2000 Toyota Sienna Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT STEERING SHAFT JOINT FLEX COUPLING HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

I WAS TRAVELING TO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS ON I 540 ROUNDING LEFT A CURVE AND MY STEERING DID NOT RESPOND UNTIL TURNING IT A HALF OF A TURN MORE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT RETURN TO CENTER. I FOUND A DOCUMENT ON THE NHTSA ODI ACTION NUMBER PE99-070 INDICATING OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS SIMILAR PROBLEM. I ALMOST WENT OFF THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN. I TOOK IT TO A FIRESTONE SHOP AND THE REPLACED LOWER BALL JOINTS, INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD ENDS AND SAID IT WAS "TIGHT". I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT RETURNING THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS AND ASKED FOR A THOROUGH CHECK. THEY SAID IT WAS AS GOOD AS NEW AND SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY OTHER PROBLEMS. THE FIRST MAJOR LEFT TURN ON THE WAY HOME HAD THE SAME RESULTS. I TOOK IT TO FIRESTONE IN MY HOMETOWN AND THEY SAID THE RACK AND PINION BUSHINGS WERE DEFECTIVE AND THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED COSTING ME $900. I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE AND IF I HAD NOT BEEN THE ONLY ONE ON THE ROAD WOULD MOST CERTAINLY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE THE INVESTIGATION TO BE RE-OPENED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH RIGHT TIE ROD END SEPARATED AT THE BALL JOINT. THIS RESULTED IN LOST OF STEERING. WHEN THIS OCCURRED CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE AND BRING IT TO A COMPLETE STOP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC. *AK

TO DATE MY SIENNA HAS 25,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAD THE TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACED AT 200 MILES, THE BATTERY REPLACED BECAUSE IT WENT DEAD FOR NO APPARENT REASON WITHIN A YEAR, THE REAR STRUTS ON THE HATCH HAVE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE LIGHTS ON THE CONSOLE BLEW OUT, THE TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED AT 25,000 MILES DUE TO BEING OUT OF ALIGNMENT, VEHICLE PULLS TO LEFT CONSISTENTLY, SHAKES AT SPEEDS OVER 60 MPH, SLIDING DOORS CONSISTENTLY STICK, PRONOUNCED CLUNK WHEN GOING IN REVERSE DOWN A SLIGHT INCLINE I AM SURE THERE IS MORE TO COME. DT

LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER REPLACED ALL STEERING PARTS & TIRES. STILL PULLS SEVERELY TO LEFT. IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF PULLING PROBLEM.

PROBLEMS WITH TIRE WEAR, TRANSMISSION AND POWER STEERING PUMP. THE VEHICLE IS ON IT'S FOURTH SET OF TIRES AT 45,000 MILES DUE TO TRACKING PROBLEM. THERE WAS A WHINE COMING FROM THE TORQUE CONVERTER PUMP. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL ON THREE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER NEVER MENTIONED THERE WAS EARLY SLUDGE BUILDING UP IN THE OIL. THE ENGINE MADE NOISE AND VIBRATED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *MR *CB *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING, STEERING WHEEL LOCKS-UP CAUSING LOST OF CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*JB