2013 Toyota Highlander Steering Problems

When I turn the steering faster than a certain speed, it will lock up for a moment, either turning right or left. Sometimes a light indicating a steering fault lights up on the dash cluster, sometimes not. When the turning of the wheel stops and locks up I cannot turn any more in that direction. I can turn the other way. This has been a problem for sometime and is becoming now worse. Aside from the locking up, justing turning slowly, there is a bit of a whine or low level grind sound in the sound of the steering column. This is a mechanical noise, not the typical whine of the steering pump.

- The car was purchased in 2015 used and the steering wheel has made a clunking sound when turning a hard sharp left or right since the day of purchase -While on a road trip of approximately 3,000 miles round trip in June 2021 the steering wheel was adjusted to accommodate my husband's height. It became very loose, with it finally dropping into my husband's lap on the last day of our trip-it was difficult to steer the car -We brought the car in to our dealership the following day where they confirmed we needed a new steering column-the car has not been involved in any accidents nor have the air bags employed -Other than the "clunking" sound there has never been any previous warning that the steering wheel would disengage while driving.

THERE ARE SOUNDS WHEN SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING, INCLUDING POPING OR SOMETIMES LIKE A WHIRLING SOUND. THE STEERING IS A BIT STIFF SOMETIMES AND NOT EASY TO TURN THE WHEELS, THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AT ANY SPECIFIC SPEED. I DO NOT HAVE ANY PICTURE OR OTHER DOCUMENT I CAN UPLOAD AS THIS IS NOT PHYSICAL DAMAGE THAT CAN BE PHOTOGRAPHED.

Steering column cracks, no help from Dealer. Many complaints on internet. Remedy requires expensive new steering column. Defective spindle type bearing defective. The noise is ongoing. It feels like its going to break. Very scary...ongoing doesn't stop. Dealer says wont break just replace if you want to... Toyota Service bulletin #T-SB-0034-13 details steering column replacement fix issued on this. I have it. Dealer denies simple joint grease kit maintenance option.

'THUNK'/POPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. WAS TOLD TO REPLACE THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT, AND LEARNED THAT A NEW ONE WAS DEVELOPED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM IN 2013 BUT NO RECALL OR SAFETY NOTICE WAS SENT TO OWNERS.

MY STEERING MAKES A CLUNKING SOUND, WHICH YOU CAN ACTUALLY FEEL IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN IT OCCURS, WHEN TURNING EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. IT IS INCREASING IN OCCURRENCE AND INTENSITY. IT OCCURS AT ANY SPEED. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY LUBRICATED SOMETHING, SAYING THERE WAS NO DANGER. SHOULD IT BECOME WORSE BRING IT BACK. IT'S GOING BACK!

CLUNKING NOISE FROM FRONT END WHEN TURNING WHEELS, APPEARED AT APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES. TOOK TO SHOP FOR REPAIRS, AND WAS DIAGNOSED AS INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS SO LOOSE HE COULD MANIPULATE IT WITH HIS HAND AND WAS CLOSE TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.

RE: INVESTIGATION EA18006. MY CAR HAS BEEN MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND IN THE STEERING COLUMN DURING SLOW TURNS TO THE RIGHT SO I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND NUMEROUS DISCUSSIONS AND ARTICLES TALKING ABOUT A 'KNOWN' ISSUE WITH THE STEERING COLUMN. ONE ARTICLE LED ME TO YOUR INVESTIGATION. WHILE AT THE DEALER YESTERDAY, I EXPLAINED THE ISSUE AND ASKED THEM TO INVESTIGATE. THEY SAID FOR $70 THEY CAN LOOK INTO IT. GIVEN I CONSIDER STEERING A CRITICAL SYSTEM, I PROTESTED THE SERVICE CHARGE AND THEIR ONLY RESPONSE WAS THEY COULD DO A 'VISUAL' INSPECTION FOR FREE BUT IT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT DEEPLY TO DIAGNOSE PROPERLY. I HAD THEM PROCEED AND THEY CAME BACK WITH A SUGGESTION THAT THE STEERING COLUMN BE REPLACED. I ASKED IF IT WAS A SAFETY CONCERN AND WAS TOLD 'YES IT WILL BE AT SOME POINT'. OBVIOUSLY, I HAD THEM REPLACE IT BUT FEEL THAT IF THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE HERE, THEY SHOULD BE PROACTIVE AND REPLACE THESE STEERING COLUMNS ON ALL AFFECTED PRODUCTS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. I SENT A CONCERN TO TOYOTA AS WELL BUT WANTED TO ADD THIS TO YOUR ACTIVE INVESTIGATION RECORD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING, A CLUNKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. IN ADDITION, WHILE MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS OR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THE NOISE GREW LOUDER. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT A FAILURE CODE COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,493.

CAR HAS ONLY 53K MILES AND I AM BEING TOLD I NEED TO REPLACE MY INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. DUE TO KNOCKING SOUNDS. I AM WORRIED IF IT WILL RESULT IN THE STEERING WHEEL FALLING OFF OR WORSE

I HAVE HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN TURNING MY VEHICLE EITHER WAYFOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. WHILE IN FOR REGULAR SERVICE TODAY, I ASKED DEALER TO CHECK THE NOISE. THIS IS A 2013 WITH 60K MILES ON IT; PURCHASED CERTIFIED USED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. SERVICE TECH TELLS ME IT IS RELATED TO THE STEERING COLUMN, WHICH WILL COST OVER $2000 TO REPAIR. HE CAN'T/ WON'T TELL ME THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS ISSUE, SAYING MAYBE IT IS "JUST A NOISE". WHEN I QUESTION THAT THIS SEEMS LIKE AN UNUSUALLY EXPENSIVE REPAIR AT 60K MILES, HE DOES NOT REALLY RESPOND. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALS THAT THIS IS AN EXTENSIVE ISSUE IMPACTING MANY 2008-2013 HIGHLANDERS. TOYOTA HAS GONE SO FAR AS TO HAVE PUT OUT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THIS ISSUE. IT ALSO APPEARS THIS ISSUE IS BEING "INVESTIGATED" BY SAFETY BOARD. STEERING IS A CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENT OF A VEHICLE (OBVIOUSLY). NOT ONLY HAS THIS NOT BEEN MADE AN OFFICIAL RECALL BY TOYOTA, I WAS NOT INFORMED AT TIME OF PURCHASING THIS CERTIFIED VEHICLE OF THIS ISSUE, NOR WAS I TOLD TODAY BY SERVICE THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE.

I GOT HIT BY A DRUNK DRIVER WHILE I WAS AT AN INTERSECTION STATIONARY. I WAS WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND AN ONCOMING CAR GOING 35 MPH CROSSED LANES AND CRASHED INTO ME. IT WAS A BAD ACCIDENT, BOTH CARS INVOLVED TOTALLED.I HAD 4 OTHER PASSENGERS IN THE CAR, AND NO AIRBAGS WENT OFF. I RECEIVED HEAD INJURIES (A LOT OF DIZZINESS), NECK AND BACK INJURIES. *DT*JB

I STARTED FEELING A CLICKING/CLUNKING FEELING IN THE STEERING COLUMN A MONTH AGO, ESPECIALLY WHEN I MADE TURNS. I WAS ALSO ABLE TO FEEL THAT THE STEERING WHEEL HAS STARTED TO GET LOOSER. ON 2/8/19 TOYOTA RECOMMENDED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT BE REPLACED. I HAD THIS PART REPLACED FOR $428. THERE'S 58,254 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THIS IS MY 3RD TOYOTA VEHICLE IN 30 YEARS AND I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS IN THE PAST. I UNDERSTAND THE NEW SHAFT MAY HAVE AN IMPROVED DESIGN I HOPE SO IT DOES NOT OCCUR AGAIN. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL TO REPLACE THIS PART. DOES THERE NEED TO BE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR EVEN SOMEONE GETTING KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT??

CLUNKING NOISE FROM STEERING WHEEL. INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED POSSIBILITY OF STEERING WHEEL COMING OFF RESULTING IN ACCIDENT. THIS COULD BE A SEVERE PROBLEM AND NEEDS A RECALL.

WHEN I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL GOING VERY SLOW OR STATIONARY MY STEERING WHEEL MAKES A POPPING SOUNDS AND MY MECHANIC SAYS IT'S THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. ITS GETTING WORSE AS I'M PUTTING MILES ON IT. SINCE IT'S A STEERING COMPONENT, IT'S A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE SINCE IF IT FAILS I WILL LOOSE COMPLETE CONTROL OF MY CAR.

VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A CLUNKING NOISE 3 DAYS AGO. BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. WAS INFORMED IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND IT WOULD COST $507 IN REPAIRS. AFTER READING MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE IT ACTUALLY IS MAKING ME A LITTLE CONCERNED.I HAVE ALWAYS OWNED TOYOTA'S AND NEVER HAVE HAD ANY ISSUES. MY MILEAGE IS 65,887 I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED. I NOTICED A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WHEN I MADE LEFT HAND TURNS OR IF THERE WAS A SPEED BUMP OR A DIP. THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO DIDN'T FEEL THE SAME EITHER ALMOST LIKE IT'S LOOSE. I'VE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR APPROX 1 YEAR OURCAHSED CERTIFIED PRE OWNED. THE DEALERSHIP REALLY FRUSTRATED ME TODAY AND NOW I QUESTION EVEN KEEPING THIS VEHICLE. IF THIS SHAFT PLANS ON GOING OUT EVERY 30-60K MILES ID RATHER DUMP IT AND GET A DIFFERENT VEHICLE.

AROUND A YEAR AGO, AT APPROXIMATELY 58000 MILES, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A KNOCKING SOUND AND STEERING VIBRATION WHEN I TURNED IN EITHER DIRECTION AT LOW SPEED IN CITY DRIVING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR EVALUATION AT RICE TOYOTA. THE TECHNICIANS COULD NOT HEAR ANYTHING. I TOOK IT BACK AT 61,118 IN FEBRUARY 2018 AS THE STEERING HAD GOTTEN WORSE, NOW LOOSE AND SLOPPY FEELING AT ANY SPEED. THEY COULD HEAR/FEEL IT THIS TIME AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MOTOR AND TO JUST "TURN THE RADIO UP". I WAS READY TO TRADE THE VEHICLE IN, AS I FELT UNSAFE DRIVING IT ANYMORE, BUT KNEW I COULDN'T IN IT'S CURRENT CONDITION.I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT OTHERS WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. THERE WAS EVEN A TSB (BULLETIN T-SB-0034-13) ISSUED ON 4/26/17 REGARDING THE STEERING PINION SHAFT. AFTER I FELT THAT I COULDN'T DRIVE THIS CAR IT ANYMORE, I RETURNED TO RICE TOYOTA ONCE AGAIN ON 11/24/18 AT 67,770 MILES AND THE REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. "IMMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED" FOR A TOTAL OF $588.23. THE VEHICLE NOW DRIVES BETTER, HOWEVER, I HAVE LOST FAITH IN IT , AS WELL AS TOYOTA. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO TO BE ADDRESSED FOR THE SAFETY OF ANYONE DRIVING A 2008-2013 HIGHLANDER.

I STARTED HEARING A POPPING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER AS TIME WENT ON ESPECIALLY WHEN I MADE TURNS. ON 11/07/18 TOYOTA RECENTLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS AN INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT AND I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET IT FIXED AT THE DEALER FOR $584.92. THERE'S 57,665 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I CAN VISIBLY SEE THERE'S SLACK IN THE STEERING SHAFT WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE RACK AND PINION. II AM A 65 YEAR OLD WOMAN WHO BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW AND DROVE IT VERY GENTLY. I UNDERSTAND THE NEW SHAFT MAY HAVE AN IMPROVED DESIGN I HOPE SO IT DOES NOT OCCUR AGAIN. IT'S VERY CONCERNING IF I LOST CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. I WOULD THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GET'S HURT.

MY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT STEERING COLUMN NOISES, PLAY, LOOSENESS AND FEEDBACK THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. IT IS DESCRIBED IN A SERVICE BULLETIN: TSB-0034-13 I HAVE 97,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND THE PLAY IS BECOMING MORE NOTICEABLE AS MILEAGE INCREASES. IT IS VERY DISAPPOINTING THAT TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND ISSUED THE TSB BEFORE I PURCHASED IT NEW. HOW ARE OWNERS SUPPOSED TO BE NOTIFIED ABOUT THESE THINGS WHILE UNDER WARRANTY?

STARTED HEARING A LOUD POPPING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE STEERING WHEEL OR PEDALS. NOISE BECAME LOUDER AS TIME WENT ON ESPECIALLY WHEN I MADE TURNS. TOYOTA RECENT DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS AN INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. WAS ORIGINALL TOLD IT MIGHT BE A RACK AND PINION PROBLEM. HOPEFULLY THAT THIS DOESN'T NOW TURN INTO SOMETHING ELSE. THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER MY POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. VERY UPSET.