2010 Toyota Highlander Steering Problems

There is a clunk noise in the steering column On bumpy roads

WHILE I WAS DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR. I PUT THE CAR ON PKG AND IT GOT LOCKED TOO. COULD NOT PUT IN REVERSE OR DRIVE. WINDOWS GOT LOCKED TOO. THE ABS SYSTEM LIGHT UP. A MIRACLE THAT FEW MINUTE BEFORE I EXITED A HIGHWAY. A TOW TRUCK TOOK THE CAR AND IT HAS BEEN IN THE TOYOTA DEALER FOR THE PAST WEEK AND THEY DO NOT NOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR

THE STEERING WHEEL CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING.

THERE IS A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEED AND AFTER INSPECTING THE CV JOINT, I REALIZED THIS IS NOT A CV JOINT PROBLEM. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, I NOW REALIZE THIS NOISE IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE "INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT" WHICH NEEDS TO BE REPLACE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING RIGHT TURNS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL CLUNKING SOUND ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. ADAMS TOYOTA KANSAS CITY LOCATED AT 501 NE COLBERN RD, LEE'S SUMMIT, MO 64086, (816)358-7600, WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

POOR INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY! POPPING NOISE WITH CLUNKING FEEL IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS AND HITTING BUMPS. BEGAN AROUND 60,000 MILES AND HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE (NOW AT ABOUT 102,000 MILES) TOOK IN AT ONSET AND TOLD IT'S THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY. AS IT'S GETTING WORSE, IT'S STARTING TO FEEL VERY UNSAFE. THIS LOOKS TO BE A VERY FREQUENT ISSUE WHEN LOOKING INTO IT ONLINE. DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS NOT A RECALL! MY FAMILY IS TRUSTING TOYOTA AND NHTSA TO MAKE CORRECT DECISIONS FOR OUR SAFETY!

DEFECTIVE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. CLUNKING, ETC. SEEMS DANGEROUS, NO RECALL.... THIS IS ONE COMPLAINT TO ADD TO THE NUMEROUS OTHERS. TOYOTA, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS?

STEERING HAS POPPING AND CLICKING WHEN TURNING FROM A STOPPED POSITION. THE STEERING HAS ALWAYS SOUNDED LIKE IT'S STRAINING/HARD TO TURN. POPPING GETS WORSE AND MORE FREQUENTLY. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED LIKE IT HAS ON OTHER TOYOTA MODELS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN STEERING FAILURE. INTERMEDIATE SHAFT IS FAULTY ON MANY TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. FOR 2010 MODEL YEAR.

WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL A CLICKING NOISE IS HEARD. THERE IS A TSB OUT ON THIS PROBLEM WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION A NOISE WAS HEARD, AND A LOUD HUMMING NOISE IS COMING FROM THE REAR. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED TO FIND PROBLEM AND DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A TSB OUT ON THIS PROBLEM

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THERE IS A POPPING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE STEERING WHEEL CAN BE TURNED SLIGHTLY LEFT OR RIGHT AND THE NOISE IS HEARD.

CLUNK IN STEERING WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEED FROM STOP FOUND TO BE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT-REPLACED AT DEALER.GOOGLE SEARCH SHOW VERY COMMON IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT TOYOTA VEHICLES.

STEERING WHEEL WOULD EXHIBIT A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. DID NOT FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE. TOYOTA MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT WHICH HE RECOMMENDED REPLACING. TOYOTA KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE THEY ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) T-TT-0223-13 FOR THIS REPAIR. THERE IS ALSO AN NHTSA # 10062035 ON THIS SITUATION. TOYOTA SHOULD PAY FOR THIS COSTLY REPAIR SINCE I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED

I BOUGHT MY HIGHLANDER USED IN MARCH 2016. THE CAR HAS HAD THE CLUNKING NOISE SINCE I BOUGHT IT BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH TOYOTA. I BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT OF COURSE IT DOESN'T COVER THE DEFECT. I AM VERY UPSET BECAUSE I HAVE PAID FOR A WARRANTY THAT DOESN'T FIX WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. I ALSO FEEL LIKE IT FALLS ON THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SHOULD HAVE FIXED IT BEFORE SELLING. EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE I DON'T WANT IT TO BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE FUTURE. I DON'T FEEL LIKE I SHOULD HAVE TO COME OUT OF POCKET $650 TO FIX AN ISSUE THAT IS KNOWN WITH THE MANUFACTURER.

VERY COMMON PROBLEM IS BEING REPORTED IN ALL OF THE HIGHLANDERS OF 2008 FORWARD. AT LOW MILEAGE, THE STEERING COLUMN HAS A BEARING IN IT CALLED A STUB SHAFT BUT APPARENTLY GETS LOOSE LEAVING TO A CLUNK AND LOOSENESS IN THE STEERING. IT IS SO COMMON THAT OUR DEALER HAS TO KEEP MULTIPLE REPLACEMENT PARTS IN STOCK. PEOPLE ARE REPORTING THIS WITHIN THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY, MY CAR BEGAN TO DO IT AT ABOUT 60,000 MILES. IT IS A $700 REPAIR. LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IS POSSIBLE.

VEHICLE MAKES A POPPING NOISE WHEN YOU MAKE A TURN. NOISE CAN BE HEARD WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT AT ANY SPEED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND TSB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,800.

FROM A STOP WITH A TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION ON ANY SERVICE IN ANY WEATHER, AN AUDIBLE NOISE AND JOLTING VIBRATION TELEGRAPHS THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. FEELS LIKE A LOOSE PART THAT MAY SEPARATE IN THE STEERING ASSEMBLY AND RENDER THE VEHICLE UNCONTROLLABLE. FIRST RAISED WITH MOMENTUM/ FOWLER TOYOTA OF TULSA 6/14/14 WITH REFUSAL TO REPAIR AS A WARRANTY CLAIM @ 41430 MILES (DEALER WOULD NOT NOTE IN SERVICE CHECK-IN BUT PROMISED TO INSPECT). RAISED AGAIN WITH JIM NORTON TOYOTA THAT WOULD NOT INSPECT WITHOUT THE PAYMENT OF A $100 INSPECTION FEE @ 60459 MILES. NOT SURE OF SAFETY IMPLICATIONS BUT CONCERNED THAT FAILURE OF THE STEERING SHAFT COULD OCCUR. NO REPAIR MADE TO DATE SINCE WARRANTY AND/OR SAFETY ISSUES COULD NOT BE RESOLVED. NOTED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IN OTHER NHTSA COMPLAINTS FOR 2010 HIGHLANDERS.

WHEN STEERING EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT DURING FORWARD OR REVERSE MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE, THERE'S A LOUD CLUNK NOISE. *TR

THREE TIMES REPORTED FEELING A RATTLE IN THE STEERING ON RIGHT TURN LN ROUGH ROAD TO TOYOTA SERVICE DEPT. THREE TIMES THEY DENY SAYING 3 PEOPLE (INCLUDING THE SERVICE MANAGER) DROVE IT AND DIDN'T FEEL ANYTHING. I TOLD THEM THAT WHEN THERE'S MORE WEIGHT ON THE FRONT END, LIKE BRAKING DOWNHILL AND TURNING RIGHT CAN FEEL IT MORE. BUT THE TESTED ON FLAT GROUND IN THE AREA OF MOTOR IMPORTS DOWNTOWN HONOLULU. I EVEN REPORTED IN EARLIER SERVICING THAT THE CAR DRIFTS FROM SIDE TO SIDE ON THE FREEWAY. AS IF THE STEERING IS LOOSE. AND THEY TEST DROVE AND SAID IT WAS FINE. THIS IS THE LAST DAY OF MY WARRANTY AND I GOOGLED THE PROBLEM TO FIND OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND EVEN A DIAGRAM OF THE FIX ON: HTTP://WWW.UNDERHOODSERVICE.COM/ARTICLE/110175/TECH_TIPS_TOYOTA_TACOMA_MAKES_RATTLING_NOISES_ON_ROUGH_ROADS.ASPX . THIS SHOWS THAT IN 2012 THEY FIXED IT ON SOME TOYOTA'S: A NEWLY DESIGNED STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT (P/N 45220-04020) HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THIS CONDITION, BUT THAT'S 2012. MY CAR IS A 2010 BEFORE THE FIX. THE SOLUTION IS TO INSTALL A STEERING WHEEL HOLDER. OTHER REPORTS AT HTTP://WWW.EDMUNDS.COM/TOYOTA/VENZA/2009/CONSUMER-REVIEWS/2009-VENZA-STEERING-COLUMN-RATTLE.HTML?STYLE=101109188&SUB=&REVIEWID=4641729. SHOW THAT THE PROBLEM IS ABOUT $1500 TO FIX AND SOMEBODY EVEN HAD A STEERING COLUMN FAILURE. *TR

I'D STOPPED ON THE RESIDENTIAL STREET TO LET A CAR PASS. AFTER THE CAR PASSED, I ATTEMPTED TO PULL UP ALONG THE CURB TO PARK, BUT THE CAR ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND AND THE STEERING DID NOT SEEM TO RESPOND. THE SPACE BETWEEN ACCELERATION AND IMPACT WAS 10-15 FEET. IT'S LIKE THE CAR HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN, AND I HAD NO CONTROL. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WAS SMASHED, THE HOOD WAS SMASHED, FRONT BUMPER AND PASSENGER SIDE FENDER WERE ALSO SMASHED. THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED THE CAR WAS THE TREE. ONCE IT STOPPED, I SIMPLY TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEY TOLD ME TO TOW IT TO SAN FRANCISCO TOYOTA FOR MECHANICAL INSPECTION. I CALLED SAN FRANCISCO TOYOTA AND SAID THAT I WAS TOWING MY CAR DOWN AND WAS TOLD THEY'D BE WAITING FOR IT. LATER THAT DAY I RECEIVED A CALL FROM DON'S AUTOBODY TELLING ME THEY HAD MY CAR. I CONFIRMED WITH SF TOYOTA AND THEY SAID THEY SENT THE CAR THERE AND THE AUTO BODY WORK HAD TO BE DONE PRIOR TO A MECHANICAL INSPECTION. ON 4/15/13, I WAS INFORMED THE CAR HAD BEEN REPAIRED AND WAS SENT TO SF TOYOTA. I REPEATEDLY CALLED SF TOYOTA TO SEE IF THEY HAD FOUND ANY MECHANICAL DEFECTS. ON 4/16/13, I WAS CONTACTED BY DON'S AUTOBODY AND TOLD THAT TOYOTA REFUSED TO INSPECT THE CAR. SINCE WE DON'T KNOW IF THE CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE, THE PERSON FROM THE AUTOBODY SHOP SUGGESTED WE CALL TOYOTA USA. TOYOTA USA OPENED A CASE AND HAS ENLISTED BILL FROM ENGINEERING ANALYTICS TO INSPECT THE CAR. BILL PLANS TO INSPECT THE CAR ON 4/30/13. HE WILL COLLECT DATA AND SEND IT TO TOYOTA. TOYOTA SAID THEY'LL REVIEW THE DATA AND WILL MAIL US THE RESULTS WITHIN 30 BUSINESS DAYS. WHEN WE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT TOYOTA WAITED 6 WEEKS TO LOOK AT OUR CAR (WHICH THE AUTOBODY SAID THEY'VE DRIVEN), TOYOTA HAD NO COMMENT. *TR