1999 Toyota Sienna Steering

WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM

IN EARLY 2001, THIS VEHICLE HAD BINDING IN STEERING, RETURNING TO CENTER FROM LEFT TURNS. DEALER REPAIRED WITH KIT FROM A SERVICE BULLETIN, AT NO CHARGE, UNDER WARRANTY. AT SOME POINT LATER IN 2001, VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY LOST POWER ASSIST TURNING LEFT. INCIDENTS ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. BOTH PROBLEMS LIMIT STEERING CONTROL, USUALLY AT LOW SPEEDS, REQUIRING FAST DRIVER CORRECTIONS TO AVOID COLLISIONS. ARRANGEMENT IS BEING MADE TO DIAGNOSE AND CORRECT THE LATEST PROBLEM. BOTH FAULTS SEEM CONNECTED AND SHOULD BE STUDIED, AS THEY ARE SAFETY HAZARDS, AND THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE EARLIER PROBLEM THAT DOES NOT SHOW UP IN THE NHTSA DATA BASE.

WHEN MAKING LEFT TURN ABOVE 20 MILES PER HOUR, STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND MUST WRESTLE IT TO RETURN TO CENTER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL MOVES BY ITSELF TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT, CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS IS UNSAFE BECAUSE VEHICLE WILL TURN BY ITSELF. *AK *ML

RACK AND PINION FAILURE CAUSED EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR AND VEHICLE PULLING. *MJS

WHEN TRAVELING AND UPON MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN STEERING WHEEL STICKS IN ONE POSITION, CAUSING POOR STEERING CONTROL. ALSO, AFTER APPLYING EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL, THE STEERING WHEEL GOES BACK INTO POSITION. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. PE99-070. *AK

UPON ACCELERATION AND MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, STEERING WHEEL STUCK, CAUSING POOR STEERING CONTROL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTIONS. YH

THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP WHEN ATTEMPTING LEFT HAND TURNS AND EXTREEME FORCE MUST BE USED TO COMPENSATE. *AK

STEERING WHEEL "LOCKS" WHEN RETURNING FROM LEFT TURN WHILE ACCELERATING. REQUIRES STRONG PULL TO RETURN WHEEL TO STRAIGHT AHEAD POSITION. OCCURS INTERMITENTLY, BUT REPEATEDLY. DEALER "CAN FIND NO PROBLEM."

THE VAN HAS A PROBLEM WITH STICKY RETURN-TO-CENTER AFTER 90 DEGREE LEFT TURN. TENDS TO HAPPEN IF SPEED IS ABOVE 20 MILES PER HOUR DURING TURN. REQUIRE JERKING OR SWERVING TO RETURN TO CENTER AFTER A LEFT TURN. MY WIFE THOUGHT I WAS SWERVING SINCE THE CAR WAS SWAYING BUT I WAS JUST TRYING TO PREVENT US FROM MAKING A FULL CIRCLE TO THE LEFT. THE STICKING PROBLEM HAPPENS IRRESPECTIVE OF ROAD CONDITION. I HAVE REPORTED IT TO THE DEALER, WHO CHECKED THE FLUID BUT DID NOT PURSUE THE PROBLEM. *AK

CLOCK WILL NOT OPERATE AT COLD TEMPRITURE (BELOW 30 DEGREES F)

WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP ON THE VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT, THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT RETURN SMOOTHLY. THE DEALER IS REPLACING THE RACK AND PINION BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. DEALER REQUIRED ONE MONTH TO FIX PROPERLY.*YC

THE VAN PULLS TO THE LEFT AND THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT RETURN TO A CENTERED POSITION WHEN MAKING TURNS. I FIRST REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER 2 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND SINCE HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE TOYOTA SALESMAN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR (SINCE I GAVE IT TO HIM TO TEST DRIVE) YET THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM, AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I WROTE THE PRESIDENT OF TOYOTA A LETTER ABOUT AN INCIDENT 3 MONTHS AGO WHERE I ALMOST WENT INTO ON-COMING TRAFFIC BECAUSE I HAD TO PICK UP SOME CHANGE FROM THE FLOOR AND THE CAR DRIFTED TO THE LEFT. IF I DON'T KEEP A TIGHT GRIP ON THE WHEEL, IN SOME CONDITIONS, IT WILL IMMEDIATELY GO INTO THE OTHER LANE. CALLS TO TOYOTA WENT UNCONCERNED AND THE LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF TOYOTA WENT UNANSWERED.

WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN VEHICLE CONTINUES TO TURN LEFT UNLESS MANUALLY TURNING STEERING BACK TO RIGHT, AND CLICKING IS HEARD. *ADJ