1998 Toyota Sienna steering problems

“CAR STARTED MAKING CLUNKING NOISES WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO TEST DROVE IT AND EXAMINED THE STEERING. HE VALIDATED THE CLUNKING NOISE AND SAID HE FOUND THE STEERING RACK WAS BROKEN AT THE MOUNT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED TO DRIVE THE CAR SAFELY.”

“I BOUGHT A TOYOTA SIENNA MY '98 BRAND NEW IN MAY 1998 AND STILL OWN IT. THIS CAR ALSO HAS DEMONSTRATED A SIMILAR PROBLEM EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR ' VEERING TO RIGHT. THE DRIVER HAS TO CONSTANTLY CORRECT THE STEERING IN ORDER TO KEEP THE CAR MOVING STRAIGHT. EVEN AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS IN '98, '99, AND 2000, RESPECTIVELY, WERE MADE TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BY A TOYOTA DEALER (COPY OF THE PAPERWORK CAN BE FURNISHED UPON REQUEST), THE PROBLEM HAS YET BEEN CORRECTED SUCCESSFULLY AS OF TODAY. THIS PROBLEM INCREASES DRIVING FATIGUE ESPECIALLY LONG TRIPS AND IN TURN MAY INCREASE THE CHANCE OF AUTO ACCIDENTS. *TR”

“ON OCT 14TH 2006 AT ABOUT 4:45 PM I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AT SLOW SPEED. I CAME TO A STOP AND THEN TRIED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. AS I TURNED THE WHEEL AND APPLIED THE GAS THE STEERING COLUMN MADE A NOISE LIKE BREAKING PLASTIC AND THE CAR MOVED IN A STRAIGHT LINE DESPITE THE WHEEL BEEING TURNED. I INCREASED THE TURNING MOTION UNTIL IT WAS CLEAR STEERING HAD FAILED. SINCE THE LOT WAS EMPTY I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO SANDY SPRINGS TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING SHAFT HAD BROKEN AT THE "KNUCKLE" WHERE THE COLUMN CONNECTS TO THE SHAFT. IN ADDITION I WAS TOLD THAT THE SPIRAL CABLE TO THE AIRBAG HAD BEEN DAMAGED IN THE INCIDENT. MY CONCERNS ARE THAT HAD THIS OCCURED AT HIGH SPEED OR WHILE ALREADY IN A TURN OR IN TRAFFIC THE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. IN ADDITION THE FAILURE OF THE AIR BAG MEANT THAT HAD I IN FACT HAD A COLLISION I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE PROTECTION OF THE AIRBAG. I DRIVE THIS CAR DAILY AND I DID NOT DETECT AND CHANGE IN STEERING OR HANDLING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A WARNING. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AND HAS DRIVEN NROMALLY SINCE. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO ANY REPLACEMENT PARTS. *NM”

“WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS, STEERING WHEEL OFTEN "HANGS" (DOESN'T SMOOTHLY RETURN TO CENTER POSITION), REQUIRING CONSTANT VIGILANCE TO AVOID COLLISION OR LOSS OF CONTROL. THIS WAS REPORTED TO DEALER AT FIRST SERVICE AFTER PURCHASE, AND I HAVE REQUESTED INFORMATION AS TO A "FIX" SEVERAL OCCASSIONS, MOST RECENTLY WITH DERBY AT STAR TOYOTA ON 4/7/04. STATED "NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM". I AM AWARE THAT THERE IS A TSB ON THIS ISSUE HOWEVER, AND WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED AFTER 5+ YEARS. ADDITIONALLY, THE CAR GOES THROUGH TIRES LIKE CRAZY... PERHAPS RELATED TO THIS PULL TO THE LEFT? I'VE PUT ON A COMPLETE NEW SET PLUS 2 TIRES IN THE 50K MILES I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE.*AK”

“MY WIFE WAS DRIVING A 98 TOYOTA SIENNA WITH KIDS ON THE FREEWAY IN A COMUTER LANE. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED VIBRATING AND LOCKED IN LEFT POSITION. AS A RESULT THEY ENDED UP CRASHING IN THE MIDDLE DIVIDER HEAD ON. THE VAN TOOK A 180 DEGREE SPIN AND HIT FROM THE BACK. WE HAVE DONE 99000 MILES ON THIS VAN IN LAST 5 YEARS. THIS IS TOTALLY A MALFUNCTION OR MECHANICAL FAILURE OF STEERING WHEEL. WE HAVE DONE LONG TRIPS WITH OUR VAN IN THE PAST 5 YEARS AND NEVER HAD PROBLEM. ALSO THE AIR BAGS DID NOT OPEN UP EVEN THOUGH THE IMPACT WAS SO SEVERE.”

“THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED IN THE RIGHT POSITION AND THE DRIVER WAS IN THE PROCESS OF STRAIGHTENING IT WHEN IT LOCKED UP. THIS CAUSED LOST OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD GONE INTO THE HIGHWAY DIVIDER AND WAS TOTALED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. *AK *SCC *JB”