Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Toyota Tacoma submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 40 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 40, in the owner's own words
Toyota has had a long history of excessive frame rust. This truck has excessive frame rust. There was a recall to fix this frame rust and my truck has not been fixed. Toyota will not fix the current recall for the spring replacement because of the frame rust. My life and my children’s lives are in danger due to the possible leaf suspension failure that may puncture the gas tank.
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the steering wheel failed to move as intended and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact continued driving at a slow speed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the pinion steering gear failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion while driving 40 MPH, there was an abnormal revving sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the engine was leaking oil and the entire braking system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Tried to avoid a deer and the frame of truck felt unstable and felt like it was folding. I looked at the frame there are rust holes through out the whole frame. How could they design this and not back it up.
STEERING IS VERY DIFFICULT AND VERY STIFF. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AND I SEE MANY OTHER 08 TACOMAS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY HAS THERE BEEN NO RECALL? ALSO STEERING DOES NOT RETURN TO POSITION YOU HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY TURN IT ON YOUR OWN. I SEE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AND THERE IS APPARENTLY NO WAY TO FIX IT. I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT ON MY WAY HOME TODAY BECAUSE I COULDN'T STEER THE TRUCK. DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS POINT TO THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THE STEERING IS VERY DIFFICULT WHEN MOVING AND WHEN STATIONARY. IT DOES IT ON CITY STREETS, HIGHWAYS, ALL THE SAME. AND AT TIMES STEERING WILL BE NORMAL AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. WHEN I TRY TO TURN MY TRUCK WITH THIS PROBLEM IT DOES NOT RESPOND AND THE WHEEL DOES NOT RETURN TO POSITION.
STEERING IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. WHEN MAKING A TURN IT DOES NOT STRAIGHTEN ITSELF OUT IT KEEPS GOING IN THE DIRECTION THAT YOU TURNED. IT IS VERY HARD TO STRAIGHTEN OUT AND HAS BECOME VERY DANGEROUS. THE PROBLEM HAPPENS IN A STATIONARY POSITION, CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAY. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE STEERING BECOMES EASY AGAIN WHICH ONLY MAKES IT MORE DANGEROUS!
THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT U JOINT SEIZES UP OR IS VERY HARD TO TURN AND WILL NOT LET THE STEERING RETURN TO STRAIGHT POSITION. U JOINT IS NOT COVERED AND EXPOSED TO ELEMENTS THEREFORE LETTING IT RUST AND CORRODE. OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT NOT THE TACOMA.
STEERING FELT LIKE IT LOCKED UP WHEN I WAS TURNING ONTO A BUSY ROAD. VERY STIFF AND HARD TO TURN. DRIVING HOME IT CONTINUED TO BE INTERMITTENTLY HARD, THEN EASY, THEN HARD AGAIN, ALL DURING A SINGLE TURN! CAUSED ME TO HAVE GREAT DIFFICULTY TURNING. RESEARCH PROVES THIS IS A VERY COMMON DEFECT AND I WONDER WHY TOYOTA HAS NOT ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY AND ISSUED A RECALL.
THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT U JOINT SEIZES UP OR IS VERY HARD TO TURN AND WILL NOT LET THE STEERING RETURN TO STRAIGHT POSITION. U JOINT IS NOT COVERED AND EXPOSED TO ELEMENTS THEREFORE LETTING IT RUST AND CORODE. HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE A FATAL ACCIDENT WITH MY ENTIRE FAMILY IN THE TRUCK. EVERY TOYOTA OWNER I KNOW AND HAVE TALKED TO HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING IS FROZEN MEANING I LOSE ALL MY STEERING. IT LOCKS UP WHEN STEERING LEFT OR RIGHT.
HARD STEERING. AT LOW SPEEDS AND NOT MOVING
IT SUDDENLY BECAME HARD TO STEER, IT WOULD TURN EASILY (NORMAL EFFORT) PART OF THE WAY, AND FEEL STIFF OR TIGHT PART OF THE WAY. THIS PROBLEM STARTED OFF INTERMITTENTLY BUT THEN BECAME CONSTANT. NOT ONLY WAS IT RISKY MAKING A TURN BECAUSE AT FIRST YOU APPLIED MORE FORCE THAN NORMAL AND SUDDENLY IT BECAME EASIER TO TURN CAUSING OVERSTEER. IT DID NOT WANT TO SEEM TO RETURN TO STRAIGHT WHEN YOU FINISHED THE TURN. THIS PROBLEM WAS THERE WHETHER YOU WENT FAST OR SLOW AND ON ALL SURFACES. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. WE PAID NEARLY $500 TO FIX SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY SHOULD NEVER HAVE GONE BAD.
STIFF STEERING WHEN DRIVING AT A LOWER SPEED AND WORSE MAKING A U TURN OR ANY SHARP TURN. THE STEER DOESN'T ROLL BACK AS NORMALLY WHEN I MAKE A U TURN AND I HAD TO BE QUICK TO STEER IN BACK IN TIME TO PREVENT HITTING THE MEDIAN. THE STEER LITERALLY GET STUCK . I HAVE CHANGED THE STEERING PUMP AND HAVE ALSO CHANGED THE RACK AND PINION BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE .WASTED OVER A THOUSAND DOLLAR ON PARTS AND LABOR.
STEARING GOT STIFF DUE TO STEALING SHAFT LINKAGE. MANY INTERNET STORES ABOUT THIS . THIS TRUCK EVEN THOUGH 10 YEARS OLD ONLY HAS 140,000 MILES ON IT. THE U JOINT OF THE PART HAS RUSTED BADLY. THIS IS A POOR DESIGN.
STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN I LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE DRIVING. TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA SERVICE DEPT. THEY FOUND THAT THE JOINT ON THE LOWER PART OF THE STEERING SHAFT WAS WORN. THEY RECOGNIZED THIS SAME PREMATURE PART FAILURE ON MANY OTHER 2ND GENERATION TACOMAS SUCH AS MINE. THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE THIS ISSUE COULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO HAVE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.
PROBLEM WITH HARD STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL HAD BECOME EXTREMELY TIGHT WHILE TURNING EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE (ROCKINGHAM TOYOTA, 412 S BROADWAY, SALEM, NH 03079, (603) 893-3525). THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM A MANUFACTURER RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. ..UPDATED 08/31/17 *BF *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE STEERING FELT LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING LINKAGE FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER FAILED TO INSTALL A PROTECTIVE BOOTH OVER THE STEERING LINKAGE, WHICH CAUSED DIRT AND DUST TO ENTER THE STEERING ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000. ..UPDATED 08/31/17 *BF THE CONSUMER WAS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIRS. *JS
I NOTICED THE STEERING BECAME INTERMITTENTLY STIFF, BECOMING MORE SO ABOUT A WEEK AGO. IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING IN ALL CONDITIONS (SLOW SPEED, HIGHWAY SPEED, DRY WEATHER, WET ROADS ETC) POWER STEERING FLUID WAS FULL, PUMP WAS FINE. MY GARAGE DETERMINED THAT THE U JOINT ON THE STEERING SHAFT WAS STUCK AND THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THE STEERING SHAFT. THIS IS A 2 PART SHAFT (WITH U JOINT) THAT IS ONLY AVAILABLE FROM TOYOTA. IT'S COSTING ME $762 TO HAVE THIS REPLACED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. IN THE PAST TOYOTA HAS RECALLED THE CAMRY, COROLLA AND RAV4 FOR THE SAME ISSUE. I FOLLOW MANY TOYOTA FORUMS AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE IN THE TACOMA (2005-2014 MODELS FROM WHAT I'VE READ). WHY HASN'T TOYOTA RECALLED THE TACOMA AS WELL?
IN THE LAST WEEK, I'VE HAD A HARD TIME STEERING, ESPECIALLY TIGHT TURNS. WENT TO DEALERSHIP TODAY AND WAS TOLD THE U JOINT ON THE MAIN STEERING SHAFT IS SEIZING UP. THEY SAID THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL OF THESE ISSUES LATELY. THE SERVICE AGENT SHOWED ME A DAMAGED ONE SITTING BEHIND HIS DESK. COST TO REPLACE IS $621. WENT ON TACOMA WORLD AND A LOT OF OWNERS COMPLAINING THE SAME THING.
4WD LIGHT REMAINS FLASHING, 4WD SEEMS JAMMED AND HAS OCCURRED MANY TIMES. LEAF SPRINGS REPLACED RECALL SWITCHED TO DEAVERS, BOTH REAR BRAKE CABLES BROKEN? NOT ABLE TO GET INTO 4WD, AND NOW THE STEERING BOX OR POWER STEERING HAS GONE WEIRD SEEMS LIKE IT'S HARDER TO STEER LEFT THAN RIGHT?.????? SEEEMS LIKE A FLAT SPOT THEN TURNS???
I NOTICED THE TRUCK WAS NOT HANDLING RIGHT (STEERING). IT GOT TO THE POINT THE STEERING WAS LOCKING UP AND I HAD TO MANUALLY RETURN THE WHEEL IN ORDER TO STEER THE TRUCK. THIS IS DANGEROUS. I WENT ONLINE AND DISCOVERED THIS IS COMMON . TOYOTA ISSUED A S.B. FOR A STEERING RATTLE UNDER A 3 YR PROGRAM. THIS IS NOT A RATTLE ITS MUCH WORSE AND AS STATED ITS DANGEROUS. I INSPECTED THE STEERING KNUCKLE AND IT WAS SEIZING UP. THE COST TO REPAIR IS APPROXIMATELY $750 DOLLARS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE ALLOWING UNSAFE VEHICLES TO KNOWINGLY OPERATE WITH THIS DESIGN FLAW. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.
POWER STEERING IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT. I CHECKED A TOYOTA FORUM AND THIS SEEMS TO BE COMMON. THE PROBLEM IS THE LOWER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT UNIVERSAL JOINT IS EXPOSED TO ROAD SALT AND SPRAY AND SEIZES UP. SO AT TIMES THE STEERING IS TOUGH THEN IT EASES UP AND DOES NOT RETURN TO CENTER AFTER A TURN. LIKE I SAID THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WELL KNOWN TO THE FORUM. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM! 77,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK.
I HAVE NOTICED THE STEERING IS STIFF WHEN DRIVING. IT WILL BE FINE THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, DURING A TURN IT WILL SEEM TO STICK. THIS HAS CAUSED CONCERN WHEN DRIVING AND WHEN IT HAPPENS UNEXPECTEDLY COULD RESULT IN OVERCOMPENSATION AND LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. THIS SAME ISSUE HAS BEEN NOTICED BY SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS OF THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE AND HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT #2. THIS POSES A SAFETY ISSUE AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED TO PROVIDE A REPLACEMENT PART THAT WILL NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE.
EXPERIENCING STIFF STEERING. TURNED ON A HIGHWAY AND HAD TROUBLE GETTING THE TRUCK STRAIGHTENED BACK OUT, ALMOST WENT INTO ONCOMING LANE.
FIRST LET ME SAY THAT THIS IS MY FIFTH TOYOTA TRUCK, ALL MANUAL TRANSMISSION 4 CYLINDER ENGINES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THIS ONE, WHICH IS 6 CYLINDER (I DON'T HAVE THE OTHER VIN'S WITH ME NOW, BUT COULD DO SOME RESEARCH TO PROVIDE THEM IF NEED BE). A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I NOTICED MY TRUCK'S STEERING BECOMING STIFFER, MAKING STEERING MORE DIFFICULT. I READ UP A BIT ABOUT IT, INSPECTED THE BELT (OK) AND CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID (LOOKED A BIT LOW). I DECIDED A FLUSH AND FILL OF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID MIGHT DO THE JOB AND DID SO SATURDAY, 11/19/16. IMMEDIATELY AFTER, I REALLY DIDN'T NOTICE MUCH OF A CHANGE. YESTERDAY, SUNDAY, IT SEEMED MORE NOTICEABLY STIFF. I RESEARCHED MORE AND READ THAT IT MIGHT BE DUE TO A CORRODED SHAFT ' MANY RECOMMENDED GREASE AS A SOLUTION AND OTHER RECOMMENDED A NEW SHAFT. TODAY IT WAS VERY STIFF AND EVEN A BIT WOBBLY ' MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. I WAS READING UP ON HOW TO REPAIR THIS AND CAME ACROSS MANY OTHER WHO EXPERIENCED THIS AND SUGGESTED I FILE THIS SO THAT OTHERS MIGHT BE WARNED/PROTECTED. I LOVE MY TRUCK, JUST DON'T LIKE HOW THE CORROSION OF TACOMA'S RUINS EVERYTHING. HOPE THIS CAN BE OF HELP TO SOMEONE.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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