN'T CARE OR JUST THEY DON'T WANT TO MAKE TOYOTA TO SOLVE THIS BIG PROBLEM. *TR

WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT, THE STEERING WHEEL HAD A JERKING MOTION AND A KNOCKING NOISE. CONTACTED DEALER AND SAID IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE ON OCCASSION. CAR TAKEN TO DEALER AND REPLACED A LOWER STEERING SHAFT TO A NEWER VERSION. COMMENT WAS THAT THIS CAR WAS A NEW DESIGN AND THIS PARTICULAR PART NEEDED REPLACEMENT. MY PROBLEM IS THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT. THE OLD PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR ME TO TAKE IT. *NM

ON GOING PROBLEM WITH 2004 TOYOTA CAMRY SINCE 53K MILES. COUPLING BETWEEN STEERING COLUMN AND RACK AND PINION POPS AS IF THEIR IS A BEARING FAILURE IN UNION. WAS ADVISED THEY WERE AWARE OF PROBLEM WITH A TSB, BUT NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL OR WARRANTY SINCE NONE HAD "FAILED" YET. FAILURE OF PART WOULD DIRECTLY AFFECT CONTROL OF STEERING OF VEHICLE. AFTER CONTACT CORPORATE TOYOTA THEY SAID IN EMAIL I WOULD HAVE TO WORK IT OUT WITH THE DEALER WHO SAID THE PART WAS NOT COVERED AND NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED, BUT PROBLEM AND POPPING IN COLUMN IS GETTING WORSE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS A CLICKING NOISE WAS HEARD. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ITS REGULAR SERVICE, THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT OF THE STEERING GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, HOWEVER IT WAS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF VEHICLES AFFECTED BY CORROSION WHEN OPERATED IN SALT BELT STATES CREATING SPECIFIC STEERING FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO ALSO INDICATED THERE WAS NO RECALL BUT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD HONOR THE COST OF THE PARTS BUT NOT THE LABOR INVOLVED FOR THE REPAIR. UPDATED 2/22/2007 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS A CLUNKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, AND THERE WAS EXCESSIVE PLAY WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED HOWEVER THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED.