2006 Lexus RX330 Steering Problems

IN APRIL 2014, MY MOM WAS CONTACTED BY LEXUS ABOUT THE MELTING DASHBOARD ISSUE THAT HAS PLAGUED ALMOST 5 MILLION LEXUS VEHICLES. SHE WAS TOLD SHE WOULD HAVE TO "WAIT IN LINE" FOR HER CUSTOMER NUMBER TO POP UP IN THE SYSTEM IN ORDER TO FIX THE MELTING DASHBOARD, WHICH HAS AFFECTED HER VISIBILITY WHEN IT IS SUNNY OUTSIDE AS WELL AS HER STEERING MECHANISM. WE DO NOT KNOW IF THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE AIRBAGS, BUT WITH A CONTINUOUSLY MELTING DASHBOARD WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE DAMAGE AND DANGER THAT LURKS UNDERNEATH. THE STEERING HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY MORE DIFFICULT AS THE DASH CRACKS AND MELTS MORE. THERE ARE MULTIPLE CRACKS THROUGHOUT THE DASH THAT HAVE GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND INTERFERE WITH THE INTEGRITY OF THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. SOON, THE PARTS ATTACHED TO THE DASH MAY DISASSEMBLE WHILE SHE IS DRIVING, WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY KILL OTHER PASSENGERS ON THE ROAD AND HERSELF. WE REACHED OUT TO LEXUS CORPORATE AND IN MARCH 2016, AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO GO THROUGH THE LOCAL DEALER BOTH HERE AND IN NORTH FLORIDA, LEXUS REFUSES TO FIX HER DASHBOARD AND CONTINUES TO IGNORE OUR PLEAS AND DEMANDS FOR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. PLEASE REFER TO ATTACHED PHOTOS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10934553

Incident

Apr 1, 2014

Mileage

50,000 mi

THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES A WHINING NOISE UPON ACCELERATION AND WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION AT SLOW SPEEDS THE NOISE CONTINUES. WHEN PUTTING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION IT MAKES A BUZZING NOISE.

NHTSA ID

10722585

Incident

Jun 1, 2015

Mileage

146,425 mi

CAME TO A STOP WITH MY WHEELS SLIGHTLY TURNED TO THE LEFT. I TURNED MY CAR OFF, AND TOOK MY KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART MY CAR WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT WOULD NOT TURN ON. I CALLED THE DEALER IN BELLEVUE AND THEY SAID THAT IT MIGHT BE JUST STUCK SO TURN THE WHEEL HARD TO THE LEFT AND SEE IF THAT WOULD RELIEVE THE PRESSURE AND THE KEY MIGHT TURN. NO LUCK WIGGLED AND WIGGLED AND ALL IT DID WAS LOCK MY STEERING IN THAT PLACE SO NOW THE WHEEL WOULD ONLY TURN ABOUT A INCH. I CALLED ANOTHER DEALER IN FIFE AND HE SAID ABOUT THE SAME THING, KEEP WIGGLING IT AND MAYBE ROCK THE CAR, DID NOTHING. I TURNED THE KEY AND PRESSED HARD AND MUST HAVE PUSHED IN THE UNLOCK BUTTON AND DOWN WENT MY WINDOWS AND MY SUNROOF OPENED GREAT. NOW I COULD NOT GET THE WINDOWS UP OR UNLOCK MY STEERING. I CALLED THREE DEALERS AND THEY WANTED TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED IN. I CALLED A LOCK SMITH AN THEY SAID TO TRY SOME LUBRICATION IN THE IGNITION. OK I USED SOME WD40 AND IT WORKED. I COULD TURN THE IGNITION KEY AND UP WENT MY WINDOWS AND MY CAR STARTED. I MIGHT CHECK INTO GETTING THE STEERING REPLACED. I WILL CHECK ON THE RECALLS ONLINE THEIR SEAMS TO BE LOTS OF PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10715247

Incident

May 6, 2015

Mileage

149,000 mi

WENT TO CHARLES BARKER LEXUS IN VA. BEACH, VA. FOR A STATE INSPECTION FOR OUR 2006 RX330 WITH LESS THAN 70K MILES AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD TO FAIL IT FOR INSPECTION BECAUSE THE BOOT ON THE RACK AND PINION WAS LEAKING. THE SERVICE ADVISER KNOWING THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM SAID THAT THERE ARE 3 OPTIONS. REPLACE IT AT $1,800.00 OR THEY COULD BUT A BOOT ON IT (BAND-AID) AND IT WILL PASS INSPECTION FOR $450.00 AND LAST MAYBE A YEAR OR 2 OR HE CAN TRY AND GET THE NEW PARTS APPROVED UNDER THEIR GOOD FAITH PROGRAM AND IT WILL ONLY COST US $780.00 FOR LABOR. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND THEY ADMIT IT BUT WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR INFERIOR PARTS UNLESS THE CONSUMER PAYS THEIR OUTRAGEOUS LABOR COSTS. THIS IS A COMPLETE INJUSTICE AND THE NHTSA NEEDS TO MAKE THEM ISSUE A RECALL!!! DON'T WAIT UNTIL A DEATH OCCURS THAT CAN FINALLY BE DIRECTLY LINKED TO THIS ISSUE. THIS IS SERIOUS! *TR

NHTSA ID

10702012

Incident

Mar 26, 2015

Mileage

67,397 mi

I WAS TOLD THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY WAS LEAKING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OUTER SEAL AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10563870

Incident

Feb 3, 2011

Mileage

100,000 mi

TOOK VEHICLE TO LEXUS DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND WAS TOLD STEERING RACK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A FLUID LEAK. OVER TIME THIS COULD LEAD TO DIFFICULTY STEERING THE VEHICLE. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED LESS THAN A YEAR AGO AND THIS LEAK ISSUE SEEMS TO BE VERY COMMON ACCORDING TO VARIOUS WEBSITES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10510238

Incident

Apr 30, 2013

Mileage

78,500 mi

I SENT MY RX330 TO DEALERSHIP FOR OIL CHANGE, AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A LEAK IN POWER RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY, THE TOTAL COST FOR REPLACEMENT IS $1800. MY CAR IS 2006, ONLY HAS 61K MILES AND HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AT LEXUS DEALERSHIP ACCORDING TO LEXUS MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. THIS IS A RESULT OF FAULTY ENGINEERING NOT ABUSE SINCE THIS PROBLEM IS SO PREVALENT, I GOOGLED ONLINE, LOT OF RX330 COMPLAINED THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10416068

Incident

Jul 20, 2011

Mileage

61,083 mi

I WAS ON INTERSTATE 5 ON MAY 25, 2009 (MEMORIAL DAY) AT THE SPEED OF 75-80 MPH WITH MY WHOLE FAMILY IN THE CAR. THE CAR'S MODEL IS LEXUS RX330,2006 MODEL. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE LEFTMOST LANE, MY LEFT WHEEL WENT A LITTLE BIT ON THE RUMBLE STRIP. I TRIED TO PULL MY CAR BACK ON THE LANE. IT IS HERE THAT THE PROBLEM STARTED. MY STEERING STARTED TO SHAKE AND VIBRATE AND THE CAR STOPPED TO ACCELERATE. WHEN ALL THE CARS WERE GOING AT SUCH A HIGH SPEED THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO. I WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE CAR AS WELL AS ACCELERATE OR EVEN BRAKE FOR QUITE A WHILE. THEN I TRIED BRAKING MANY TIMES AND COULD FINALLY PARK THE CAR IN THE EMERGENCY IN THE LEFT LANE SHOULDER. AFTER THAT WE TRIED CALLING ALL THE NUMBERS GIVEN IN THE LEXUS HANDBOOK BUT NO ONE PICKED UP THE PHONE TO HELP US. AFTER WAITING FOR HALF AN HOUR OR SO, MY HUSBAND COLLECTED ALL HIS GUTS AND DROVE THE CAR TO NEAREST GAS STATION. WE CHECK THE TIRES AND ALL THE PRESSURES ETC. BUT EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10314572

Incident

May 25, 2009

Mileage

35,000 mi