2006 Toyota Sienna Steering

STEERING RACK IS LEAKING AND IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ACROSS INTERNET. THIS COULD CAUSE ACCIDENTS ON HIGHWAY. THE STEERING MAKES A WEIRD AUTOMATED SOUND WHEN CAR MAKES SHARP TURNS ON SLOW SPEED. I CAN SEE THE LEAKS AROUND THE STEERING RACK. THE LEAK CAUSED MY BEARINGS TO FAIL WHICH COSTED AROUND 1000 TO REPAIR. HAD ALIGNMENT DONE THREE TIMES BUT IT GETS MISALIGNED EASILY. THE DEALERS WOULD LIKE TO GET AT LEAST $1200 TO FIX THE ISSUE. DEALERS KNOW THAT IT IS A COMMON SAFETY ISSUE BUT DOESN'T TAKE IT AS A RECALL WORTHY. HOPE NHTSA CAN HELP HERE.

SOMETIMES WHEN STARTING FOR THE FIRST TIME, I TRY TO TURN THE WHEEL BUT IT IS LOCKED (AS IF IT IS ALL THE WAY TO ONE SIDE BUT IT IS NOT) - THE WHEELS ARE TURNED THE OPPOSITE SIDE. THE TIMES I HAVE NOTICED THIS BEHAVIOR MY WHEELS HAVE BEEN TURNED TO THE RIGHT, AND WHEN I TRY TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY I AM TRYING TO TURN THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT BUT THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED UP AS IF IT IS ALL THE WAY LEFT AND CANT GO ANY MORE. TO FREE IT UP I NEED TO TURN THE WHEEL SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT (MAYBE A QUARTER TURN) THEN I CAN TURN THE STEERING WHEEL BACK TO THE LEFT A COUPLE TURNS IF I LIKE AND EVERYTHING IS NORMAL. I USUALLY NOTICE THIS ON SUNDAY MORNINGS - THE CAR MAY HAVE BEEN SITTING ALL DAY SATURDAY .. I AM TRYING TO PUT MY FINGER ON IT BUT CAN'T SEEM TO. I HAVE NOT NOTICED ANY ISSUES WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD .. BUT IT IS A LITTLE CONCERNING. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW AND I THOUGHT MAYBE I SHOULD REPORT THIS .

TOOK MY SIENNA 2006 FOR A CHECK UP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID IS LEAKING, REQUIRING THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW RACK AND PINION UNIT. TOYOTA RECALLED 2006 TOYOTA SIENNA IN 2011 FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER BUT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO FIX MY TOYOTA. THEY CLAIM THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT PART OF THE 2011 RECALL. INSTEAD, TOYOTA DID OFFER A $ 1000 TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A CERTIFIED TOYOTA VEHICLE. I FELT I SHOULD REPORT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND OTHER DRIVERS MIGHT BE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. IN ADDITION, EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR BACK IN 2012, I NOTICED THAT THE ALIGNMENT WAS NEVER QUITE RIGHT EVEN THOUGH DID THE ALIGNMENT TWO TIMES. I NOW THINK I KNOW WHY: THE RACK AND PINION ALREADY HAD AN ISSUE BACK THEN.

AT 90K MILES, POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKAGE AT RACK AND PINION. PASSENGER SIDE BOOT TORN.

RACK AND PINION FAILURE. DEAR SIR/MADAM: I BROUGHT MY 2006 SIENNA (PURCHASED NEW) TO THE DEALERSHIP DUE TO WHAT I SUSPECTED WAS A BAD WHEEL BEARING ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THE BEARING PROBLEM, BUT ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE SEAL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE RACK AND PINION HAD GONE BAD AND HAD LEADED INTO THE BOOT ON THAT SIDE, AND SINCE THERE WAS NO WAY TO JUST REPLACE THE SEAL, I NEEDED A NEW RACK AND PINION SYSTEM INSTALLED, PLUS A FOUR-WHEEL ALIGNMENT AFTER THE INSTALLATION TOTALING $1187. I MENTIONED TO THE TECHNICIAN THAT I RECENTLY HAD NOTICED THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR LOWER THAN USUAL AND RECENTLY NOTICED FLUID ON MY DRIVEWAY, SO THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CAUSE OF THOSE OBSERVATIONS. THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM I BROUGHT MY SIENNA IN FOR OF THE BEARING NOISE SEEMED TO BE A FORTUNATE SITUATION, AS IT RESULTED IN THE REVELATION OF THE STEER SYSTEM PROBLEM BEFORE IT LED TO A MORE SERIOUS SITUATION. AFTER GETTING THE REPAIRS DONE, I RESEARCHED THE RACK AND PINION ISSUE AND REALIZED THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. IT ALSO SEEMS THAT WITH THE PREDICTABLE AND REGULAR OCCURRENCES OF THIS FAILURE, ADDRESSING THIS THROUGH A RECALL WOULD BE A REASONABLE ACTION TOYOTA CAN MAKE IN ITS EFFORTS TO CONTINUE MITIGATING POTENTIAL CATASTROPHIC SAFETY EVENTS FOR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN CONSIDERING THIS CONCERN. I CONTINUE TO FIND THAT TOYOTA PROVIDES A QUALITY PRODUCT. I HAVE BEEN A TOYOTA CUSTOMER SINCE 1984 AND DO APPRECIATE TOYOTA'S EFFORTS IN MAINTAINING THEIR REPUTATION AS A RELIABLE AND CONSUMER-FOCUSED COMPANY.

STEERING RACK IS LEAKING AND THIS IS A DANGER TO PEOPLE A SERIOUS DANGER. PEOPLE WITH VANS USUALLY HAVE CHILDREN AND I AM READING OF ALL THESE COMPLAINTS WITH THE STEERING TACK LEAK. TOYOTA IS BEING ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. WE AS CONSUMERS NEED TO VOICE MORE BECAUSE THE MORE WE SPEAK AND VOICE OUR CONCERNS FOR OUR LIVES THE LESS COSTS EFFECTIVE IT WOULD BE FOR THEM TO IGNORE US. REMEMBER THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT WHO DIES FROM THEIR LACK OF CONCERN IT IS ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY MAKE AND I WANT A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT!!!

STEERING HAS HANDLED FINE SINCE I BOUGHT NEW MARCH 2006 FROM TOYOTA CAPITAL DEALER; 1ST REPORTED ON 2/16/13 AT 43,123 MILES SIENNA POWER STEERING RACK & PINION LEAKING--COST TO REPAIR $1,542.38 (WITH ALIGNMENT). HAVE NOT REPAIRED YET AS FLUID LEVEL HAS NOT CHANGED. POWER STEERING FLUID WAS REPORTED DIRTY ON 3/1/09 AT 22,321 MILES. ONLINE RESEARCH SHOWS LEAKING PROBLEM IS COMMON & HAS OCCURRED WITH OTHER 2006 SIENNA'S--PLEASE RECALL ALL THE 2006 SIENNA'S. ATTACHED IS CURRENT MECHANIC WITH PICTURE OF PROBLEM AT END OF REPORT.

2011 @38000 MILES CAR WAS DIAGNOSTIC AT DEALER WITH LEAK POWER STEERING RACK PINNON ASSEMBLY, COST ROUGHLY $1400 TO REPAIR 2016 @65000 MILES CAR WAS DIAGNOSTIC AT DEALER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM FOR THE SAME PART AGAIN, DEALER WANT ANOTHER $1400 FOR REPAIRING. CALLED TOYOTA, CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS NICE AND GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER BUT FOUND NO SOLUTIONS IN TOYOTA'S DATABASE AND WANT ME TO CONTACT DEALER FOR FINANCIAL DISCOUNT FOR REPAIR. SEARCHED GOOGLE AND FOUND MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINT REGARDING TO STEERING ISSUES AND WONDER CAN THIS BE A DESIGN FAULTS OR A OEM COMPONENT QUALITY FOR A SAFETY CONCERN - WAS WARNED THAT "LOSE OF STEERING CAPABILITY CAN CAUSE A ACCIDENT." ALSO REPEAT CHARGING CUSTOMERS FOR THE SAME EXPENSIVE ASSEMBLY OF 27000 MILES INTERVAL SHOULD PROOF THE CASE - IT IS EITHER A QUALITY OR DESIGN RELATED PROBLEM

FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION BOOT CAUSES A LEAK OF LUBRICANT AND CONTAMINATION OF THE RACK AND PINION SYSTEM. SINCE A FAILURE OF THE BOOT CAN LEAD INTO NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THE STEERING, THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT ON THIS MINIVAN AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BYTOYOTA IN ORDER TO FIX IT.. I'VE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE OF THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM,

VISITED THE DEALER TO CHECK THE NOISE, TPMS AND VIBRATINGSOUND WHEN MAKING TURNS AND DRIVING OVER 35 MPH. TECH INFORMED ME THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAD BUMP AND FOUND THAT THE STEERING RACK AND PINION SECTOR IS LEAKING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE BOOT AND THE STEERING HAS A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. MILES 85K

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE METAL TUBE ON THE RETURN LINE FOR THE PRESSURE LINE WAS RUBBING ON THE ENGINE AND OIL PAN. AS A RESULT, THE OIL PAN FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE POWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

THE STEERING RACK AND PINION SECTOR IS LEAKING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE BOOT AND THE STEERING HAS A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

2006 TOYOTA SIENNA'S STEERING RACK AND PINION HAD SUDDENLY DEVELOPED A LEAK IN A SIDE SEAL WHICH CAUSED A TOTAL LOSS IN POWER STEERING ASSIST WHEN THE FLUID DRAINED OUT. DEALER HAS NOTED THE PROBLEM BUT SAYS THE FAILURES THEY'VE SEEN ARE NOT TO BE CONCERNED OVER? TOYOTA DOES SEEM TO HAVE A TSB ADDRESSING THE EARLY FAILURES BY ISSUING A REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE RACK AND PINIONS FOR CARS UNDER THEIR 3/36K FACTORY WARRANTY, BUT NOTHING ADDRESSING ANY KIND OF COMPENSATION TO CUSTOMERS WHO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE WHO ARE OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY.

NOTICED LEAK IN FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF SIENNA VAN. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, WHO IDENTIFIED THE LEAK SOURCE AS THE STEERING RACK. PART WAS NOT REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, AS TOO MANY YEARS AND 423 MILES BEYOND WARRANTY PERIOD. BROKEN PART 44250-08040 REPLACED PART AS TOYOTA 44250-08041 FAILURE OF PART, IF NOT CAUGHT SOON, ENOUGH, COULD CAUSE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. TOYOTA IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND EVEN ISSUES A SERVICE BULLETIN AS TSB-0097-12 IN ADDITION TO A NEW REPLACEMENT PART. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE FAILURE OF THIS PART NOT LONG AFTER WARRANTY PERIOD IS OVER. I BELIEVE THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE AS INSTALLED. I ADD MY VOICE TO THE MANY WHO HAVE REPLACED THIS PART AND WISH TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE LACK OF RESPONSE FROM TOYOTA CORPORATION. DOT SHOULD INVESTIGATE THIS AND SIMILAR STEERING RACK PARTS. AFTER TOYOTA BRUSHED OFF MY COMPLAINT VIA PHONE SUPPORT, I RECEIVED WRITTEN USPS MAIL IDENTIFYING A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT NOTIFICATION FOR A SEPARATE PROBLEM WITH THE DASHBOARD/INSTRUMENT PANEL , DUE TO CRACKING AND STICKY DASHBOARDS. OBVIOUSLY, IF ENOUGH AFFECTED OWNERS DOCUMENT THEIR COMPLAINTS ABOUT FAILING STEERING RACKS, TOYOTA MIGHT BECOME SERIOUS ABOUT THE PROBLEM. TYPICAL COST OF PART IS $1200-$1600. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN UNRELATED REPAIR AND THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000. UPDATED 7/7/15*CN UPDATED 9/15/15*JS

MY 2006 SIENNA HAS A LOW MILEAGE, 38K. A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, WHEN REPLACING THE FRONT BRAKE PADS, I NOTICED THE POWER STEERING RACK BOOT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE IS LEAKING. I GOOGLED IT ONLINE AND FOUND SO MANY 2ND GENERATION SIENNAS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. SO IT MUCH BE A DESIGN FLAW. TOYOTA NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS. *TR

RACK AND PINION STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MECHANIC AT FIRESTONE INDICATED THAT HE USED TO WORK AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE HE WITNESSED DOZENS AND DOZENS OF SIENNA'S WHOSE RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS LEAKING AND REQUIRED REPLACED. WE HAD THE WORK DONE AT TOYOTA BUT IT COST OVER $1,400. THE RACK AND PINION STEERING SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN LEAKING. OUR CAR WAS GARAGE KEPT FOR 100% OF ITS LIFE, AND WAS WELL CARED FOR. I BELIEVE THIS ITEM SHOULD BE A FORMAL RECALL HANDED DOWN TO TOYOTA. THANK YOU. *TR

STEERING RACK BOOT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAS A LEAK. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING RACK AND PINION COSTING ALMOST $1400. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN TOYOTA SIENNA 2006 AND TOYOTA ISSUED PSB 0097-12 FOR THIS BUT NOT A RECALL. TOYOTA EVEN CHANGED THE DESIGN IN THE NEWER MODELS AFTER 2006. EVEN THOUGH IT IS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN BUT TOYOTA DOES NOT SEEM TO CARE AND OWN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. CUSTOMERS ARE PAYING FOR THIS. *TR

STEERING OIL LEAK ON PASSENGER SIDE FOUND DURING ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, THE STEERING RACK INNER SEALS HAD DISINTEGRATED CAUSING FLUID LEAKAGE THAT WAS NOT EVIDENT UNTIL THE BOOT HAD BEEN AFFECTED AND BROKEN. *TR

TEAR ON THE BOOT OF THE POWER STEERING RACK, PASSENGER SIDE. I RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THIS WAS NOT UNCOMMON FOR TOYOTA SIENNA 2006. SOME SAID TOYOTA SEEMED TO FIX IT IN THE 2007 MODEL. TOYOTA MAY KEEP QUIET ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE BOOT IS TOO CLOSE TO ONE OF THE BELTS. ANY DEBRIS (ROCK OR ICE OR PIECE OF METAL) COULD BE SLING-SHOT BY THE BELT AND HIT THE RUBBER BOOT. THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE, THE EXPOSED STEERING JOINTS COULD RUST AND BREAK IN THE HIGHWAY. THEY SHOULD PUT A PROTECTIVE PLATE BETWEEN THE BOOT AND THE BELT. *TR

INITIALLY, STEERING IS STIFF WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. I AM AFRAID THAT IT MIGHT HAPPENED WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING AT HIGH SPEED. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THERE WAS A RECALL INCLUDING THE 2005 SIENNA, BUT APPARENTLY THE 2006 MODEL YEAR IS NOT COVERED. THANKS FOR LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER, BEST REGARDS. *TR

THE STEERING RACK INNER SEALS HAD DISINTEGRATED CAUSING FLUID LEAKAGE THAT WAS NOT EVIDENT UNTIL THE BOOT HAD BEEN AFFECTED AND BROKEN. CONCERNED BY PART FAILURE WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. COMPLAINTS SEEN ON TOYOTA FORUMS - TOYOTA ISSUED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS IN JULY 2012 BUT NO INFORMATION SENT TO CONSUMERS TSB-0097-12 . CONSIDER THIS TO BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. *TR

WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A TURN (SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE FIRST EPISODE, LIKE 10 MORE) THE STEERING WHEEL GETS LOCKED AND DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE WAY THAT I'M TRYING TO STEER, IT'S GET LOCKED OR REALLY HARD TO MANEUVER, AND JUST BECAUSE I'M TURNING AT SLOW SPEED I HAVEN'T HAD AN ACCIDENT. LAST TIME I WAS BACKING UP FROM MY DRIVEWAY AND THEN I COULDN'T MOVE TO ANY SIDE (LEFT OR RIGHT), IT WAS LOCKED FOR LIKE 1 MINUTE. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANY RECALL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *TR

STEERING OIL LEAK ON PASSENGER SIDE FOUND DURING ROUTINE OIL CHANGE. *TR