2011 Toyota Venza Steering Problems

WHILE I WAS TRYING TO TURN INTO THE DRIVEWAY OF A RELATIVE APARTMENT, THE STEERING WHEEL GOT REALLY TIGHT AND EVENTUALLY LOCKED UP GIVING VERY LITTLE TO NO TIME TO PULL OVER FOR SAFETY. THE ENGINE THEN SHUTS DOWN. I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW DANGEROUS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING 65MPH PLUS ON A FREEWAY. I'VE HAD THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON ME BEFORE WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED AND ENGINE OFF, AND I WAS ABLE TO GET IT UNLOCKED BY MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH. HOWEVER, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME AND A SCARY ONE WHERE THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL MOVING. I WAS LUCKY WE WERE AT A RESIDENTIAL AREA WHEN THIS HAPPENED. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A FREEWAY WHERE OTHER CARS ARE ZOOMING BY, HOW DANGEROUS IS IT TO HAVE A VEHICLE TO ALL OF A SUDDEN LOCKS ITSELF UP AND SHUTS DOWN GIVING PRACTICALLY NO TIME TO PULL OVER? I SHOULD MENTION THOUGH THAT THE BATTERY LIGHT DID JUST COME ON ABOUT TWO AND HALF TO THREE HOURS BEFORE THE INCIDENT HAPPEN. EVEN SO, I DON'T THINK IT'S NORMAL OR SAFE FOR SUCH A SHORT WARNING PERIOD.

MY 2011 TOYOTA VENZA WITH ONLY 10,000 MILEAGE HAD A ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILURE AS I EXITED I695 TOWARDS TOWSON, MARYLAND. AS I TURNED ONTO THE EXIT I LOST MY ABILITY TO TURN MY STEERING WHEEL. HAD THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 10 MINUTES EARLIER ON THE SHARP CURVE FROM I95 TO I695, I MAY HAVE CRASHED. FORTUNATELY I DROVE STRAIGHT TO SAFETY TO A PARKING LOT. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ADVISED ME THE POWER STEERING ECU FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PART WAS ORDERED AND I WILL PICK UP MY VEHICLE TONIGHT, 9/13/13. SINCE MY VENZA WAS STILL UNDER MANUFACTURER WARRANTY UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2014, I WAS ADVISED THE CAR MAKER WOULD COVER COST. HEY ALSO PERFORMED MY 10,000 SERVICE. I WAS SHOCKED THIS DANGEROUS STEERING COMPUTER FAILURE HAPPENED BECAUSE I HAVE MAINTAINED REGULAR MAINTENANCE AS DEALERSHIP REQUIRED, IT IS SAFELY STORED IN MY GARAGE ALL WORK WEEK DAYS AND I ONLY DRIVE IT ON THE WEEKENDS, BASICALLY. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW SO I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER TOO. *TR

THE TOYOTA VENZA 2011 HAS PROBLEMS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE INSIDE THE CAR IS AT HIGH. THE ABS LIGHT TURN ON MAKING IT HARD TO STEER. THE TRACTION LOST CONTROL LIGHT ALSO TURNS ON. A RED STEERING WHEEL LIGHT TURNS ON. ONCE ALL THESE LIGHTS ARE ON, THEN THE AC DOES NOT WORK AND THE HEAT DOESN'T WORK EITHER. IN THE WINTER WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS AT HIGH, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURS. IN THE SUMMER THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURS ONLY THE SUN HEATS UP THE CAR CAUSING THE SAME WARNING LIGHT COME ON AND THEN I CAN'T GET ANY AIR CONDITIONING AGAIN. I'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR MANY YEARS. WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO TRY TO FIX IT BUT THEY HAVEN'T FIXED ANYTHING. THEY JUST CHARGED UP TO $700 AND THEY HAVEN'T FIXED ANYTHING. THEY DID A COMPUTER RESETS AND COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS HAVE TRIED TO FIX IT BUT NONE OF THEM ARE ABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. ALSO, WHEN THE AC IS ON DURING THE HEAT UP THE ENGINE FANS THAT COOL OFF THE ENGINE STOP WORKING. OUR CARS ENGINE STOPPED ALL OF THE SUDDEN REALLY RECENTLY WHEN IT WAS REALLY HOT. FROM AN AUCTION.

SEATS RUBBED ON CONSOLE. STRONG ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL. DRIVERS SIDE HEATED SEATS NO LONGER OPERATE. WHEN IN REVERSE AND TURNING STEERING WHEEL LOUD SQUEALING NOISE AND THUMPING UNTIL PLACED IN DRIVE. WENT TO SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS WHO SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR FELL DOWN AND BLOCKED ABILITY TO SEE WHEN DRIVING.