I was going into a turn all of a sudden the steering got very stiff I had a hard time steering the truck. I almost hit a guardrail. Had a mechanic check the truck. He found out the universal joint on the steering was very stiff. He was surprised Toyota has no boot covering this like GM does. He clean the universal and covered with a grease. Now when the stiffens comes back I spray with a penetrating oil then re-grease the steering universal. I have done a google search and this has been an ongoing problem with Toyota. I am surprised their is no recall or any major accidents yet.

- Napanoch, NY, USA

Steering very stiff, does not return to center, locks up, fails to maintain direction. The universal joint on the steering column-steering gear is not protected from the elements (road salt, water, etc.) and has seized, causing the steering to lock up and leading to a minor accident.

- Wantage Township, NJ, USA

Steering becomes intermittently 'stiff'. complaint has been documented many times by owners on forums and other on-line sites. Apparently this is a design issue that allows the lower steering joint to suffer accelerated corroded by normal use. Dealers and Toyota do not acknowledge it is a manufacturing issue that can cause/create safety issues with the vehicle. Problem occurs intermittently at any speed of can also occur when attempting to turn steering wheel when vehicle is stopped. Problem is intermittent and various degrees of severity.

- Mansfield, MA, USA

Lack of alignment during Toyota safety recall E02 / NHTSA recall id 14V 604 I am concerned with the lack of vehicle alignment as an included part of E02 post replacement of the rear spring packs. When the rear springs are removed from the vehicle, the rear axle often shifts such that is it no longer in the same position as it was previously installed. Thus the vehicle is no longer properly aligned, as front toe is set based on the thrust angle of the rear axle. The thrust angle is derivative of the alignment of the axle relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and creates a moment about the yaw axis of the vehicle. Re-alignment of the front of the vehicle provides corrective measure by setting front wheel toe to account for the position of the rear axle, thus ensuring the vehicle tracks correctly and is stable during dynamic maneuvers. When the Tacoma first entered the servicing dealer it was confirmed to be correctly aligned. However, the pre-alignment numbers on the hunter expressalign sheet show that the rear axle position after performing E02 has shifted -0.15 [iso] about its vertical axis relative to the position prior to rear spring replacement. Failure to have the Tacoma realigned would have resulted in the need to counter-steer the vehicle to maintain a straight trajectory during normal operation. It is unacceptable that the customer should be expected to bear the burden of cost for the alignment, when it is necessitated by the corrective actions prescribed by Toyota during E02. Failure to re-align vehicles becomes a safety concern, namely due to uneven tire wear and the potential for instability of the vehicle due to misaligned axles causing the vehicle to increase tendencies to over-steer. I am disappointed in Toyota's apparent disregard for owner safety and feel this is an issue that should be addressed with urgency.

- Northampton, PA, USA

Vehicle has 91K mileage 4X4 all highway miles. Backed out of my driveway and could not turn wheel. Checked fluid but it was fine. Attempted again and got on local road only to find truck uncontrollable at any speed. Saw another complaint on this after I got vehicle towed back to my house and decided to file complaint. My truck never had an issue like this before now. It is definitely unsafe to drive and Toyota appears to have other Tacoma owners with the same issue that could be fatal if it happens when driving at 65 mph let alone at slower speeds on curves. I will not let my family drive the truck because the steering is so unreliable. Please let me know if Toyota will repair this under a recall or other camps in. VIN is [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Greenville, PA, USA

Steering, I bought a new 2009 Tacoma with the platnum warranty and the steering is now not working, I feel that this is unsafe and is difficult to drive. I called the number to tell them that I brought it to a dealer (vanderstyne Toyota rochester NY) to see what the problem was and that I was told I needed to pay $130 for diagnostic fees to see what the problem was with it and that they would not even look at it to see what the problem is. This vehicle does not seem safe to drive. I see there are many recalls on Toyota steering problems and I am forced to contact an attorney to see if this is legal action

- Hilton, NY, USA

Experienced difficulty steering, checked and found power steering fluid to be low, with no evidence of leaks. Problem continued and got worse when the vehicle was warm, went to mechanic an diagnosis was failed steering rack, fluid had collected in the rubber boot ends. My mechanic has seen this numerous times with Toyota (as he has one himself). Corrosion of the metal was cause due to lack of protection from the elements. Toyota saved S few dollars at the expense of safety. No recall yet but there should be, steering being an essential component of driving.

- Rindge, NH, USA

Vehicle steering is unsafe, the steering wheel sometimes doesn't return back to center on turns and steers very hard. When I inspected the vehicle the universal joint on the steering shaft is binding. The part is called intermediate steering shaft #2. this is very dangerous due to unpredictable steering and also if it fails at a high rate of speed. There should be a safety recall.

- Hamilton, NJ, USA

Tacoma corrosion issue - metal high pressure tube on rack and pinion unit developed a hole draining the power steering system of fluid resulting in difficulty controlling the vehicle.

- Clairton, PA, USA

I was coming into a right handed corner on dry pavement doing 45mph (less than the suggested speed for the corner). As I let off the throttle and turned into the corner the vehicles stability control kicked in causing the truck to go straight. I had to fight against the steering wheel and managed to overpower the stability control but by then I was in the on-coming lane.

- Kelowna Bc Canada, WA, USA

After purchasing the vehicle, in Sept 2011, I had my truck for only a few weeks and I was driving and hit a small bump and heard as well as felt a loud thump coming from the steering column area, I also noticed my bed was moving a little as well. I brought the truck into the dealership as soon as I heard the issue, but the dealership said they didn't hear or feel anything. Now when I hit any bump (big/small) I can literally see the bed on my truck move in my side mirrors, the issues are progressing and my truck is still under warranty and I want these issues fixed asap, esp since its still under warranty. Extremely harsh ride, and feeling unsafe to drive, needs to be fixed asap.

- Watertown, MA, USA

The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that he was driving 40 mph and lost control of the vehicle, causing him to crash into a guard rail. The steering wheel broke off before the air bag deployed. The contact suffered head injuries and was the only occupant in the vehicle. He was taken to the hospital by another person. The police were notified and a report was available if needed. The vehicle was then towed to an auto body shop. The insurance company was also notified. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 28,000.

- Charleston, WV, USA

Steering gearbox seal failure requiring replacement of the rack and pinion.

- Phoenix , AZ, USA

My Tacoma has a constant shimmy in the steering wheel. My mechanic and Toyota service have tried balancing, alignments and road-force testing, but nothing works to eliminate the shake. It is at its worst when I first accelerate to cruising speed after the truck has sat for eight hours. At these times it is an approximately a 1/4 inch shimmy in the wheel, and is quite a violent shake. It seems to dissipate after a while, but the shimmy never goes away completely. It exists with both my all-season tires, and my snow tires.

- Colebrook, NH, USA

Front end wobbles. Dealer has tried to fix this at least 3 times.

- Mechanicsville, VA, USA