2007 Toyota Tacoma

I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING BECOMING STIFF AT TIMES WHEN TURNING THE WHEELS EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT. I TOOK IT IN AND I WAS TOLD THAT THEY LUBRICATED THE UNIVERSAL JOINT; HOWEVER, THAT DID NOT RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. I'VE HAD THE POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED; BUT, THIS PROBLEM ISN'T THE SAME AS WHAT WAS HAPPENING THE THE PUMP NEEDED REPLACEMENT.

I EXPERIENCED A BAD SMELL IN THE CABIN, PARTICULARLY WHEN FIRST SWITCHING ON THE IGNITION, WHICH CAUSES THE CABIN AIR FAN TO START RUNNING. I CHECKED THE CABIN AIR FILTER. THERE WERE RAT FECES IN THE PLEATS OF THE FILTER, A SMELL OF RAT URINE, AND THERE WAS FOAM MATERIAL FROM THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. PRESUMABLY THE RATS HAD BEEN CHEWING IT TO MAKE A NEST. THEY HAD ALSO BEEN CHEWING ON THE FILTER MATERIAL. THE LOCAL TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE SAID TOYOTA USA WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME. I REMOVED THE COWL AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CABIN AIR INTAKE IS OPEN TO THE SPACE UNDER THE COWL. I FOUND THAT THAT THE TOP OF THE COWL IS DRAINED BY HOLES WHERE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER DRIVE SHAFTS GO THROUGH THE COWL. THE WATER COLLECTS IN THE SPACE UNDER THE COWL, WHICH IN TURN IS DRAINED THROUGH LARGE DRAIN HOLES AT BOTH ENDS, DOWN INTO THE FENDERS ABOVE THE WHEEL WELLS, AND TO THE GROUND. I THINK THE RATS WERE GETTING UNDER THE COWL AND INTO THE CABIN AIR INTAKE THROUGH ONE OR MORE OF THESE HOLES. I CLEANED THE BLOWER FAN ASSEMBLY, THE CABIN AIR INTAKE, AND THE INSIDE OF THE COWL, AND REPLACED THE CABIN AIR FILTER. I MADE SCREENS FROM INCH MESH TO KEEP THE RATS OUT OF THE SPACE UNDER THE COWL. I INSTALLED THEM ON BOTH SIDES. I ALSO MADE AND INSTALLED A SCREEN OVER THE CABIN AIR INTAKE TO KEEP RATS OUT IF THEY SOMEHOW GET AROUND THE SIDE SCREENS. I HAVE HAD NO MORE PROBLEMS SO FAR. SINCE RATS CARRY DISEASE, I CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUE FOR ALL THE OTHER OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES. I AM FORWARDING THIS INFORMATION IN THE HOPE THAT YOU CAN PRESSURE TOYOTA USA TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND CORRECT THIS ISSUE FOR ALL OWNERS.

CORROSION ISSUES WITH TOYOTA. HAD MY VEHICLE CHASSIS INSPECTED PER A NOTIFICATION RECEIVED IN 2016. DEALER INDICATED "NOMINAL". I VIEWED MY CHASSIS SOON THEREAFTER AND NOTICED METAL SEPARATION. I REPORTED THIS TO TOYOTA.COM AND RECEIVED NOTHING. I NOW HAVE A PIECE OF METAL WHOSE WELD BROKE DUE TO CORROSION. I WAS GIVEN AN UPDATED LETTER BY MY LOCAL INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. I NEVER RECEIVED THIS AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY TREATMENT TO MY CHASSIS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, PARTICULARLY SINCE WELDS ARE BREAKING DUE TO CORROSION. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE JULY 2016. PICTURES WERE TAKEN IN 2016, WITHIN 3-4 WEEKS OF THE ALLEGED DEALER INSPECTION.

STEERING HAD INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS. ONE DAY IT WAS FINE AND THE NEXT FELT LIKE THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. AFTER TURNING A CORNER, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT RETURN TO THE CENTER POSITION WITHOUT CONSIDERABLE FORCE AND ONLY AFTER HITTING THE CURB. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE LOWER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT OF THE STEERING ASSEMBLY HAD A U-JOINT THAT SEIZED AND WAS CLOSE TO BREAKING OFF BEFORE I COULD GET IT REPLACED.

THE U JOINTS ON MY 2007 TOYOTA TACOMA DETERIORATED TO THE POINT IN WHICH I WAS FORCED TO REPLACE THEM, MULTIPLE TIMES. THIS ISSUE WITH THE U-JOINTS HAS NOW LED TO AN INCREASE DETERIORATION IN MY DRIVE SHAFT AS WELL. RECENTLY, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER STATING THERE WAS A RECENT RECALL ON THE ABOVE DESCRIBED U-JOINTS. UPON TAKING MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME SEVERAL DIFFERENT STORIES. IN THE BEGINNING, MY DRIVE SHAFT WAS SUPPOSEDLY JUST FINE AND IN NEED OF NO REPAIRS; THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD STILL REPLACE THE U-JOINTS IN QUESTION. LATER ON THEY CHANGED THEIR STORY TO THE DRIVE SHAFT NEEDING TO BE REPLACED COMPLETELY DUE TO WEAR ON THE ITEM FROM THE FAULTY U JOINTS. AFTER EXPLAINING BACKGROUND INFORMATION THEY TOLD ME I WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE DRIVE SHAFT TO BE REPLACED FOR FREE; BLAMING THE DAMAGE ON A PREVIOUS MECHANIC WHO HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR HIMSELF FOR OVER 35 YEARS. NOW, AS I AM WRITING THIS COMPLAINT, MY VEHICLE SITS AT THE DEALERSHIP, WITH ME UNABLE TO UTILIZE IT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY NOW SAY THEY WILL NOT PUT THE DRIVE SHAFT BACK ON AND I WILL HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO GET IT TOWED. THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT I AM NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RECALL STATUS, THEY WILL NOT PUT MY DRIVE SHAFT BACK INTO MY VEHICLE, AND THEY ARE COSTING ME AND MY FAMILY A LOT OF MONEY DUE TO THE FACT THAT MY VEHICLE IS MY LIVELYHOOD.

LAST WEEK I NOTICED TIGHTNESS IN THE STEERING OF MY 07 TOYOTA TACOMA INTERMITTENTLY. IT PROGRESSIVELY WORSENED AND AT TIMES WOULD BE VERY "JERKY". YESTERDAY IT WAS TIGHT NEARLY MY ENTIRE WAY TO WORK. I CALLED AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT CHECKED. ON MY WAY TO THE REPAIR SHOP, AS I WAS TURNING OUT OF A PARKING LOT, THE TRUCK STARTED TO TURN FINE BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN GOT VERY STIFF AND JERKED. I WASN'T EXPECTING IT AND ALMOST HIT A MAILBOX . THE QUOTE FOR MY REPAIR, WHICH INCLUDES A LOWER STEERING SHAFT, COUPLER, BOLTS AND REQUIRED ALIGNMENT, IS $820.00. AS I WAS LOOKING ONLINE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WAS A LEGITIMATE PRICING QUOTE, I NOTICED THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE TOYOTA TACOMA BETWEEN THE YEARS OF 005-2014. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL ISSUED.

LOWER STEERING SHAFT 4520304021 SEIZED. REPAIR COST IS SIGNIFICANT $400 PLUS. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS ITEM IS A NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEM LIKE BRAKES OR BELTS. NOT TO MENTION IF IT SEIZES WHILE DRIVING COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT OR FATALITY. MINE HAS NOT SEIZED BUT IS CAUSING MUCH HARDER THAN NORMAL STEERING EFFORT. THERE IS NO WARNING PRIOR TO IT SEIZING. PLEASE ADVISE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON AND OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LA ROCHE TOYOTA IN FINDLAY OHIO WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXTERNAL AIR BAG SENSOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BUMPER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.