2008 Toyota Sienna Steering

The traction control light is coming on during low speed turns on dry pavement.

WHILE DRIVING MY STEERING LOCKED UP. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL GARAGE AND THEY INFORMED ME I NEED A NEW RACK AND PINION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE AN ABNORMAL ALARMING SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE CONTACT CALLED FRONTIER TOYOTA AT (661) 291-2900 (LOCATED AT 23621 CREEKSIDE RD, VALENCIA, CA 91355) AND LEFT A VOICEMAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.

TOYOTA 2008 SIENNA LE 2WD POWER STEERING RACK & PINION SEAL FAILED AND LEAKED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AT 120,000 MILES. THE RACK BOOT TORE AND BROKE AS A RESULT. REPAIR COST IS ESTIMATED AT APPROXIMATELY $2,000. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ARE POSTED BY OTHER OWNERS ON THE INTERNET ALL POINTING TO THE SAME DEFECT. IF DRIVERS ARE UNAWARE, OR IF THE DEFECT IS NOT RESOLVED, POWER STEERING COULD FREEZE AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE LIFE THREATENING SITUATIONS. THIS SHOULD REQUIRE A SAFETY RECALL OR EXTENSION OF POWER TRAIN WARRANTY TO COVER THIS ISSUE. FAILURE HAS NOT OCCURRED YET AND WILL TAKE STEPS TO REPAIR.

PASSENGER SIDE RACK AND PINION LEAKING FLUID WAS DISCOVERED AT DEALERSHIP WHEN VEHICLE WAS IN FOR SERVICE.

WHILE DRIVING & TURNING, HEARD NOISES FROM FRONT END. FOUND THAT RACK AND PINION BOOTS WERE LEAKING, HAD TO REPLACE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY, AROUND $900.

WE HAD BEEN NOTICING A SMALL LEAK UNDER OUR 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA FOR A FEW MONTHS SO WE TOOK IT IN TO THE TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. A TOYOTA SERVICE TECHNICIAN TOLD US THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER STEERING RACK BOOT IS TORN AND THE SEAL IS LEAKING, SO IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. HE SAID THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM/DEFECT WITH 2008 SIENNAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.

WHEN MY SIENNA WAS 3 1/2 YRS OLD WITH MILEAGE 51,500 IT NEEDED A NEW POWER RACK & PINION DUE TO STEERING FLUID LEAK. IT WAS REPLACED IN DECEMBER 2011 AT THE DEALERSHIP AND COST ME $1,200. NOW RECENT VISIT TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED ON MARCH 25, 2016, THE TECH DISCOVERED AGAIN LEAKING STEERING FLUID AND ANOTHER NEW POWER RACK & PINION REPLACEMENT IS REQUIRED. THIS TIME IT'S 4 & 1/2 YEARS LATER AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE OF THE VAN IS 109,600. LOOKS LIKE THERE IS SOME TYPE OF DEFECT WITH THE PARTS AND ONLY LAST APPROX. 50,000 MILES. I DO HEAR A PERSISTENT KNOCKING SOUND WHICH IS ONE OF THE SYMPTOMS OF RACK & PINION GOING BAD.

SINCE, I'VE BOUGHT THIS VAN IN LATE 2009, I HAVE ALWAYS FELT A CLICKING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL DURING TURNING. NOW THAT THE NOISE IS GETTING WORSE, I AM READING ONLINE THAT THERE'S SOME KIND OF MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND TSB'S ISSUED ABOUT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT AS CORROSION SETS IN THOSE WITH TIME. ALSO, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT OIL FROM STEERING RACK IS LEAKING AND THAT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH MULTIPLE TOYOTA SIENNAS STARTING FROM 2006. TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE MANUFACTURING DEFECTS AND CORRECT THE ISSUES AS THESE CAN LEAD TO STEERING FAILURE & CAN BE FATAL. *TR

NOTICED SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN TURNING RADIUS OVER TIME. VEHICLE TENDS TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD. NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDER PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. VISUAL INSPECTION IDENTIFIED THAT PASSENGER SIDE POWER STEERING RACK SEAL IS LEAKING. VEHICLE MILEAGE IS 67K, ROUTINELY MAINTAINED, GARAGE KEPT WITH NO COLLISIONS.

MY 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA LE WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW, HAVE IT SERVICED AT TOYOTA DEALERS, ON JUNE 5TH, 2014, L TOOK THE VAN TO A DEALER FOR A REGULAR SERVICE L WAS TOLD MY STEERING RACK WAS LEAKING AND WILL NEED TO HAVE THE WHOLE STEERING RACK REPLACE. THE VAN ONLY HAS 57,000 + ON IT AND SERVICED REGULARLY. WITH THE HISTORY OF SEVERAL RECALL ON SIENNA, L BELIEVED THIS MIGHT BE A DEFECT FROM TOYOTA. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH THE DEALER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE CAUSED THE VAN WARRANT HAS RAN OUT EVEN THOUGH L BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY (COST GUARD) WHICH L WAS TOLD AGAIN THAT THE COST GUARD WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED TOO. I HAVE REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO TOYOTA BUT NOTHING WAS DONE. I AM APPEALING TO YOUR HONORABLE OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE AND ASK TOYOTA TO TREAT THIS AS A DEFECT AND SAFETY ISSUE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

IN MAY OF 2013, I WAS TOLD BY ROSNER TOYOTA OF STAFFORD VA, THAT MY VEHICLE, WITH LESS THAN 60,000 MILES ON IT, WOULD NOT PASS A SAFETY INSPECTION BECAUSE THE RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM WAS LEAKING FLUID. NOT WANTING TO DRIVE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO FIX IT. I PETITIONED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS ABOUT THIS, AND THEY AGREED TO COVER $900.00 OF THE $1,300.00 BILL. I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE COVERED THE ENTIRE AMOUNT, BUT I ENDED UP SHELLING OUT $300.00 FOR A NEW BOOT TO TEMP FIX THE PROBLEM, AND THEN THE REMAINING $400.00 TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION. NOW, LESS THAN 1 YEAR FROM THE REPLACEMENT OF THE RACK AND PINION, ROSNER OF TOYOTA TELLS ME THAT THE SAME SIDE OF THE RACK AND PINION IS AGAIN LEAKING FLUID AND THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ROSNER REPLACED THE PARTS, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS JUST A TEMPORARY FIX TO A MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM. THIS IS THE THIRD RACK AND PINION FOR THIS VEHICLE IN LESS THAN 6 YEARS. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE FOR OPERATION. PLEASE ADVISE AND THANKS. *TR

2008 SIENNA HAS DEVELOPED STEERING ISSUE AND ALMOST LOST STEERING CONTROL OF VAN. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE FAILURE OF STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT THAT RESULTED IN INTERMEDIATE ABILITY TO STEER VEHICLE. VERY CHOPPY STEERING. THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH TOYOTAS. CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS INFORMED THERE ARE TSB'S FOR PRIOR AND POST YEAR VEHICLES BUT NOT FOR 08 SIENNA. TOYOTA NEEDS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE AS FAILURE OF STEERING COMPONENT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. TSB IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

BELOW STEERING PROBLEMS PERSIST TO THE PRESENT, DESPITE NUMEROUS REPAIR ATTEMPTS BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP EMPLOYEES AND TOYOTA ENGINEERS. THE APPROXIMATE DATE OF INCIDENT LISTED WITH THIS REPORT REPRESENTS THE DATE OF PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE / TIME FIRST OCCURRED. ALTHOUGH SEVERAL ISSUES ARE PRESENT, I DID TRY TO DESCRIBE THEM INTO 3 DISTINCT PROBLEMS. 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA LE AWD, BEARING STEERING ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE: 1. THE VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL PHYSICALLY TURNS TO THE RIGHT, WHILE BRAKING. 2. STEERING WHEEL FAILS TO CENTER PROPERLY AT ALL TIMES. 3. STEERING WHEEL HAS TO BE HELD TO LEFT TO KEEP TRACKING STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL PHYSICALLY TURNS TO THE RIGHT, WHILE BRAKING. THE GREATEST EFFECT / TURNING IS OBSERVED AS THE VEHICLE'S SPEED DECREASES. THE GREATEST EFFECT / TURNING IS ALSO OBSERVED AS THE VEHICLE'S SPEED DECREASES AND THE VEHICLE IS TRAVERSING DOWN A STEEP GRADIENT. THIS OCCURS IF I DRIVE IN THE CENTER OF THE ROAD, WITH THE CENTER OF THE ROAD CROWN, CENTERED ON THE VEHICLE AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHERE A VEHICLE MUST LAWFULLY TRAVEL. CONVERSELY, IF I DRIVE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD / OR THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD CROWN, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ADVERSELY PULL TO THE LEFT. IT WAS NOTED BY THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT THIS IS DUE TO ROAD CROWN. THIS ISSUE PROVIDES A FALSE SENSE OF STEERING, ESPECIALLY IN THE SNOW, AS IT IS SOMETIMES BELIEVED THAT THE ROAD CONDITIONS ARE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO TRACK RIGHT, AND OVERCOMPENSATION IS USUALLY APPLIED. VEHICLE PULLS OR DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING. ONCE THE VEHICLE STARTS PULLING / DRIFTING, IT CONTINUES ABRUPTLY. DRIVING ON LONGER TRIPS 2-3 HOURS DOES CAUSE ARM STRAIN, FROM CONSTANT CORRECTING OF THE STEERING WHEEL ATTEMPTING TO CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO TRACK STRAIGHT. I DID FILE A LEMON LAW CLAIM AGAINST TOYOTA REGARDING THESE DEFECTS, AND RECEIVED COMPENSATION. THEREAFTER I DID NOT TAKE TO DEALERSHIP, AS TOYOTA SIMPLY CANNOT REPAIR THE ISSUES. *TR

I HAVE 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA LIMITED AWD. I HAVE ABOUT 16500 MILES. MY PROBLEM STARTED WHEN THE CAR HAD ABOUT 1000 MILES. ON PARKING WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, SHORTLY AFTER I STARTED TURNING THE WHEEL I COULD HEAR AND FEEL (ON THE WHEEL) A CONSTANT CLICKING NOISE. THIS NOISE SHOWS UP ONLY WHEN YOU TURN TO THE RIGHT. IT DOES NOT SHOW WHEN YOU TURN TO THE LEFT. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO TOYOTA OF ALEXANDRIA, VA. THE CAR SPEND DAYS THERE AND THEY SAID THAT THEY DON'T HAVE CLUE WHAT IS THE PROBLEM! THEY OPENED A CASE WITH TOYOTA AND I HAD A MEETING WITH A TOYOTA FIELD SPECIALIST. I HAD MULTIPLE QUESTIONS - WHY THE PROBLEM DETERIORATED, WHY IT SHOWS UP ONLY WHEN YOU TURN TO THE RIGHT AND NOT TO THE LEFT, ETC. MY QUESTIONS WERE UNANSWERED. THIS PERSON WAS NOT TRYING TO FIX MY PROBLEM. HE REPEATED WORD BY WORD DEALERSHIP FOREMAN'S WORDS. I THOUGHT THEY HAD A PREDEFINED SCRIPT. I BROUGHT IT TO OURISMAN CHANTILLY TOYOTA, VA. THEY REPLACED CV HALF SHAFT ASSEMBLY. THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY REPLACED SOP-SHAFT AND THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. I PICKED UP MY CAR AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM IS AIRBAG CLOCK SPRING. I WAS TOLD REPLACING THE CLOCK SPRING WOULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE ALL OF THEM WILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT'S A COMMON ISSUE ON ALL TOYOTA SIENNA AWD VANS. AGAIN IN THE PARKING START TURNING TO THE RIGHT, BEFORE THE WHEEL LOCKS I CAN FEEL AND HEAR CLICKING NOISE. I BROUGHT IT TO FITZGERLAD TOYOTA, GAITHERSBURG, MD. REPLACED THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT AND PUT A SPECIAL GREASE. THE NOISE WENT AWAY FOR ABOUT 1500 MILES, BUT SLOWLY STARTED COMING BACK. IT IS GETTING FRUSTRATING AND IS GETTING LOUDER AS I PUT MORE MILES. AS PER THE DEALER, THE KEY IS A SPECIAL GREASE AND IT IS A SPECIAL ORDER. I WAS ON THE BACK ORDER LIST AND WAS #78 FOR THE REGION. IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS A LOT OF DEMAND FOR THIS AND TOYOTA KNOWS THAT. MY CONCERN IS THAT NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND IF THAT PROBLEM PRESENTS A SAFETY ISSUE. THANKS A LOT! *TR