While driving my 2004 Toyota Camry (about 83,000 miles on it), the power steering went out, the car required great force to steer, and "steam" was coming from under the hood. I slowly pulled to the curb to look under the hood and then drove about a quarter mile (with great difficulty) to a nearby Toyota dealer. The following day I was informed that an alternator bolt had "backed out." This caused the alternator to loosen which released the serpentine belt. As a result the water pump and alternator were damaged and coolant sprayed over the engine. Toyota wanted about $1100 to repair all of the damage. I complained and the cost was reduced by the price of a reconditioned alternator, I.e., $400. The service manager told me that they recently had a similar problem. My car had been in for service to the same Toyota dealer just 3 weeks earlier. Had I been driving on a freeway (instead of a local street where I slowly pulled to the curb), my Toyota could have been struck by another vehicle, since I could hardly steer the car. This is potentially a very dangerous defect/problem which I have never heard of before.

- Harrisburg, PA, USA