2014 Toyota Camry

There is a steering damper that is used in the electric steering box on many Toyota models. The damper breaks down and the vehicles develop a clunk from the steering column. I don't find any recall for this problem. Toyota cannot tell me if there is a safety issue when the damper breaks down or if it is merely an annoyance from the clunking noise. There are many YouTube videos showing the replacement of the damper. Since these steering dampers commonly fail, it seems important to know if there is a safety issue.

The contact owns 2014 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH or above, the vehicle was shuddering with a whining sound coming from the front-end of the vehicle. The contact stated that the ECO light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who had previously updated the ECM software under a Warranty Enhancement Program. The failure persisted. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 55,069.

The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and the steering shifted to the driver’s side abruptly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the vehicle experienced steering wheel balancer failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Car has been vibrating anytime it goes above 40-45 mph. Mechanic recommended to change the cv axle which I did and I still have same problem. On highways it shakes so much that sometimes it feels like I may loose control of my steering wheel. There's a knocking sound while going on bumps and speed breakers. Check engine light came twice and it was reset by saying its false positive.

While driving at highway speeds the steering seems to "stick" a little. I would explain it as the front end seems to pull from side to side, and then the drive wheels seen to stick so you have to fight with the steering wheel to get the vehicle to maintain lane travel. The dash lights came on that same night when this started. Maintenance req, airbag, seatbelt, battery, brake, low tire pressure, and traction Control lights all came on. They remain on and have not gone off.

JUST ABOUT COMPLETELY STOPPED AT STOP SIGN AT END OF STREET - WITHOUT WARNING CAR ACCELERATED EXTREMELY FAST, CROSSED 2-LANE STREET - DROVE INTO CHURCH PARKING LOT ON AN INCLINE TURNED AND BACK ACROSS THE 2-LANE STREET AND MY VEHICLE HIT NEIGHBOR'S TRUCK HEAD ON. BOTH CARS TOTALLED. HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OF STEERING AND BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. POLICE TOOK REPORT - MY PASSENGER AND I TOLD THE SAME SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AS WELL AS A NEIGHBOR WHO SAW EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED. EVERY SINGLE AIRBAG WENT OFF.

STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT RETURN TO CENTER AFTER RIGHT TURNS EVERY TIME. IT HAPPENS IN WET OR DRY CONDITIONS. IT HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED AND ANY ANGLE OF TURN. THE PROBLEM IS TOO INTERMITTENT TO REPRODUCE. THERE IS A POP OR GRIND IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE IN A TURN AND FORCING THE WHEEL BACK TO CENTER. THE POP HAPPENS IN LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS AFTER THE WHEEL HAS TURNED FULLY IN EITHER DIRECTION AND HAS TO BE FORCED TO RETURN TO CENTER. THE POP IS ALSO INTERMITTENT AND CANNOT BE REPRODUCED ON DEMAND. BOTH PROBLEMS ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT BUT NOT ENOUGH TO REPRODUCE FOR REPAIR ACCORDING TO TOYOTA OF AMERICA. THE PROBLEM ALSO HAPPENS IN WET OR DRY CONDITION AND ANY TEMPERATURE FROM FLORIDA TO VIRGINIA.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC POWER ASSIST INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. WHILE REVERSING, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND MADE A SQUEAKING NOISE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED TO VISIT A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V144000 (STEERING). THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 201,000.

SIRIUS XM RADIO HAS A RADIO DEVICE FOR CARS THAT DO NOT HAVE A BUILT IN XM RADIO. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT COMES WITH A 20 FOOT CORD. IT IS MEANT TO BE PLACED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CORD GOES THROUGH THE CAR AND IS PLACED ON TOP OF THE CAR. MY CORD GOT STUCK IN MY STEERING WHEEL AND SNAPPED THE CLOCK SPRING. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM AS ALL MY CAPABILITIES WERE RESTRICTED. MY HORN, AIRBAG AND CONTROLS WERE NOT OPERABLE. THIS WAS BECAUSE THE CLOCK SPRING GOT SEVERED. IT IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION.