2004 Toyota Avalon steering problems

“AIR BAG DASHBOARD LIGHT OCCASIONALLY FLICKERS AND BEGINS TO GLOW FOR A FEW SECONDS. SEEMS TO OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY IN WET WEATHER. MY STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK WHEN I TURN LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE DRIVING. REVERSED BACKWARDS A LITTLE BIT AND WIGGLED THE STEERING WHEEL, IT WOULDN'T BUDGE THEN I WENT FORWARD AND WIGGLED AND IT FINALLY LOOSENED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES AND USUALLY IN WET WEATHER. MY CAR IS LISTED IN THE AIR BAG RECALL OF 2015; HOWEVER, I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF WHAT TO DO NEXT AND IT HAS NOW BEEN MORE THAN 3 YEARS SINCE FIRST NOTIFICATION.”

“MY STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK WHEN I TURN LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE DRIVING ..THIS MORNING I WAS JUST STARTING MY CAR AND WAS TURNING LEFT AND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I WENT UP THE SIDEWALK AND ALMOST HIT THE FENCE AND I COULDN'T MOVE IT I REVERSED BACKWARDS A LITTLE BIT AND WIGGLE THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT WOULDN'T BUDGE THEN I WENT FORWARD AND WIGGLED AND IT FINALLY LOOSENED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES NOW USUALLY IN THE MORNING. AND MY MILEAGE IS 140,822”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA AVALON. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EXTRA STRENGTH WAS NEEDED TO STEER THE VEHICLE AND THE FAILURE OCCURRED PERIODICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 122,000.”

“CAR WAS TAKEN IN 05/2016 FOR RECALL WORK TO REPLACE SRS AND ECU. AFTER RECALL REPAIR, INTERMITTENT PAX SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF SAYING PASSENGER AIRBAG ISSUE. DEALER REFUSES TO DO MORE THAN SPECIFIED RECALL REPLACEMENT. WE NOW CANNOT TELL IF WE HAVE AIRBAGS THAT WILL WORK AND IF THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM WILL TENSION THE SEAT BELTS IN AN ACCIDENT. THE ADDITIONAL ISSUE IS THAT THE FRONT SPRINGS AND STRUTS HAVE A FLAW THAT MAKES A WELL ALIGNED CAR, PULL LEFT. WE ARE REPLACING THIS TOYOTA FLAW AT OUR OWN EXPENSE DESPITE THE PRESENCE OF A SERVICE NOTICE.”

“I WAS DRIVING ON AN EXPRESSWAY AT APX 65 MPH GOING ONTO THE OFF RAMP GOING DOWN TO 25MPH THE STEERING BECAME VERY TIGHT AND THEN AS I DROVE HOME THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED CLICKING. I CHECKED FLUIDS AT HOME AND THEY LOOKED OK. DROVE AROUND THE BLOCK AND POWER STEERING WAS GONE LEFT AND RIGHT THEN HEARD A GRINDING NOISE, IT FELT OK GOING STRAIGHT. AFTER I DROVE IT IT BECAME MORE INTERMITTENT WITH POWER COMING AND GOING ALTOGETHER. ON 8/26/15 HAD A SMALL ACCIDENT ON THE FRONT QUARTER PANEL. IT WAS AT BODY SHOP FOR 4 DAYS. I HAD ASKED THEM TO CHECK THE STEERING AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE RACK AND PINION. CALLED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THE RECALL IN 2010 WAS FOR A DIFFERENT STEERING ISSUE THAN THE STEERING PROBLEM THAT I MENTIONED. TOYOTA SAID THEY CANNOT HELP ME. I INFORMED THEM OF A DISABILITY I HAVE AND MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO ADJUST TO IT. TOO BAD!”

“I WAS JUST COMING OFF THE EXPRESSWAY DRIVING FROM 75 MPH, DOWN TO 35 GETTING OFF THE RAMP. AS I EXITED ONTO THE RAMP I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WAS GETTING REALLY HARD TO CONTROL AND HAD A POUNDING NOISE . FROM THAT LOCATION IT TOOK ABOUT THREE MORE BIG TURNS WHERE I HAD AN EXTREMELY HARD TIME TURNING THE WHEEL. WHEN I GOT HOME, CHECKED LEVELS IN POWER STEERING FLUID, WHICH NEEDED A LITTLE MORE, SO I FILLED IT ,AND COOLANT LEVELS LOOKED NORMAL. I DROVE AROUND THE BLOCK TO SEE IF IT MADE A DIFFERENCE. IT WAS ACTUALLY GETTING WORSE. NOW THE POUNDING NOISE GOT LOUDER AND IT WAS STILL REALLY HARD TO TURN, AND EVENTUALLY DEVELOPED A CLICKING/GRINDING NOISE. SO NOW I'M GOING TO CALL TOYOTA TO SEE IF THEY HAVE A RECALL TO COVER WHAT IS GOING ON.”