2006 Toyota RAV4 Steering Problems

For several months the 2006 Rav4 with only 118k miles had been experiencing intermittent failure of power steering while driving at speeds between 5-20mph. These failures resulted in the steering wheel to become extremely difficult if not impossible to turn while the car is driving. In each incident, this resulted in stopping the car and putting on emergency lights until we can safely turn off the car and hopefully the issue goes away several minutes later. This issue has proven to be very dangerous when in traffic with no place to pull over and with the steering tightening up, it is not even possible to pull over in most cases. Four different mechanical shops tried to replicate the issue and none were able to determine the root cause nor replicate it consistently. This issue has been happening more frequently now and the car cannot be taken out safely. As [XXX] drivers, this is not safe by any means and Toyota should consider this a critical safety recall and cover towing costs to move this. There are no signs of instrument lights or any leaks coming from the car. This seems to be entirely a malfunction of steering components. With regard to incidents resulting from this, my mother is the primary driver, she is [XXX] old and injured her wrist trying to move the steering wheel to a safe location. Her wrist is still in pain several days later. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11679530

Incident

Jul 2, 2025

The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while making a right or left turn, there was a loud popping sound coming from the steering wheel. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the popping noise was progressively louder while steering to make a turn. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering linkage needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 86,000.

NHTSA ID

11486685

Incident

Jul 25, 2022

Mileage

86,000 mi

While my son was driving me the vehicles steering wheel locked and he was unable to steer the vehicle. It caused us to go off the road down a steep hill and wreck. I’ve never had any problems with this vehicle so it was completely unexpected. If there had been anyone in our path we wouldn’t of been able to stop from hitting them. It has not been inspected but there are witnesses to the accident

NHTSA ID

11464537

Incident

May 9, 2022

Clunking noise when turning steering wheel right or left. Numerous complaints from 006 RAV 4 owners. Fear that my steering will fail and cause an accident or Death. The issue is a defective intermediate steering shaft. Toyota will not issue a recall and will only repair if vehicle is still under warranty. How many complaints, accidents, or deaths will it take for this manufacturer to do the right thing???

NHTSA ID

11450265

Incident

Feb 3, 2022

FOR SOME TIME THERE HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS COMING ON AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE CAR HAS BEEN CHECKED BY MECHANICS, INCLUDING ONE AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FOUND. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR STATIONARY, BUT I BELIEVE MY SON SAID IT HAS HAPPENED TO HIM WHILE IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

11406269

Incident

Apr 2, 2021

Mileage

180,000 mi

I BOUGHT A USED 2006 RAV4 3.5 L V-6, AFTER A MONTH A BOUGHT IT. I NOTICED WHEN I TURN LEFT OR RIGHT I HEARD A CLUNK SOUND. I FOUND OUT THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT IS THE PROBLEM. THIS COMMON TO MOST RAV4, DEALERSHIP IT'S NORMAL BUT TO ME IT DOESN'T FELL NORMAL WHEN I'M DRIVING, IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS WILL COME OUT OR BROKE OFF. KIND OF SCARY THING TO FEEL WHEN DRIVING. I THINK THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD FIND A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE COULD HURT OR DIE.

NHTSA ID

11383336

Incident

Nov 27, 2020

VEHICLE DID HAVE AN OFFICIAL RECALL(STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY) VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED 2X'S. VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM. STEERING GETS TIGHT AND KNOCKS. SENT LETTER TO TOYOTA IN CALIFORNIA CREATED CASE #[XXX] DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR *TT CONSUMER STATED THERE ARE 2 ODI NUMBERS #352270 AND #1182873. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *LN*JB

NHTSA ID

11182873

Incident

Feb 1, 2019

Mileage

140,000 mi

STEERING FROZE UP WHILE LEAVING MY DRIVEWAY AND P/S LIGHT CAME ON. SHUT ENGINE OFF AND BACK ON, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE. I RECALL AT LEAST ONE OTHER TIME THAT STEERING LOCKED UP TEMPORARILY WHILE AT A STOP. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTIC AS MANUAL RECOMMENDS. DIAGNOSTIC SHOWS DTCS U0105 AND U0121. FOUND TAB ST005-06 RELATED TO THIS ISSUE AND "UPDATED POWER STEERING ECU AVAILABLE". DIAGNOSTIC $150, PARTS AND LABOR $1600+ CLEARY THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE REQUIRING A RECALL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THERE ARE MANY MORE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS.

NHTSA ID

11173531

Incident

Jan 30, 2019

Mileage

125,600 mi

STEERING 'CLUNKS' AND CAR WON'T TURN AT LOW SPEEDS/STATIONARY, RADIO MOMENTARILY CUTS OUT AND DASH LIGHTS FLASH. CAN TURN THE STEERING WHEEL FURTHER AFTER A FEW SECONDS. HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY, SO FAR ONLY AT LOW SPEEDS/WHILE PARKING OR LEAVING A PARKING SPACE.

NHTSA ID

11165437

Incident

Dec 18, 2018

HEAR CLUNK SOUND WHEN TURNING THE STEERING. CHECK WITH TOYOTA SUNNYVALE DEALER, THEY SAID THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED

NHTSA ID

11153191

Incident

Jan 1, 2010

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TODAY THE CAR DID NOT STALL BUT ALL THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. LUCKILY I WAS IN THE RIGHT LAND AND ON A STRAIGHT ROADS I GLIDED TO THE SHOULDER AND STOPPED. I COULD NOT START THE CAR SO I JUMPED STARTED THE CAR AND PROCEEDED TO GET OFF NEXT EXIT AND PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN!!!! I READ ABOUT ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRONIC STEERING ON TOYOTA VEHICLES. I AM CHECKING THE CHARGING SYSTEM AND BATTERY BUT WANT TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS A RECALL. THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS ISSUE WHILE SEARCHING THE INTERNET. I UNDERSTAND THAT BATTERIES AND ALTERNATORS DO GO BAD BUT LOSS OF STEERING WHILE MOVING COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT HAD I BEEN IN A CURVE IN THE ROAD. I HAD PREVIOUS CARGO IN THE CAR TOO.....MY 22 MONTH OLD GRANDDAUGHTER!!! PLEASE ADVISE IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11129647

Incident

Sep 14, 2018

Mileage

149,231 mi

STEERING POPS WHENEVER I MAKE A TURN.

NHTSA ID

11099076

Incident

May 31, 2018

Mileage

98,000 mi

THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. SHE COULD NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. LUCKILY SHE DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT. THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WAS REPLACED BY MILTON RUBEN TOYOTA AT THE COST OF $1134.00.

NHTSA ID

11075016

Incident

Jan 24, 2018

Mileage

110,000 mi

AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS AND SOMETIMES QUICK ACCELERATION ALL THE LIGHTS COME ON THE DASH AND YOU LOSE ALL STEERING , IT LOCKS UP THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES , TO MY SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER SHE WAS LUCKY THERE WAS NOT A CORNER WHEN IT HAPPENED SHE WOULD'VE SHOT STRAIGHT OFF THE ROAD . THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS I HAVE LOOKED IT UP AND THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME ISSUE ON THE RAV4S AND SEVERAL OTHER TOYOTA'S. IF I KNEW THIS ISSUE WAS A PROBLEM I WOULD NOT OF PURCHASED THIS CAR FOR MY DAUGHTER.

NHTSA ID

11060905

Incident

Jan 6, 2018

Mileage

204,000 mi

PURCHASED VEHICLE IN NOVEMBER 2015 WITH THE NOISE/ISSUE ALREADY OCCURRING. IT IS A POPPING/CLICKING WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT WITH STEERING WHEEL. HAD DIAGNOSIS DONE AT REPAIR SHOP. IT IS THE INTERMEDIATE DRIVE SHAFT THAT IS WORN/DEFECTIVE. TOYOTA HAS HAD KNOWN TSB'S ON THIS PART SINCE 2008, BUT REGARDLESS OF SAFETY CONCERNS, REFUSES TO REPLACE OR REIMBURSE.

NHTSA ID

11051775

Incident

Nov 11, 2015

Mileage

65,000 mi

I HEAR A RIDDLING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE EACH TIME I START THE CAR. CLICK SOUND WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL.

NHTSA ID

10990772

Incident

Mar 1, 2017

TOYOTA DEFECTS

NHTSA ID

10957981

Incident

Mar 1, 2017

TAKATA RECALL, NOISE FROM RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. VERY, VERY LOUD NOISE.ALSO, HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA ID

10955675

Incident

Jan 25, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE SERVICING, A SERVICE MECHANIC AT THE DEALER NOTICED AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PENDING A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA ID

10948822

Incident

Jun 1, 2011

Mileage

30,000 mi

VEHICLE FRAME CHASSIS CORROSION UNSAFE DEFECTS.

NHTSA ID

10935904

Incident

Dec 16, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL LOUD NOISE PROGRESSING FROM THE AREA OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, REVERSING, OR MAKING A TURN. THE DEALER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE. FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS REQUIRED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ALSO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, BUT PROVIDED NO SPECIFIC DIAGNOSIS TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10925310

Incident

Aug 29, 2016

GOOD DAY ' PLEASE: APPRAISE UNSAFETY DEFECTS. THANKFUL.

NHTSA ID

10905606

Incident

Sep 9, 2016

UNSAFE DEFECTS MALFUNCTION

NHTSA ID

10895477

Incident

Aug 12, 2016

TOYOTA DEFECTS MALFUNCTIONING

NHTSA ID

10884920

Incident

Jul 13, 2016

Mileage

121,300 mi

WHILE SITTING IN SLOW 5-10MPH TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED AND THE AIRBAG DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME (FOR ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS AT A TIME). A FEW MILES LATER, OTHER WARNING LIGHTS (VSC, SLIP, ABS, ENGINE, BATTERY) ALL ILLUMINATED ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY, BUT THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN ABOUT 12 HOURS LATER. THE ALTERNATOR IS A YEAR OLD AND THE BATTERY, TIRES, ALIGNMENT, AND ENGINE COILS ARE ALL BRAND NEW. AFTER HALF A DOZEN CALLS TO THE DEALERSHIP, COME TO FIND OUT, THE PROBLEM IS THE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE POWER STEERING... A PROBLEM WHICH HAS BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED AND RECALLED FOR 2014-15 MODEL YEAR RAV4S. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY FLAW, AND IT IS INSULTING AND NEGLIGENT THAT TOYOTA IS PRETENDING THIS ISN'T A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR OTHER MODEL YEARS.

NHTSA ID

10871061

Incident

May 20, 2016

Mileage

128,000 mi