2006 Toyota RAV4 Steering

EXPERIENCING A "CLUNKING" OR "THUMPING" NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN OR STEERING ASSEMBLY WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO MAKE A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN. FROM MY CHECK OF THIS PROBLEM ON VARIOUS WEBSITES/CUSTOMER FORUMS, THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH THE TOYOTA RAV4. *TR

HEARD A CLUNK-TYPE NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. WAS TOLD THIS WAS A STEERING SHAFT NOISE (STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT NOISE T-SB-0318-08). CALLED DEALER TO SEE IF THIS WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND FOUND OUT IT WAS NOT. ASKED IF PROBLEM UNDER A RECALL AND ALSO FOUND OUT IT WASN'T. ASKED DEALER IF IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE CAR AS IS SINCE NOT UNDER A RECALL AND DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT MAKE A COMMENT ON SAFETY CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM. ------I FEEL ANYTHING LINKED TO STEERING IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND TOYOTA SHOULD INITIATE A RECALL OVER THIS PROBLEM.

I HAVE HAD A CLUNKING NOISE IN MY FRONT END SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WHEN MAKING TURNS. THEY COULD NEVER HEAR IT TILL NOW AND NOW THEY ARE SAYING IT IS A PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY ISSUE AND WILL COST $748.74 TO FIX!!! NOISE IN THE STEERING SHAFT. IF THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IT SHOULD BE A RECALL AND NO-CHARGE. *TR

INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT POPPING; TECHS SAY THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT IS WORN OUT. THERE IS ONLY 56,333 MILES ON THIS TOYOTA RAV4 2006. THERE HAS BEEN OTHERS SINCE AT LEAST 2010 THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THERE IS NO REASON WHY A CAR OF THIS AGE AND LOW MILEAGE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING SHAFT. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM AS THIS COMPLAINT HAS BEEN SENT TO YOU BEFORE AND EVEN PEOPLE HAVE CALLED YOU ABOUT IT. THANK YOU, *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, HE WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERMEDIATE AND ABNORMAL NOISE IN THE STEERING SHAFT. AS A RESULT, PART OF THE STEERING SYSTEM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,635 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,000. ...UPDATED 11-12-13 *BF UPDATED 11/18/2013 *JS

AFTER BUYING THE CAR IN 2006, A COUPLE YEARS LATER I STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH A CLUCKING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL. TOYOTA SAID IT WAS THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT PROBLEM. THEY REPLACES THE PART 3 TIMES AND THE NOISE CAME AGAIN AFTER SOME MONTHS. I CALLED TOYOTA THEY DID NOT HELP, THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS AND IN BETWEEN ONE THING AND THE OTHER ONE ALMOST A YEARS PASSED AND THEY DID NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND THE ARE THOUSAND OF PEOPLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I BELIEVED THAT THIS MAY BE A HAZARDOUS DEFECT THAT MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *JB

STARTED NOTICING "CLUNKING" SOUND WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. HAD MY MECHANIC CHECK AND HE WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY STEERING SHAFT ISSUE AND SAID IT COULD ALSO IINVOLVE RACK AND PINION BUT THAT COULD NOT BE VERIFIED WITHOUT FURTHER LABOR.

ON 5/30/13 I PURCHASED THE ABOVE 2006 TOYOTA RAV4 FROM PIONEER VALLEY SALES PO BOX 254 S DEERFIELD, MA 01373 AND PICKED IT UP ON 6/3/13. THE VEHICLE HAD A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. ON 6/10/13 I BROUGHT IT TO CHERRY RUM AUTOMOTIVE 451 BERNARDSTON RD. GREENFIELD, MA. 01301 FOR MY MECHANIC TO INSPECT. HE REMOVED THE STEERING SHAFT COVERS AND ASCERTAINED THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. HE ALSO SAID THAT THERE WAS A TOYOTA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN OUT CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM (TSB3462). HE RECOMMENDED REPLACING IT. I TRIED TO GET PIONEER VALLEY SALES TO REPAIR IT FOR OVER A MONTH AND THEY REFUSED TO. I CONSIDERED THIS A SAFETY ISSUE AND HAD CHERRY RUM AUTOMOTIVE REPLACE THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFTS. I PAID THEM $571.70 FOR THIS. I BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS. I LOOK FORWARD TO TOYOTA REIMBURSING ME FOR THIS EXPENSE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A LOUD NOISE WHENEVER THE WHEEL WAS TURNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000. ..UPDATED 03/18/13 *BF

I HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND IN MY STEERING EACH TIME I TURN. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I WAS JUST TOLD I NEEDED TO GET IT REPAIRED. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING ONLINE AND NOTICED THAT SEVERAL OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS. I HAVE NO INFORMATION REGARDING SAFETY BUT FEEL THAT SINCE IT APPEARS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM TOYOTA NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL AND HAVE THIS ISSUE ADDRESSED. WE SHOULD NOT WAIT UNTIL TRAGEDY HAPPENS BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN. *TR

A NOISE CAME FROM STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR SOMETIME. TOYOTA REPLACED R&R STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. EVENTUALLY STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SEVERANCE OF THE SPIRAL CABLE. NO DOUBT THESE WERE RELATED. UNKNOWN TO ME AT THE TIME OF THE REPAIR TOYOTA ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON 2-8-08 COVERING THIS ISSUE. THEY REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE REPAIR. THE DEFECTIVE PART STARTED TO FAIL FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT THE CAR. BOTH OF THE ISSUES ARE SAFETY RELATED ITEMS. WAITING FOR THE STEERING TO FAIL WOULD BE ABSURD. A LOOK AT THE INTERNET SHOWS THIS WAS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL YEAR OF THE RAV4. PLEASE ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE STEERING WHEEL PROBLEMS FOR THE 2006 RAV4. *TR

STEERING MECHANISM WAS NOT SMOOTH IN MOVEMENT AND MADE POPPING NOISE. IT APPEARS BY SEARCHING ONLINE THAT SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD SAME TROUBLE. FORTUNATELY, WE NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. WE HAD REPAIR PERFORMED AT ADAMS TOYOTA LEE'S SUMMIT, MO. DEALERSHIP REPLACED DEFECTIVE LOWER STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. REPAIR WAS CORRECTIVE AND COST $262.85 BEFORE TAXES. THANK YOU. *TR

WHEN MAKING SLOW TURNS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, I HEAR A CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. A MECHANIC I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO RECENTLY FOUND THAT THE STEERING SHAFT IS FAILING. THIS IS THE SECOND STEERING SHAFT THAT HAS GONE BAD; I HAD THE FIRST ONE REPLACED 4 YEARS AGO WITH A SUPPOSEDLY IMPROVED VERSION. EVIDENTLY, WHATEVER CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE DESIGN DID NOT PREVENT THE SAME PROBLEM FROM OCCURRING. I STARTED TO HEAR THE SAME NOISE APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS AFTER HAVING THE REPLACEMENT INSTALLED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT 5 MPH OR BELOW, OR WHEN IN PARK, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD EXHIBIT LOUD CLUNKING NOISES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 95,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 11/1/12 *CN UPDATED 11/1/2012 *JS

EARLY ON IN OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE A LIGHT 'CLUNKING' NOISE COULD BE HEARD WHILE TURNING THE VEHICLE. NOISE PROGRESSIVELY BECAME WORSE. I REPEATEDLY REPORTED THE INCIDENT TWICE TO THE DEALERSHIP - TOYOTA LAKE CITY, SEATTLE, WA, PRIOR TO EXPIRATION OF VEHICLE WARRANTY. EVERY TIME I WAS ADVISED THE DEALERSHIP STAFF WAS "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE". CURRENTLY, THE NOISE IS EXTREMELY LOUD, AND THERE'S A 'POPPING' FEEL IN THE STEERING COLUMN/STEERING WHEEL, COUPLED WITH A LOUD CLUNK. I'M CONCERNED FOR MY, AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY, HOWEVER I DON'T HAVE $800.00 TO REPAIR AN ITEM WHICH SHOULDN'T BE HAVING ISSUES. NOTE: I HAVE A 2010 TOYOTA RAV4 VIN#[XXX], WHICH IS BEGINNING TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME ISSUE AS 2006 TOYOTA RAV4. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND TOYOTA IS FULLY AWARE OF THE ISSUE VIA TSB# ST001-08. TOYOTA HAS DEVELOPED A "NEW" STEERING SHAFT WHICH REMEDIES THE ISSUE. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL, FOR IT IMPACTS A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE RAV4 OWNERS - ANOTHER TOYOTA ISSUE WHICH THEY KNOW ABOUT, BUT TRY TO HIDE! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD EXHIBIT AN ABNORMAL CLICKING SOUND WHEN TURNED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 29,000.

GET A CLUNKING IN STEERING,, TOOK IT TO DEALER BAD INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT.. THEY HAVE A TSB ON IT,, BUT WONT FIX DUE TO IT CURRENTLY BEING OUT OF WARRANTY, AM CONCERNED ABOUT STEERING ISSUES AND CAUSING A ACCIDENT. TOYOTA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND WONT RECALL,, HAS TO THINK STEERING PROBS CAN BE A MAJOR RISK HAZARD,, SINCE THEY KNEW ABOUT IT IN 2008 READ FORUMS.. AND SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR WIDESPREAD ISSUE NOTJUST MINE..WILL IT TAKE SOMEONE GETTING KILLED BEFORE THIS IS BROUGHT TO LIGHT? *TR

THERE IS A KNOCKING IN THE STEERING I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE THEY SAID IT WAS A SHAFT IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT TOYOTA HAD A BULLENTIN OUT ABOUT IT. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BUT ACCORDING TO MYSELF DOING RESEARCH THERE IS A PROBLEM AND I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER HE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL, SHARPLY HE HEARD A POPPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STRING SHAFT ASSEMBLY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY OR THE STEERING WOULD FAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,000. ...UPDATED11/21/12 *BF UPDATED 11/30/2012 *JS

HAD A CLUNKING SOUND IN STEERING COLUMN WHEN TURNING AND BACKING UP. STEERING SHAFT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. PROBLEM RETURNED AND REPAIRED ON AUG. 27,2012 AT 73,852 MILES AND COST $720. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 50 YEARS AND NEVER HAD A CAR THAT HAD A STEERING PROBLEM LIKE THIS. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I DIDN'T HAVE IT REPAIRED THE STEERING COLUMN COULD LOCK UP. I SEE THERE HAS BEEN ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN 2006-2007 RAV4'S CAN SOMEONE LOOK INTO THIS? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING AND THUMPING NOISE HEARD FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,956.

STEERING FEELS LOOSE AND RATTLES OVER BUMPS. TOYOTA SAID NO CREDIT FOR OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY. COST TO REPAIR WITH REDESIGNED PARTS IS $1,900. VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY MAINTAINED AND SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY STEERING PROBLEMS. I AM ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAVE ALL SERVICE RECORDS. TOYOTA SAID THIS IS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM BUT THE LOOSE STEERING FEELING DOES NOT INSPIRE CONFIDENCE. TOYOTA SAID I COULD CONTINUE DRIVING WITH THE PROBLEMS AND THAT IT WOULD ONLY BE AN ANNOYANCE. THIS IS A PRODUCT DEFECT. TOYOTA HAS REDESIGNED THE REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. THIS IS EVIDENCE THE ORIGINAL DESIGN WAS DEFECTIVE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WAS VERY SLUGGISH AND THE STEERING MADE A CRACKING SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THE PROBLEM WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

STEERING HAS CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING AT SLOW SPEED AND CAN BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FORUMS ARE FULL OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE WHICH POINT TO "INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT". ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN NO FATALITIES CONNECTED TO THIS-IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND ON THE LARGE SCALE IT SHOULD BE RECALLED BY TOYOTA. WHAT HAPPENED TO TOYOTAS CULTURE OF HONOR? *TR

I HAVE 2006 RAV4 WITH STEERING CLUNKING NOISE. I SPOKE WITH MY LOCAL DEALER IN ATLANTIC CITY NJ AND HE TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT THERE IS NOT RECALL. I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET FOR SOMETHING WHAT IS FACTORY PROBLEM. I THINK TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SHOULD ALSO INITIATE A RECALL FOR THE STEERING PROBLEMS. *TR