2013 Toyota Highlander Steering

Steering column cracks, no help from Dealer. Many complaints on internet. Remedy requires expensive new steering column. Defective spindle type bearing defective. The noise is ongoing. It feels like its going to break. Very scary...ongoing doesn't stop. Dealer says wont break just replace if you want to... Toyota Service bulletin #T-SB-0034-13 details steering column replacement fix issued on this. I have it. Dealer denies simple joint grease kit maintenance option.

When I turn the steering faster than a certain speed, it will lock up for a moment, either turning right or left. Sometimes a light indicating a steering fault lights up on the dash cluster, sometimes not. When the turning of the wheel stops and locks up I cannot turn any more in that direction. I can turn the other way. This has been a problem for sometime and is becoming now worse. Aside from the locking up, justing turning slowly, there is a bit of a whine or low level grind sound in the sound of the steering column. This is a mechanical noise, not the typical whine of the steering pump.

THERE ARE SOUNDS WHEN SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING, INCLUDING POPING OR SOMETIMES LIKE A WHIRLING SOUND. THE STEERING IS A BIT STIFF SOMETIMES AND NOT EASY TO TURN THE WHEELS, THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AT ANY SPECIFIC SPEED. I DO NOT HAVE ANY PICTURE OR OTHER DOCUMENT I CAN UPLOAD AS THIS IS NOT PHYSICAL DAMAGE THAT CAN BE PHOTOGRAPHED.

- The car was purchased in 2015 used and the steering wheel has made a clunking sound when turning a hard sharp left or right since the day of purchase -While on a road trip of approximately 3,000 miles round trip in June 2021 the steering wheel was adjusted to accommodate my husband's height. It became very loose, with it finally dropping into my husband's lap on the last day of our trip-it was difficult to steer the car -We brought the car in to our dealership the following day where they confirmed we needed a new steering column-the car has not been involved in any accidents nor have the air bags employed -Other than the "clunking" sound there has never been any previous warning that the steering wheel would disengage while driving.

INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT - NOISE BEGAN AROUND 60K MILES AND HAS CONTINUED TO GET WORSE, NOW AT 104K. IF TOYOTA KNOWINGLY MADE A DESIGN CHANGE AND ISSUED A NEW REPLACEMENT PART, RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED.

WHEN I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL GOING VERY SLOW OR STATIONARY MY STEERING WHEEL MAKES A POPPING SOUNDS AND MY MECHANIC SAYS IT'S THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. ITS GETTING WORSE AS I'M PUTTING MILES ON IT. SINCE IT'S A STEERING COMPONENT, IT'S A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE SINCE IF IT FAILS I WILL LOOSE COMPLETE CONTROL OF MY CAR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING, A CLUNKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. IN ADDITION, WHILE MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS OR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THE NOISE GREW LOUDER. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT A FAILURE CODE COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,493.

I AM THE FIRST OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND BOUGHT IT NEW FROM A TOYOTA DEALER. MY 2013 HIGHLANDER HAS 54,700 MILES. FOR ALMOST ONE YEAR (STARTING MAY, 2018), I AM EXPERIENCING A CLUNK AND KNOCKING NOISE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN. NOW MORE RECENTLY, I AM EXPERIENCING IT MORE OFTEN, AND WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE FOUND AFTER A RESEARCH THAT THIS STEERING COLUMN ISSUE IS WIDESPREAD AND TOYOTA HAS CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT, AND RECOMMENDING TO CHANGE WITH THIS REVISED PART TO RECTIFY THE ISSUE. THE OLD PART# WAS 45220-48170, WHICH HAS BEEN RE-DESIGNED BY TOYOTA AS NEW PART# 45220-48171. IF THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND REQUIRED TO CHANGE THE DESIGN, THEN TOYOTA MUST CHANGE THIS PART AND RECTIFY THE ISSUE FREE OF COST.

I STARTED FEELING A CLICKING/CLUNKING FEELING IN THE STEERING COLUMN A MONTH AGO, ESPECIALLY WHEN I MADE TURNS. I WAS ALSO ABLE TO FEEL THAT THE STEERING WHEEL HAS STARTED TO GET LOOSER. ON 2/8/19 TOYOTA RECOMMENDED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT BE REPLACED. I HAD THIS PART REPLACED FOR $428. THERE'S 58,254 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THIS IS MY 3RD TOYOTA VEHICLE IN 30 YEARS AND I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS IN THE PAST. I UNDERSTAND THE NEW SHAFT MAY HAVE AN IMPROVED DESIGN I HOPE SO IT DOES NOT OCCUR AGAIN. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL TO REPLACE THIS PART. DOES THERE NEED TO BE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR EVEN SOMEONE GETTING KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT??

CLUNKING NOISE FROM FRONT END WHEN TURNING WHEELS, APPEARED AT APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES. TOOK TO SHOP FOR REPAIRS, AND WAS DIAGNOSED AS INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS SO LOOSE HE COULD MANIPULATE IT WITH HIS HAND AND WAS CLOSE TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.

RE: INVESTIGATION EA18006. MY CAR HAS BEEN MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND IN THE STEERING COLUMN DURING SLOW TURNS TO THE RIGHT SO I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND NUMEROUS DISCUSSIONS AND ARTICLES TALKING ABOUT A 'KNOWN' ISSUE WITH THE STEERING COLUMN. ONE ARTICLE LED ME TO YOUR INVESTIGATION. WHILE AT THE DEALER YESTERDAY, I EXPLAINED THE ISSUE AND ASKED THEM TO INVESTIGATE. THEY SAID FOR $70 THEY CAN LOOK INTO IT. GIVEN I CONSIDER STEERING A CRITICAL SYSTEM, I PROTESTED THE SERVICE CHARGE AND THEIR ONLY RESPONSE WAS THEY COULD DO A 'VISUAL' INSPECTION FOR FREE BUT IT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT DEEPLY TO DIAGNOSE PROPERLY. I HAD THEM PROCEED AND THEY CAME BACK WITH A SUGGESTION THAT THE STEERING COLUMN BE REPLACED. I ASKED IF IT WAS A SAFETY CONCERN AND WAS TOLD 'YES IT WILL BE AT SOME POINT'. OBVIOUSLY, I HAD THEM REPLACE IT BUT FEEL THAT IF THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE HERE, THEY SHOULD BE PROACTIVE AND REPLACE THESE STEERING COLUMNS ON ALL AFFECTED PRODUCTS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. I SENT A CONCERN TO TOYOTA AS WELL BUT WANTED TO ADD THIS TO YOUR ACTIVE INVESTIGATION RECORD.

CAR HAS ONLY 53K MILES AND I AM BEING TOLD I NEED TO REPLACE MY INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. DUE TO KNOCKING SOUNDS. I AM WORRIED IF IT WILL RESULT IN THE STEERING WHEEL FALLING OFF OR WORSE

MY INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT MAKES CLUNK NOSIES TURNING LEFT AT LOW SPEEDS AND NOW PROGRESS WHEN TURNING RIGHT AT TIMES. I HAVE 50K MILES AND STARTED THIS ISSUE AT 38K MILES. IT GETS LOUDER SEEMS LIKE. CONCERNED IT WILL EFFECT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE.

'THUNK'/POPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. WAS TOLD TO REPLACE THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT, AND LEARNED THAT A NEW ONE WAS DEVELOPED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM IN 2013 BUT NO RECALL OR SAFETY NOTICE WAS SENT TO OWNERS.

MY STEERING MAKES A CLUNKING SOUND, WHICH YOU CAN ACTUALLY FEEL IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN IT OCCURS, WHEN TURNING EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. IT IS INCREASING IN OCCURRENCE AND INTENSITY. IT OCCURS AT ANY SPEED. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY LUBRICATED SOMETHING, SAYING THERE WAS NO DANGER. SHOULD IT BECOME WORSE BRING IT BACK. IT'S GOING BACK!

MY STEERING WHEEL ON VIN#(XXXX) FEELS CLUNKY WHEN I TURN CORNERS. IT SCARES ME, LIKE IT FEELS LIKE A GHOST IS JACKING IT ABRUPTLY INTO THE TURN IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. I WENT TO THIS SITE TO CHECK UP ON PROBLEMS, AND RECALLS. PUT MY VIN # IN AND LO AND BEHOLD, PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME THING AND FOUND THAT THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN BECAME LOOSE AND HAD TO BE CHANGED OUT! THIS OUGHT TO BE A RECALL. I'M SCARED. TO CHECK UP ON THE SITE I USED GO HERE: HTTPS://DRIVING-TESTS.ORG/VIN-DECODER/ PUT MY VIN IN AND YOU'LL SEE 1/3 WAY DOWN THE PAGE "MOST RECENT COMPLAINTS" THERE YOU WILL READ WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY SUV. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED FROM A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THE WARRANTY IS NOT GOING TO BE USED ON THIS BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW OF ANY RECALL. DO I WAIT UNTIL MY STEERING COLUMN BECOMES LOOSENED? THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING INTERMITTENTLY FROM SUMMER TIL PRESENT TIME. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

I HAVE HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN TURNING MY VEHICLE EITHER WAYFOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. WHILE IN FOR REGULAR SERVICE TODAY, I ASKED DEALER TO CHECK THE NOISE. THIS IS A 2013 WITH 60K MILES ON IT; PURCHASED CERTIFIED USED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. SERVICE TECH TELLS ME IT IS RELATED TO THE STEERING COLUMN, WHICH WILL COST OVER $2000 TO REPAIR. HE CAN'T/ WON'T TELL ME THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS ISSUE, SAYING MAYBE IT IS "JUST A NOISE". WHEN I QUESTION THAT THIS SEEMS LIKE AN UNUSUALLY EXPENSIVE REPAIR AT 60K MILES, HE DOES NOT REALLY RESPOND. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALS THAT THIS IS AN EXTENSIVE ISSUE IMPACTING MANY 2008-2013 HIGHLANDERS. TOYOTA HAS GONE SO FAR AS TO HAVE PUT OUT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THIS ISSUE. IT ALSO APPEARS THIS ISSUE IS BEING "INVESTIGATED" BY SAFETY BOARD. STEERING IS A CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENT OF A VEHICLE (OBVIOUSLY). NOT ONLY HAS THIS NOT BEEN MADE AN OFFICIAL RECALL BY TOYOTA, I WAS NOT INFORMED AT TIME OF PURCHASING THIS CERTIFIED VEHICLE OF THIS ISSUE, NOR WAS I TOLD TODAY BY SERVICE THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE.

CLUNKING NOISE FROM STEERING WHEEL. INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED POSSIBILITY OF STEERING WHEEL COMING OFF RESULTING IN ACCIDENT. THIS COULD BE A SEVERE PROBLEM AND NEEDS A RECALL.

MY 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WAS PURCHASED USED IN 2015 WITH ABOUT 40,000 MILES ON IT. IN 2016 THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A "THUMPING" NOISE WHEN I MAKE A LEFT TURN OVER A BUMP BUT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN OFTEN AND I THOUGHT IT WAS RELATED TO MY GARAGE ENTRY OF A 1.5" BUMP IN THE PAVEMENT. MOST NOTICEABLE AT LOW SPEEDS BUT THAT MAY BE A RESULT OF THE LOWER INTERIOR NOISE. THE CARE HAS HAD THESE NOISES BECOME MORE PREVALENT SINCE I FIRST NOTICED IT. THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES ON IT NOW AND IT IS GETTING MORE PRONOUNCED. IT OCCURS WHEN YOU HIT ANY TYPE OF BUMP AND MORE OFTEN WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE SEEN MANY REPORTS OF THIS AND EXPECT TOYOTA TO OFFER THEIR OWNERS A REPAIR FOR THIS ISSUE. THIS IS NOT THE TYPE OF QUALITY I EXPECT FROM TOYOTA HAVING OWNED A CAMRY (1987), RAV-4 (2006) AND NOW MY SECOND HIGHLANDER (2002 & 2013).

THERE IS A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS. MY MECHANIC SAYS THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE STEERING SHAFT. HE SAID THIS COMMONLY OCCURS WITH THIS MODEL HIGHLANDER, SOMETHING SUPPORTED BY NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. TOYOTA DENIES RESPONSIBILITY AND WON'T ISSUE A RECALL, THOUGH IT IS A SAFETY RISK.

MY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT STEERING COLUMN NOISES, PLAY, LOOSENESS AND FEEDBACK THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. IT IS DESCRIBED IN A SERVICE BULLETIN: TSB-0034-13 I HAVE 97,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND THE PLAY IS BECOMING MORE NOTICEABLE AS MILEAGE INCREASES. IT IS VERY DISAPPOINTING THAT TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND ISSUED THE TSB BEFORE I PURCHASED IT NEW. HOW ARE OWNERS SUPPOSED TO BE NOTIFIED ABOUT THESE THINGS WHILE UNDER WARRANTY?

STEERING MAKES A POPPING/CLICKING SOUND WHEN MAKING TURNS. SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE AS IT STARTED WITH JUST TURNING LEFT AND NOW DOES IT RIGHT AS WELL

KNOCK IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING.

VEHICLE HAD A KNOCKING NOISE HEARD AND FELT FROM STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING. SEEMED TO BE MORE PROMINENT AT LOWER SPEEDS, OCCURRED WHEN TURNING RIGHT AND LEFT. TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALER AND DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE WARRANTY AT 54,853 MILES. RESEARCH INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR HIGHLANDER AND TOYOTA HAS ISSUED A TSB, BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL TO DATE. COST OF REPAIR WAS $463.34.

VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A CLUNKING NOISE 3 DAYS AGO. BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. WAS INFORMED IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND IT WOULD COST $507 IN REPAIRS. AFTER READING MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE IT ACTUALLY IS MAKING ME A LITTLE CONCERNED.I HAVE ALWAYS OWNED TOYOTA'S AND NEVER HAVE HAD ANY ISSUES. MY MILEAGE IS 65,887 I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED. I NOTICED A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WHEN I MADE LEFT HAND TURNS OR IF THERE WAS A SPEED BUMP OR A DIP. THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO DIDN'T FEEL THE SAME EITHER ALMOST LIKE IT'S LOOSE. I'VE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR APPROX 1 YEAR OURCAHSED CERTIFIED PRE OWNED. THE DEALERSHIP REALLY FRUSTRATED ME TODAY AND NOW I QUESTION EVEN KEEPING THIS VEHICLE. IF THIS SHAFT PLANS ON GOING OUT EVERY 30-60K MILES ID RATHER DUMP IT AND GET A DIFFERENT VEHICLE.