I noticed a clunking noise and "sensation" in the steering wheel when traveling at a slow speed especially when turning corners or on a bumpy road. In December, 2007 I took the Highlander to the dealer and was first told that it was not a problem and just needed some lubrication. When I questioned the service manager further about the possibility of it being dangerous, I was told that it "could be a problem and that the steering shaft should be changed". I was told that the column could "lock up", causing loss of steering. After further questioning, the dealership gave me a copy of the Toyota technical service bulletin dated February 2006, obviously Toyota was well aware of the possible danger, I was also told that it was not an unusual problem. They would fix the problem at a cost of $450 to me since the car was no longer under warranty. My warranty expired in may of 2007, almost a year after the technical service bulletin was issued. It appears that Toyota purposely has not issued a recall in order to save money. Those of us who own a 2004 Highlander are now out of warranty and out of luck. Since this is a potential danger and Toyota was aware of the problem for well over a year, I believe that Toyota should be responsible for all needed repairs and a recall issued.

- Tampa, FL, USA