2012 Toyota Sienna Steering

The battery light came on suddenly and the power steering went out making it extremely difficult to steer the vehicle. An accident was narrowly avoided. We replaced the battery, alternator, and serpentine belt. The problem resolved for over 6 months, then reappeared. It starts with no issue, is charging properly, the serpentine belt is intact. The power steering will come on and go off sporadically, the only warning being the battery indicator on the dash that comes on first. This creates a substantial hazard and risk as the steering is severely impacted with little warning.

My wife let me know that when turning to the right (not an aggressive turn, but a normal turn from one lane to the next), the whole electrical system of the minivan would shut down and then come back on. I had a mechanic check it out and they say that this is due to the electrical steering system and will have to be replaced by the dealer. He was able to reproduce the same condition where he was able to get the minivan to lose power when changing lanes. He STRONGLY advised that we should have the vehicle towed to the dealer as he felt that it wasn't safe to drive due to this. I feel that this will end up causing a lot of crashes and also that this should be covered by the manufacturer under a recall.

2012 TOYOTA SIENNA DEVELOPED A "CLUNK" IN STEERING SYSTEM WHILE TURNING FROM A STOPPED POSITION. THE CLUNK CAN BE FELT THROUGH BOTH THE STEERING WHEEL AND FLOOR. THIS IS CAUSED BY A WELL-KNOWN SAFETY PROBLEM TOYOTA HAS HAD WITH SEVERAL OTHER MODELS INCLUDING RAV4, HIGHLANDER, AND CAMRY (SOME OF WHICH HAD RECALLS). TOYOTA IS PUSHING THE COST OF THEIR MISTAKES ON ITS CUSTOMERS. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM, ALONG WITH OTHERS, WITH TOYOTA.

THE VEHICLE MADE THUMPING / POPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING - MOSTLY TURNING LEFT, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVE TO LEFT TURNS. THE SOUND WAS RECOGNIZABLE MORE DURING LOWER SPEEDS, AND LESS NOTICEABLE AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THIS WENT ON FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND FEARING SAFETY ISSUES AND LOSS OF STEERING, I GOT IT FIXED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE STEERING MID-SHAFT AND HAD TO PERFORM THE ALIGNMENT AT A COST OF APPROX $650. IT HAS BEEN 3 WEEKS SINCE, AND THE ISSUE HAS NOT OCCURRED AGAIN.

STEERING KNOCK IS EXPERIENCED AT SPEEDS OF APPROXIMATELY 35MPH AND LESS WHENEVER STEERING LEFT OR RIGHT. THIS CONDITION WAS FIRST NOTICED AT APPROXIMATELY 80K MILES AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE OVER THE NEXT 50K MILES. THE KNOCK IS NOT ONLY FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT IT HAS BECOME AN AUDIBLE NOISE AS WELL. I'VE READ SEVERAL COMPLAINTS WHERE DEALERS HAVE FIXED THIS KNOWN PROBLEM, HOWEVER I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY RECALLS ON THIS OR ANY INFORMATION FROM TOYOTA STATING THAT THIS IS A KNOWN CONDITION AND IS SAFE TO CONTINUE OPERATION. UNTIL TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGES THIS AS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND DETERMINES WHETHER OR NOT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, THEN I'LL CONTINUE TO OPERATE MY 2012 SIENNA WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT IS SAFE TO OPERATE AND JUST PUT UP WITH THE KNOCK. IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE GREAT IF TOYOTA WOULD AT LEAST PUT ITS CUSTOMER'S MIND AT EASE BY AT LEAST MAKING A STATEMENT ABOUT THE CONDITION AND WHETHER IT IS SAFE TO CONTINUE OPERATION OF VEHICLES WITH THIS CONDITION.

THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SWITCHED FROM PARKING POSITION INTO REVERSE WITHOUT ENGAGING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ROLLED BACK. BEFORE ROLLING BACK THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN THE PARKING POSITION ON THE DRIVEWAY OF MY HOUSE

WE HAVE 54K MILES ON OUR VAN AND HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN WE WOULD MAKE A TURN (RIGHT OR LEFT). I BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID WE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. THE COST WAS $750. I LOOKED ONLINE AND SEE PREVIOUS RECALLS FOR TOYOTA FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM. I ALSO SEARCHED AND FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH NEWER YEAR SIENNAS LIKE MINE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT THAT IS STILL IMPACTING TOYOTA AND CONSUMERS. TOYOTA WAS NOT WILLING TO LISTEN TO OUR PROBLEM OR HELP IN ANY WAY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO JERK LEFT AND RIGHT INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (ORLAND TOYOTA, 8505 W. 159TH STREET, TINLEY PARK, IL 60487) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000.

KNOCKING/BUMPING SOUNDS COMING FROM LOWER STEERING COLUMN WHEN TURNING - DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED

THE VEHICLE IS MAKING CLICKING NOISE WHEN WHEELS ARE TURNED AND THE VEHICLE IS IN LOW SPEEDS FORWARD AND IN REVERSE. IT APPEARS THAT THE CLICKING NOISE COMES FROM THE STEERING SYSTEM AND/OR WHEELS. THE CLICKING SOUND IS BECOMING LOUDER AND LOUDER. ALSO, IT APPEARS THAT THE WHEELS "JERK" SLIGHTLY WHEN TURNED LEFT/RIGHT AND IN MOTION.