2005 Toyota Tacoma Steering

INTERMEDIATE STEERING ROD LOWER BALL JOINT HAS FAILED , UNABLE TO STEER TRUCK SAFELY THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS TOYOTA NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK BRAND NEW IN 2005 OFF THE FLOOR

AS I WAS DRIVING I WENT TO MAKE A TURN AND THE STEERING BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT AND DOSE NOT RESPOND AS IT SHOULD, TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND TOLD ME THE STEERING SHAFT MUST BE REPLACED, I ALMOST RAN INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC BECAUSE OF THE STEERING PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES ON CITY STREETS COUNTY ROUTES AND US HIGHWAY ROUTE 22 IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.

VEHICLE HAS PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING COLUMN, SPECIFICALLY IN THE UPPER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. IT MAKES NOISE WHILE DRIVING.

MY STEERING HAD STARTED TO GET STIFF DURING A TRIP TO PHILADELPHIA. SINCE THEN IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE. AFTER ABOUT SIX MONTHS OF THIS IT BECAME NORMAL AGAIN. NOW IT IS GOING BACK TO BEING STIFF AND HARD TO TRANSITION FROM A TURN TO STRAIGHT MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

STARTED TRUCK AND WHEN PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY STEERING BECOME EXTREMELY STIFF. NO UNUSUAL SOUNDS. STIFFNESS IS NOT ALWAYS THERE, IT PULSATES. FLUID LEVEL AND COLOR ALL WITHIN SPECS. BELT WITHIN SPECS. I PLAN ON PUTTING IT ON A LIFT WHEN I RETURN HOME AND PREFORM AN INSPECTION. SUSPECT U JOINT FAILURE.

WHEN I STEER THE VEHICLE IT FEELS AS THOUGH THE POWER STEERING GIVES OUT. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT OCCUR ALL OF THE TIME.

INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT FAILURE. CAUSED STIFF STEERING

STEERING GETS DIFFICULT AT THE STAR OF TURNS THEN LOOSENS UP AS YOU TURN, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHILE TURNING. AS IF POWER STEERING IS TURNING ON AND OFF?

WHEN TURNING, NOTICED STEERING VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. VERY UNNERVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT I NEED TO HAVE THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT REPLACED. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES, AS THE UNIVERSAL JOINT GETS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT DUE TO NO PROTECTION FROM ROAD AND ELEMENTS, AND IN TIME, THE STEERING CORRODES. PLEASE FIX THIS!! VERY VERY DANGEROUS. I HAD A CHILD IN THE CAR WHEN I WAS STRUGGLING WITH THIS ISSUE. I WAS HORRIFIED TO THINK OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN . I WAS DRIVING TO SCHOOL AND MAKING SEVERAL TURNS, STEERING WAS UNPREDICTABLE AND UNSAFE.

2005 TACOMA PICKUPS AND OTHERS ARE INCLUDED IN A PENDING SETTLEMENT REGARDING EXCESSIVE RUSTING. NOW MY STEERING IS FREEZING UP WHICH I FIND IS A WELL DOCUMENTED COMPLAINT ON THE INTERNET. THE REASON SEEMS TO ALSO BE RELATED TO A FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY PROTECT AGAINST RUSTING. SUDDEN STEERING FAILURE HAS BEEN REPORTED. I CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE MY VEHICLE DUE TO THIS FAULT. TOYOTA SHOULD IMMEDIATELY BE FORCED TO RECALL ALL THESE DANGEROUS VEHICLES BEFORE THERE ARE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS.

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEEDS (55 MPH) AND YOU TRY TO MOVE TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT THE STEERING APPEARS TO BE STUCK, BUT WITH SOME ADDITIONAL EFFORT I AM ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL.

INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT RUSTED AND BINDING MY STEERING WAS BECOMING TOUGH TO STEER AND THEN IT WOULD BE FINE. IT FELT LIKE THE POWER ASSIST WAS STOPPING ASSISTING THEN IT WOULD BEHAVE NORMALLY DURING A TURN. THIS CAUSED LOSS OF PROPER STEERING DURING TURNING ARE ANY SPEED. SOMETIMES IT WOULD BE TOUGH TO STEER, (AS IF YOU HAD MANUAL STEERING) AND HALFWAY THROUGH THE TURN, THE STEERING FEEL WOULD GO BACK TO NORMAL (POWER ASSIST WORKING) WHICH CAUSED BACK AND FORTH MOTIONS TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN THE PROPER LANE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE TRUCK AND " FOUND STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT RUSTED AND BINDING". I HAD TO REPLACE THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT, HAVE A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND HAVE THE POWER STEERING FLUID FLUSHED. TOTAL BILL WAS $796.89 THIS ALSO SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO INADEQUATE RUST PREVENTATIVE MEASURES, POSSIBLY SIMILAR TO THE RUSTING FRAME ISSUES. I BELIEVE TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS AND REIMBURSE ANYONE WHO HAS ALREADY HAD THIS REPAIRED AT THE DEALER. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS OR DEATH DUE TO STEERING FAILURE AT HIGH OR SLOW SPEEDS.

STEERING SUDDENLY BECOMES DIFFICULT WHILE DRIVING, ALL OF A SUDDEN HARD TO TURN. INVESTIGATION APPEARS TO BE FAILED BEARINGS IN LOWER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. *TR

INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT U-JOINT IS SIEZING LEADING TO DIFFICULT TO OPERATE STEERING.

I TOO EXPERIENCED THE STIFFNESS WHILE STEERING. I ALMOST SPENT LARGE DOLLARS BUT DECIDE TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET. I LEARNED THAT THE CAUSE OF IT WAS A RUSTED JOINT. AFTER SOME HEAVY SPRAYING WITH LUBRICANTS, I REGAINED NORMAL OPERATIONS. BUT ONLY UNTIL NEXT WINTER..UGH! RECOMMEND TOYOTA TAKES NOTE OF THIS AND DECIDE ON A SOLUTION FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT MECHANICALLY INCLINED.

I EXPERIENCED ROUGH (STIFF, BINDING) STEERING IN BOTH DIRECTIONS AND WITHIN TWO WEEKS IT WAS PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE. I THOUGHT I HAD A STEERING FLUID ISSUE, BUT THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM AND CONFIRMED IT BY TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THEY KNEW RIGHT AWAY THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A RUSTED U-JOINT ON THE BOTTOM OF THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT (P/N 4520304020). IN ADDITION TO THE STIFF STEERING GOING INTO A TURN, THE STEERING WOULD NOT RETURN TO STRAIGHT AND I UNEXPECTEDLY NEARLY WENT INTO THE CURB. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION AND MUST BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF ALL 2005 TACOMA OWNERS. I HAVE NEVER BEEN ADVISED OF ANY NEED TO PERFORM ANY SPECIAL SERVICING OF THIS PART AT ANY MILEAGE INTERVAL. IT APPEARS TO BE A BAD DESIGN THAT ALLOWS SALTY WATER FROM WINTER ROADS TO GET INTO THE U-JOINT WHICH THEN RUSTS.

STEERING BECAME VERY STIFF OVER A PERIOD OF A ABOUT 3 WEEKS, ESPECIALLY IN COLD WEATHER. STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT RETURN TO CENTER ON ITS OWN MAKING STEERING DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET TURNED UP HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. IN SOME CASES PEOPLE'S STEERING LOCKED UP ENTIRELY. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE A UNIVERSAL JOINT IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT IS UNPROTECTED AND SUBJECT TO CORROSION. MY TRUCK IS CURRENTLY AT A DEALERSHIP FOR FOUR SAFETY RECALLS, ONE OF WHICH REQUIRES THE WHOLE FRAME TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. I WILL NOT GET THE TRUCK BACK FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS DUE TO A BACKLOG OF PARTS. THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH IN TWO PLACES AND IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THAT CONDITION. I REQUESTED THAT THE STEERING ISSUE BE LOOKED INTO WHILE IT IS IN THE SHOP AND EVERYTHING IS APART. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE STEERING ISSUE, GIVEN THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON LINE AND THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM MAY WARRANT LOOKING INTO. IT ALSO SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO THE FRAME CORROSION ISSUE, FOR WHICH THERE IS A RECALL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO STEER THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, OVER TIME, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY LOOSE. THE CONTACT HAD TO STEER THE VEHICLE IN EXCESS TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN POSITION. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

STEERING IS DIFFICULT, AS IF NO POWER STEERING EXISTS. I CHECKED ONLINE AND SAW OTHERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I LUBRICATED THE LOWER PART OF INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT, AND IT SEEMS TO WORK OK FOR NOW. IF THE PART IS RUSTED, I'M AFRAID THE STEERING WILL GO OUT ALTOGETHER AND CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE FRAME HAS BEEN REPLACED DUE TO RUST. IS THIS MORE OF THE SAME PROBLEM?

STEERING GOT VERY STIFF AND I HAD TROUBLE OPERATION THE VEHICLE. I WAS ALMOST WAS IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS. ONCE I GOT THE TRUCK TO THE ROADSIDE I CHECKED FOR A FLAT TIRE, BROKEN POWER STEERING BELT AND THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEVEL AND CONDITION. EVERYTHING WAS OK, BUT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS STILL VERY HAD TO TURN. I HAD THE TRUCKS STEERING CHECKED OUT AND THE U JOINT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STEERING COLUMN HAD SIZED UP. TOYOTA PART NUMBER 4520304020 INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND TOYOTA SHOULD DO A RECALL TO COVER THIS. THE PROBLEM COMES ON SUDDENLY AND YOU LOSE THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE.

I CAN NOT CONTROL STEERING WHEEL,IT GETS TO HARD TO STEERING. *TR

WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION I HAVE EXTREMELY STIFF STEERING. IT SEEMS TO STICK AND IS NOT FLUID WHEN TURNING. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE CHECKED THE STEERING POWER FLUID LEVEL AND IT IS AT THE CORRECT LEVEL.

MY TACOMA WAS APPROXIMATELY FOUR YEARS OLD WITH LESS THEN 50,000 MILES WHEN THE STEERING BEGAN TO LOCK UP UPON MAKING A TURN. I RESEARCHED AND FOUND OTHER TACOMA OWNERS HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. THE QUICK SOLUTION WAS TO SPRAY LUBRICATING OIL OR PUT GREASE ON THE INTERMEDIATE NO.2 STEERING SHAFT AT THE UNIVERSAL JOINT - WHICH I DID REPEATEDLY UNTIL NOW. THE STEERING ONLY DEGRADED OVER TIME. THE WHEEL BECAME VERY SLOPPING FROM FAILURE OF THE UNIVERSAL JOINT THAT I HAD TO REPLACED IT LAST WEEK AT 95,000 MILES. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS SHAFT IN THE COLD CLIMATES WHERE ROAD SALT HAS BEEN USED ALONG WITH THE ROTTING FRAME ISSUES. *TR

THE STEERING SEEMED TO SEIZE UP ALMOST INSTANTLY AS IF THE POWER STEERING WAS GOING OUT. ONCE I REALIZED THAT THE PROBLEM WASN'T A TIRE ISSUE; I.E. UNDER- INFLATION, I BEGAN TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT TO HAVE TOYOTA IDENTIFY AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP DID AGREE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM FOR $100+ BUT THIS DIAGNOSIS CHARGE WOULDN'T BE APPLIED TO THE REPAIR. THIS,METHOD OF SERVICE SEEMED ODD TO ME SO I USED ANOTHER AUTO REPAIR SERVICE CENTER THAT PROMPTLY IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AND SCHEDULE THE REPAIR. IT WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE LOWER STEERING COLUMN WITH A NEAR FROZEN U-JOINT. THIS PROBLEM RESULTED IN A VERY ERRATIC STEERING PATTERN. MOST OF THE TIME THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T RETURN TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION AFTER MAKING A TURN AND AT OTHER TIMES IT WOULD RETURN TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION RESULTING IN OVER STEERING. THE ANTICIPATED LACK OF RETURN TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION CAUSED ME ON OCCASION TO ATTEMPT TO STEER TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION RESULTING IN THE OVER STEERING. THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO OTHERS ATTENTION AND POSSIBLY HAVE ANY VEHICLES SUSPECT FOR A SIMILAR STEERING ISSUE INSPECTED SO REPAIRS CAN BE MADE BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURS. *TR

FELT AS IF POWER STEERING QUIT. GOING AROUND CORNERS THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT RETURN TO STRAIGHT POSITION, BUT REQUIRED ME TO MANUALLY PULL THE WHEEL BACK. WE FOUND IT LOW ON PS FLUID. THAT WAS FILLED AND IT APPEARED THAT TO PRETTY MUCH SOLVE THE PROBLEM, THOUGH NOT COMPLETELY. TWO WEEKS LATER THE PROBLEM IS BACK AND THE PS FLUID LEVEL IS FINE. IT IS VERY HARD TO TURN INTO CORNERS AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE PARK IN REASONABLE TIGHT SPOTS DUE TO DIFFICULT TURNING THE WHEEL. *TR