2011 Toyota Highlander Steering Problems

Clicking in steering column light comes on dash for power steering then hard to make turn then well go back off then able to make turns with ease again

NHTSA ID

11497862

Incident

Nov 25, 2022

In the last 30 days, the steering has begun to feel "loose", as if I am driving on ice. At first it was barely perceptable. There has been more "play" in the steering. During the last 2 days, the car is now making a thud when I am steering right. I have an appointment for a mechanic to look at it. The car is a 2011 Highlander, AWD, with 89,000 miles on it. I feel the steering issue could be very dangerous at some point.

NHTSA ID

11497341

Incident

Nov 1, 2022

The power steering is clunky, locks in position when backing out of a parking spot, is clunky and unreliable at slow speeds. I can feel the steering column get far tighter feeling when turning at slow speed (3-10 mph)

NHTSA ID

11496660

Incident

Dec 3, 2022

The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the intermediate steering shaft was making an abnormal knocking noise while turning to the left or the right. Additionally, the driver’s side window failed to roll up or down because it was off track. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11442274

Incident

Feb 1, 2016

Mileage

80,000 mi

WHEN YOU TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THEN THE TURN IS COMPLETED...THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT GO BACK INTO POSITION. THIS OCCURS WHEN YOU ARE IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

11408631

Incident

Apr 1, 2018

Mileage

50,000 mi

FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, THERE'S A THUMP WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION, NO MATTER WHAT ROAD/STREET. WE HAVE LESS THAN 43,000 MILES ON IT & DO NOT DRIVE ON RUFF TERRAIN. WE PURCHASED THE 2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER NEW, TAKE IT TO THE DEALER EVERY 6 MOS FOR MAINT. & NOW TOLD IT NEEDS A STEERING SHAFT REPLACEMENT & 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT. ($657.33 TOTAL!) THIS IS INCONCEIVABLE TO PASS ON TO CUSTOMERS. AND A ROAD HAZARD TO ALL ON THE ROADS.

NHTSA ID

11319251

Incident

Mar 24, 2020

Mileage

37,000 mi

CLUNKING AND CLICKING WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. TSB FROM TOYOTA CALLS FOR INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT REPLACEMENT, BUT TOYOTA WILL NOT WARRANTY REPLACEMENT OF THE FAULTY PART. HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE WITH THIS SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11308129

Incident

Feb 10, 2020

Mileage

80,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN CRUISE CONTROL AND NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING SPEEDOMETER READINGS. REPORTED ABS BRAKE MALFUNCTION, BRAKE MALFUNCTION. OVER THE NEXT 45 MINUTES WHILE IN ROUTE TO A TOYOTA DEALER VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY LOST POWER STEERING AND SPEEDOMETER READINGS. ALL MALFUNCTIONS HAPPENED WITH NO WARNING.

NHTSA ID

11286609

Incident

Nov 30, 2019

Mileage

122,000 mi

STEERING SHAFT U JOINT MAKES CLUNKING NOISE. DEALER ADVISED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT AS THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN.

NHTSA ID

11270223

Incident

Oct 22, 2019

Mileage

98,812 mi

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH MY POWER STEERING WHEEL, IT'S STIFF AND I UNABLE TO CONTROL IT WHEN ON THE ROAD. WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WITH HIGH SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL SWAY LEFT OR RIGHT AND I UNABLE TO CONTROL IT BACK TO STRAIGHT. ALSO, WHEN MAKING A TURN THE STEERING WHEEL NOT REFLEXES, FAST ENOUGH FOR ME TO MAKE A TURN. FOR INSTANCE, WHENEVER I MAKE A RIGHT TURN AND THEN TRY TO STRAIGHTEN THE VEHICLE BACK TO STRAIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT REFLEX BACK ENOUGH THAT IT LEADS ME TO HIT THE CURB DAMAGING FRONT WHEEL RIM. SINCE, THE PROBLEM KEEPS ON OCCURRING, AS I GET WORRIED I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP TWICE WITHIN THE PERIOD OF 2 MONTHS. THE FIRST TIME, I TOOK IT IN THE MECHANIC STATES THAT PROBABLY HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ALIGNMENT, SO I PAID THE FOR THE PERFORMANCE. AND IT DIDN'T HELP AT ALL. THEN THE SECOND TIME, I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP AGAIN, I TOLD THEM THAT THE ALIGNMENT DIDN'T HELP AT ALL AND ALSO I SPECIFY THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE STEERING WHEEL THEN I LEFT THE VEHICLE THE WHOLE DAY FOR THE REPAIR SHOP TO FIX IT. LATER, WHEN I WENT TO PICK IT UP, THEY STATED THAT THEY CORRECTED THE CRADLE AND DO THE ALIGNMENT 4 TIMES AND I TOOK THE CAR OUT HOME. THE VEHICLE STILL HAD THE PROBLEM THAT I HAD WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN TO REPAIR, THEN I DROVE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THE MECHANIC. THEN THE MECHANIC DROVE THE CAR WITH ME IN THE CAR, AND HE TOLD ME THE PROBLEM IS THE ELECTRIC STEERING WHEEL AND THERE NO WAY HE COULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEN I ASKED HIM IF I TOOK IT TO ANY OTHER SHOP WILL THAT HELP. HE SAID NO, THERE NO SHOPS THAT COULD FIX IT. HE ALSO SAID THAT I JUST HAVE TO PUT UP WITH IT. BUT, IT IS MY LIFE OR EVER MY FAMILY MEMBERS LIFE ON THE ROAD. SO, I'M REALLY WORRIED AND I DON'T HAVE MONEY TO REPLACE WITH A NEW CAR RIGHT NOW. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT BEFORE, I BOUGHT IT NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ID

11258713

Incident

Aug 1, 2019

Mileage

5 mi

I STARTED EXPERIENCING A CLUNK IN THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT FOR PARKING . IT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES SO I TOOK IT TO MY REGULAR TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. AFTER TEST DRIVING THE CAR THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I FELT I HAD NO CHOICE SO HAD THEM DO THE WORK AND IT COST $782.30 FOR PARTS / LABOR PLUS $134.95 FOR ALIGNMENT. TOTAL OF $917.25. I FOUND OUT THAT TOYOTA HAD ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #T-SB-0034-13 ON FEBRUARY 21,2013 SENT TO ALL TOYOTA REPAIR SHOPS ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE. THEY TOLD THE MECHANICS HOW TO REPLACE THIS EQUIPMENT AND THAT "A NEW INTERMEDIATE SHAFT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO ADDRESS THIS CONDITION". TO ME THAT MEANS THAT IN 2013 THEY KNEW IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW AND CORRECTED THE PROBLEM BY DESIGNING A NEW SHAFT. IF THEY HAD NOTIFIED THE 2008-2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER CUSTOMERS THEN THAT THIS WOULD BE AN ISSUE, MANY WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN UNDER WARRANTY AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED. BUT INSTEAD THEY WAITED UNTIL PEOPLE HAD THE PROBLEM, BROUGHT THEIR CARS IN FOR REPAIR AND THEN CHARGED THEM WHATEVER THE GOING RATE IS. IN THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN IS CLEARLY STATES THAT THIS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER A BASIC WARRANTY FOR TOYOTA. I SPOKE TO MY SERVICE ADVISOR AND HE REFERRED ME TO TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS. I CALLED THERE AND SPOKE TO TWO "SENIOR CUSTOMER ADVISORS" AND BASICALLY WAS TOLD I WAS OUT OF LUCK...NO RECALL, NO CAMPAIGN AND NO CUSTOMER REMUNERATION. WHEN I LOOK ONLINE IT'S CLEAR THAT MY HIGHLANDER IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE AND SPEND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR THE REPAIR. I THINK THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE TO OWN UP TO !!

NHTSA ID

11244037

Incident

Aug 13, 2019

Mileage

109,000 mi

AT A STOP OR AT LOW SPEED STARTS, TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL RESULTS IN A CLUNKING OR CREAKING NOISE. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THE NOISE HAPPENS WHETHER TURNING IT LEFT OR RIGHT. USUALLY HEAR IT COMING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT OR MOVING FROM A STOP. IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR A FEW YEARS.

NHTSA ID

11234682

Incident

Jan 1, 2016

Mileage

35,000 mi

WHEN TURNING OR OVER BUMPS THE STEERING COLUMN MAKES CLUNKING NOISE. HAS BECOME LOUDER WITH TIME

NHTSA ID

11190895

Incident

Nov 20, 2018

Mileage

133,000 mi

AT AROUND 90,000 MILES I NOTICED A DISTINCT CLUNK IN THE STEERING AS THE WHEEL UNWOUND FROM SHARP TURNS AT SLOW SPEED. THE CLUNK ALSO SHOWED UP WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON ROUGH ROADS AND UNDER FIRM BRAKING. THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/TSBS/2013/SB-10075792-2280.PDF. I HAVE HAD THE PART REPLACED WITH THE UPDATED VERSION, AND THE STEERING IS NOW GOOD AGAIN, BUT I EXPECTED SOMETHING LIKE TO BE COVERED IN A SAFETY RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11182559

Incident

Jan 10, 2019

Mileage

90,000 mi

I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A RED LIGHT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, PREPARING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. WHEN I THEN BEGAN THE RIGHT TURN I LOST POWER STEERING AND COULD NOT STRAIGHTEN OUT THE WHEEL, RESULTING IN ME RUNNING UP ONTO THE CURB. I IMMEDIATELY LET OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL- LUCKILY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME. I THEN GAVE THE CAR GAS AGAIN WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL BACK TO THE LEFT, AND SUDDENLY THE POWER STEERING WAS WORKING AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11182042

Incident

Jan 11, 2019

Mileage

65,000 mi

INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFTS CLUNK NOISE. FREQUENTLY WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11172576

Incident

Jan 28, 2019

Mileage

92,000 mi

LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH ON AN ACCESS ROAD ENTERING THE FREEWAY AND DASH LIGHTS AND RADIO CUT IN AND OUT.

NHTSA ID

11171760

Incident

Jan 22, 2019

Mileage

112,000 mi

POPPING NOISE IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT AT SLOW SPEEDS.

NHTSA ID

11164887

Incident

Jan 7, 2019

Mileage

133,000 mi

THE STEERING IN MY HIGHLANDER HAS STARTED MAKING A POPPING AND KNOCKING SOUND WHEN TURNING THE VECHICLE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN DESIGN DEFECT WITH THIS VECHICLE BY TOYOTA AND THEY SHOULD ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL. THE NOISE IS MOSTLY NOTICEABLE AT LOWER SPEEDS WHEN PARKING BUT IT ALSO OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

11165309

Incident

Nov 15, 2018

Mileage

90,000 mi

INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ISSUES. HAD ONE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY A YEAR OR TWO AFTER PURCHASE. INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ISSUES RETURNED IN THE LAST YEAR. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WANTS $500 TO REPLACE A SHAFT THEY KNOW HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE FOR YEARS LEADING UP TO THIS MODEL. THIS IS THE PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR MY WIFE AND CHILDREN. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THERE SAFETY WITH THIS MATTER. THIS ISSUE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED YEARS AGO. THIS ISSUE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO COME TO THE POINT OF SOMEONE GETTING INJURED OR DYING TO HAVE THIS MATTER ADDRESSED.

NHTSA ID

11163579

Incident

Mar 1, 2018

Mileage

95,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHEN THE CONTACT MOVED THE STEERING WHEEL, IT MADE A LOUD ABNORMAL POPPING NOISE. THE NOISE GREW LOUDER WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11162220

Incident

Jan 1, 2017

CLUNKING OR TAPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT THAT CAN BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. DIAGNOSED BY TOYOTA AS "STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BINDING." THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE 2008-2013 HIGHLANDER. ADVISED BY TOYOTA MECHANIC THAT IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE FIXED UNLESS I PREFER IT NOT TO KNOCK OR CLUNK WHEN TURNING.

NHTSA ID

11155844

Incident

Nov 30, 2018

Mileage

99,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS OR GOING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STEVE LANDERS TOYOTA (10825 COLONEL GLENN RD, LITTLE ROCK, AR 72204, (501) 568-5800) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT IN THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,396.

NHTSA ID

11155678

Incident

Jan 1, 2018

Mileage

102,396 mi

RUIDOS O GOLPES EN LA CAA DEL GUIA DE DIRECCION CUANDO GIRO A LA IZQUIERDA O DERECHA. MI VEHICULO COMENZO CON ESTOS RUIDOS A UN POCO MAS DE LAS 3600 MILLAS DE GARANTIA Y TOYOTA NO TOMO NINGUNA ACCION. VIVO EN PUERTO RICO Y MI DIRECCION ES P. O. BOX 1909, BARCELONETA PUERTO RICO 00617, MUCHAS GRACIAS...

NHTSA ID

11150928

Incident

Jun 15, 2016

Mileage

38,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING AND POPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT AND RIGHT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER (FIVE STAR TOYOTA OF MILLEDGEVILLE, 2816 N COLUMBIA ST, MILLEDGEVILLE, GA 31061, (478) 387-2112) AND WAS INFORMED TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE18005 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

NHTSA ID

11129875

Incident

Feb 1, 2018

Mileage

156,000 mi