2004 Toyota Sienna Steering

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED EVERY 30,000 MILES. DURING FAILURE, THE STEERING BECAME VERY STIFF WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH, WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO TURN. THIS OCCURRED ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING SHAFT HAD LEAKED ALL OF THE STEERING FLUID.

SINCE PURCHASE, VEHICLE STEERING HAS EXCESSIVE "PLAY", WHICH REQUIRES TOO MANY STEERING CORRECTIONS, ESPECIALLY UNDER WINDY CONDITIONS. CONDITION IS MOST OBVIOUS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THERE HAS BEEN NO "FAILURE" PER SAY, BUT SUCH INFORMATION SHOULD BE MADE KNOWN TO OTHER BUYERS. NO "REPAIRS" FOR THIS ITEM HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED BECAUSE IT UNFORTUNATELY APPEARS TO BE "NORMAL" FOR THIS VEHICLE. SUCH A CONDITION, HOWEVER, SEEMS VERY UNSAFE.

THE STEERING ON THE 2004 SIENNA LACKS PRECISION AND REQUIRES CONSTANT CORRECTIONS. UPON CORRECTING IT APPEARS TO HAVE AN UNDERDAMPED BUT RESPONSIVE RESPONSE THAT CREATES AN UNSTABLE FEELING WHILE DRIVING. THE PROBLEM IS EXEMPLIFIED DURING WINDY DAYS WHERE ABOVE NORMAL CORRECTIONS ON NON WINDY DAYS BECOME EXTREME CORRECTIONS ON WINDY DAYS. IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THIS BECOMES A VERY STRESSFUL DRIVING CONDITION. WHEN ALL OTHER DRIVING RESPONSIBILITIES ARE THROWN INTO THE MIX IT IS VERY CHALLENGING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA'S CHOICE OF STEERING COMPONENTS ARE INFERIOR RELATIVE TO THEIR ADVERTISED QUALITY. *NM

THE STEERING SENSOR IS CAUSING THE TRACTION CONTROL TO COME TO A HALT AND SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. TAKEN TO DEALER FOR CHECKUP FOR THE SIXTH TIME AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE STEERING LOCK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *NM

AT 13K00MILES, OWNER NOTICED EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR TO OUTSIDE EDGES OF BOTH STEER TIRES. TOOK TO SELLING DEALER TO HAVE ALIGNMENT CHECKED AND TIRES ROTATED. TOE IN WAS OUTSIDE SPECIFICATION. DEALER CORRECTED ALIGNMENT AND AGREED TO REPLACE 1 WORN TIRE. OWNER REPLACED OTHER AT HIS EXPENSE. AT 22K MILES, SAME TYPE OF TIRE WEAR APPARENT ON STEER TIRES AGAIN. OWNER CONTACTS TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE TO COMPLAIN. TOYOTA AGREES TO REPLACE 1 WORN TIRE AND OWNER TO REPLACE THE OTHER. OWNER NOT SATISFIED WITH DECISION. VEHICLE IS OBVIOUSLY CAUSING ABNORMAL WEAR TO TIRES. AT THIS RATE, OWNER WILL BE REQUIRED TO REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES EVERY YEAR DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA NOT STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT, ONLY THEIR CHECKBOOK.*AK