2007 Toyota Tacoma steering problems

“Steering has developed a clunk at low speeds. Appears intermediate shaft is bad. Dealer wants over 500 to replace. Online it is a very common problem. The steering shaft goes bad ..how much more dangerous can you get?”

“A WINTER STORM HIT MY AREA AND I NEEDED TO ENGAGE MY FOUR WHEEL DRIVE, THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WOULDN'T ENGAGE. THE INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASH WOULD ONLY FLASH. MY TRUCK ONLY WENT A SHORT DISTANCE BEFORE GETTING STUCK ON THE ROAD LEAVING ME STRANDED.”

“I'VE NOTICED MY STEERING BECAME VERY HARD AND STIFF ALL OF A SUDDEN. I'VE CHECKED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND FLUID, IT ALL CHECKED OUT FINE. I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH AND NOTICED PEOPLE HAVING ISSUES WITH STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT NO 2. (LOWER ONE BY THE WHEELS). I NOTICED THAT PART WAS NOT PROTECTED BY ANYTHING AND IS AND WAS EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS LIKE SALT, WATER, DIRT ETC. OVERTIME, THE U-JOINT RUSTS UP AND STARTS TO STICK CAUSING VERY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS FOR THE DRIVER WHERE IT BECOMES VERY HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING. I'VE ATTACHED A PHOTO OF MY PART IN QUESTION. MY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WANTS $700.00 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS. *TR”

“THIS TRUCK HAS 12 YEARS AND 62,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS MAKING A U-TURN LAST WEEK, AND WHEN I FINISHED THE TURN I HEARD THE NOISE OF SOMETHING BREAKING. THEN A CLANKING NOISE OF METAL ON METAL STARTED TO SOUND FROM UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL AND RUNNING OVER BUMPS. I ALSO NOTICED EXCESSIVE PLAY ON THE TURN OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING ABOVE 50MPH. I AM A LICENSED AUTO TECH AND BETWEEN THE NOISE AND THE PLAY DETERMINED THAT THE TRUCK WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I PROCEEDED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND FOUND OUT THAT THE MID STEERING SHAFT WAS WORN OUT. THE PART CONNECTS THE LOWER SECTION OF THE STEERING COLUMN THRU THE FIREWALL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO REACH THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY. THE FAILED PART IS COMPOSED OF TWO SMALL SHAFTS JOINED TOGETHER BY A RUBBER DISK THAT ACTS AS A DAMPER. THE SHAFTS HAVE A SMALL METAL BASE AND IN THE SECTION OF THE STEERING COLUMN IT HAS A SMALL U-JOINT. THE SMALL BASES CONNECT IN TWO PLACES AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE RUBBER DISK BUT THE LOWER SMALL SHAFT GOES THRU THE CENTER OF THE RUBBER DISK AND THRU THE CENTER OF BASE OF THE SMALL U JOINT. AT THAT POINT THERE IS A PLASTIC BUSHING THAT…”

“THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT U JOINT RUSTS AND CAUSES THE STEERING TO STIFFEN UNEXPECTEDLY. I KNOW THERE ARE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS PUT OUT BY TOYOTA, IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT AUTOMOBILE COMPANY'S ARE NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY THE NHTSA, SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.”

“STEERING IS VERY HARD TO STEER DEALER WANTS 600.00 TO FIX A STEERING SHAFT I DON'T THINK ITS RIGHT SHOULD BE A RE CALL ON THIS TRUCK BEFORE SOME ONE GETS KILLED.”