2005 Toyota Avalon Steering

TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL COLASPSES WHEN DRIVING.

LEVER THAT CONTROLS TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL DROPS DOWN WHILE DRIVING AND COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THIS WAS NEVER A RECALL BUT WAS COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY EXTENSION. ACCORDING TO TOYOTA THEY SENT OUT LETTERS BEGINNING IN APRIL 2014 ADVISING OWNERS OF THE PROBLEM. WE NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER. TOYOTA FURTHER ADVISES US THAT THE WINDOW FOR FREE REPAIR OF THE DEFECT CLOSED ON MAY 31,2015 AND THEY WILL NOT PAY TO FIX IT. WHY WAS THIS NOT MADE AN OFFICIAL RECALL? I HAVE INJURED MY KNEE SEVERAL TIMES ENTERING THE VEHICLE.

THE STEERING LEVER MOVED DOWN AND THE STEERING WHEEL DROPPED IN 2-3 INCHES WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LOCK AND POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,245.

I NOTICED THE TELESCOPING LEVER HAD FALLEN A FEW TIMES WHILE ENTERING VEHICLE BUT PAID IT NO MIND AND JUST PUSHED IT UP. I WAS DRIVING ALONG ONE DAY AND I PUT THE BRAKES ON AND MAKING A TURN AND THE WHEEL JUST COLLAPSED TO THE ALL THE WAY DOWN POSITION AND IT CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD AND I ALMOST CRASHED! I TRY TO BE MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE FALLEN LEVER BUT IF NEGLECT TO PUSH IT UP THE TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL WILL FALL AT LEAST ONCE A DAY WHILE DRIVING USUALLY WHEN BRAKING SINCE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BRAKING THERE IS MORE DOWNWARD FORCE ON THE COLUMN. THE DEALER AND TOYOTA CORPORATE ARE TELLING ME THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE ISSUE AND ITS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND I NEED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A LIE SINCE I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND EVEN A TSB TOYOTA ISSUED ABOUT THIS ISSUE. HOW AND WHY SHOULD I BE HELD FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR A SAFETY CONCERN THAT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO FIX. I HATE THAT IT MIGHT CAUSE A CRASH AND MAYBE THEN AFTER THE CRASH THEY MIGHT DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. ONE MORE THING THE TELESCOPING OPTION IS ALMOST NEVER USED SO ITS CERTAINLY NOT FROM BEING USED TOO MUCH. *TR

THE STEERING COLUMN HAS BEGUN MAKING A RATHER NOTICEABLE "CLACKING" NOISE WHEN TURNING. IT CAN BE BOTH HEARD AND FELT IN THE WHEEL. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS, AND TOYOTA HAS PUT OUT A SERVICE BULLETIN (#00206, NHTSA # 10019669)FOR REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY, BUT WANTS $930 TO REPAIR IT IF OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY'RE CLAIMING IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT A STEERING WHEEL THAT MAKES NOISES YOU CAN HEAR (AND FEEL) DOESN'T SEEM ALL THAT SAFE. *TR

THE STEERING WHEEL FRICTION LEVER SUDDENLY DROPPED AND THE STEERING WHEEL COLLAPSED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION (NORMAL SPEED). PLUS, THERE IS A POPPING, CLICKING SOUND WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL THAT YOU CAN HEAR AND FEEL IN THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR

STEERING PROBLEMS PER RECALL 05V227000 FOR 2005 TOYOTA AVALON THAT MANUF REFUSES TO ADDRESS. STEERING POPS WHEN TURNING & SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GETTING WORSE. REFUSE TO PAY DEALER $450.00 TO REPLACE RECALL SO I WILL TAKE IT TO ANOTHER CERTIFIED MECHANIC THAT I TRUST. *TR

THE STEERING WHEEL FRICTION LEVER SUDDENLY DROPPED AND THE STEERING WHEEL COLLAPSED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. UPDATED 05/12/11 *BF

TOYOTA AVALON LTD. 2005..STEERING WHEEL LOCKING MECHANISM THAT LOCKS THE STEERING WHEEL INTO POSITION "UP AND DOWN"..THE LEVER DOES NOT LOCK INTO POSITION AND EASILY OPENS AND THE STEERING WHEEL DROPS DOWN EVEN AS THE CAR IS IN MOTION...ALMOST LOST CONTROL AS I WAS DRIVING AS THE LEVER OPENED DOWN AND THE STEERING WHEEL DROPPED QUICKLY AS I DROVE THE CAR....WHEN I INFORMED TOYOTA OF THE POTENTIAL DANGER, THEY SAID IT WAS NO PROBLEM....I THINK IT IS............. *TR

STEERING COLUMN LOCKING LEVER SUDDENLY DISENGAGES AND STEERING WHEEL COLLAPSES FROM SET POSITION WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS OCCURED APPROXIMATELY SIX TIMES IN LAST 1000 MILES. LOOSING STEERING WHEEL STABILITY HAS CAUSED UNSAFE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A CRACKING NOISE COMING FROM THE TELESCOPIC STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE LEVER THAT HOLDS THE STEERING WHEEL UP RELEASED ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING AND IT HAPPENED A FEW DIFFERENT TIMES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH, TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE. SHE ALSO NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS IMPROPERLY ALIGNED. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC AND FOUND THE RETAINING CLIP THAT HOUSED THE STEERING WHEEL HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,024 AND THE CURRENT WAS 54,381. UPDATED 4/28/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE STEERING WHEEL TELESCOPING FEATURE WOULD NOT LOCK AND MOVE FORWARD WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER STATED THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 07/06/10 *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. HE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE STEERING WHEEL PULLED TO THE LEFT AND HE COULD NOT KEEP IT POSITIONED STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE ABOUT 8 TIMES SINCE HE PURCHASED IT. THERE HAD BEEN NO REPAIRS DONE TO THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT.THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48000.

JUST ADDING MY SIMILAR EXPERIENCE. THE LEVER AT THE LEFT OF THE STEERING COLUMN DOES NOT HOLD AND DROPS DOWN PERIODICALLY. IT HAS HAPPENED DOZENS OF TIMES. I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS BUT THEY SAID "NO PROBLEM" OR EITHER "YOU HAD THE STEERING WHEEL EXTENDED TOO FAR FOR IT TO CATCH". I JUST REACH DOWN AND FLIP THE LEVER UP WHEN IT HAPPENS AND DRIVE WITH THE WHEEL IN CLOSER TO THE DASH UNTIL I CAN STOP AND SAFELY PULL IT OUT TO A COMFORTABLE POSITION. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES, PARTICULARLY WHEN I STOP. THE WHEEL JUST GOES TOWARDS THE DASH. I THINK IT IS A DEFECT BUT TOYOTA HAS NEVER SO ACKNOWLEDGED IT OR REPAIRED IT. *TR

THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN RETRACTING WITHOUT TOUCHING THE LEVER ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND ONCE WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON MONDAY 5/2/4/2010. WE WERE ABLE TO STOP WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT TO SECURE THE STEERING WHEEL AND FASTEN THE LEVER.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL PLACEMENT LOCK UNLOCKED SUDDENLY CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE UP AND DOWN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 76,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 400.

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE TELESCOPIC STEERING WHEEL LEVER NOT HOLDING IN PLACE. 6-12 TIMES A YEAR WHEN I STOP MY VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL GOES FORWARD TOWARDS THE ENGINE. I LOOK AND THE TELESCOPIC LEVER HAS MOVED DOWN. I AM THE ONLY ONE THAT DRIVES MY CAR AND THE LEVER IS NEVER ADJUSTED AND NOTHING COULD BE GRABBING THE LEVER. I FEEL THIS COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. HE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL COLLAPSED TO HIS KNEES HE THEN HAD TO PULL OVER TO CHECK AND FIX IT; HOWEVER, IT CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED 10 ADDITIONAL TIMES SINCE THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. WHENEVER THE CONTACT TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL IN ANY DIRECTION THE CONTACT HEARD A CLANKING SOUND IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 105,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON WHICH WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN JULY 2005. SHE STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL ON THE VEHICLE WAS VERY LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY VERIFIED THE FAILURE AS TELESCOPIC STEERING. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE AS TO WHAT REPAIRS WOULD NEED TO BE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN POSSESSION OF THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000. THE VIN WAS NOT ACCEPTED.

ON MY 2005 TOYOTA AVALON I HEARD A NOISE LIKE A LOOSE TIE ROD END WOULD MAKE. MY CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 55,000 MILES ON IT. I TOOK IT IN TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY INSPECTED IT TO SEE WHAT THE NOISE WAS. THEY TOLD ME THE NOISE WAS FROM THE STEERING COLUMN FROM NOT ENOUGH GREASE BEING PUT IT AT THE FACTORY. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THIS WAS COMMON FOR THIS CAR. UPON FURTHER CHECKING I FOUND THIS TO BE TRUE. THIS WOULD BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE IF LEFT GO. PLEASE SEE WHY THEY DID NOT RECALL THIS CAR FOR THE PROBLEM. *TR

2005 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED, TELESCOPING STEERING WHEEL. THE LEVER TO LOCK THE STEERING WHEEL IN POSITION WORKS ITSELF LOOSE. THEN WHEN YOU ARE BRAKING THE STEERING WHEEL WILL TELESCOPE IN. IT'S A VERY UNNERVING FEELING. I'VE TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN TWICE FOR THE PROBLEM. TOYOTA SAID THERE IS NO WAY TO REPAIR WITH REPLACING THE WHOLE STEERING ASSEMBLY. *TR

MY 2005 TOYOTA AVALON DEVELOPED A NOISE IN THE STEERING. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE GREASE HAD LEAKED PASSED THE SEALS ON THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. WITH NO GREASE IN THE SHAFT, IT WILL BREAK AND CAUSE A LOSS OF STEERING WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH. TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID THAT SINCE THE CAR HAS MORE AND 36000 MILES AND IS OVER 3 YEARS OLD, THE PROBLEM IS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. GREASE SHOULD NOT LEAK PASS THE SEALS ON THE SHAFT AND SHOULD BE TOYOTA'S RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR. THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $562. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA AVALON. THE LOCKING LEVEL LEVER, WHICH CONTROLS THE STEERING WHEEL AND MOVES IT UP AND DOWN, AUTOMATICALLY DISENGAGES AT RANDOM. THE FAILURE CAUSES THE STEERING WHEEL TO FALL ONTO THE DRIVER'S LAP AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT. THROUGH RESEARCH, THE CONTACT FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V227000 (STEERING:COLUMN). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LOCKING MECHANISM NEEDED TO BE TIGHTENED. THE STEERING WAS TIGHTENED, BUT IT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURS EVERY 150 MILES. THE VEHICLE IS STILL EXPERIENCING THE DEFECT AND HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,900. UPDATED 09/01/09 *BF