Problems with 2006 Toyota RAV4 STEERING

The power steering in my 2006 toyota rav4 went out suddenly when i was driving this month. i pulled over and turned off the motor. when the car started again the power steering was working. the toyota dealer had reports of this problem on this car from toyota. the power steering goes out suddenly. toyota would not reimburse me the cost of fixing this safety defect. it costs about $1000. had i been on a highway, i could have been in a serious accident. toyota should recall these cars and fix this safety defect. *tr

I noticed a clunking noise when turning my 2006 rav4 from right to left. i brought the vehicle to my mechanic who informed me that the intermediate steering shaft needed to be replaced. he indicates that this can become a very serious safety issue should it get worse. he further suggested that i return the vehicle to toyota as this should be covered under warranty. toyota tells me that since i purchased this as a "certified used" vehicle, due to the 50k miles on the vehicle, it is not covered. i consider this deplorable, especially when this is a safety issue and appears to be a design flaw in the vehicle. i see many similar complaints of this nature for this vehicle on this site and since i only know of this complaint forum as i am in the insurance industry, i can only assume that there are many others experiencing this issue unknown by the odi. due to the safety nature of this issue, i request that an investigation be conducted and a recall mandated. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 toyota rav 4. the contact was driving 25 mph when the steering wheel failed to turn properly. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the manufacturer was contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 52,000 and the current mileage was 120,000. updated 04/27/12*lj

I am original owner of 2006 toyota rav4 sport. there is a loud thump in the steering column when turning to the right or left, or turning the wheel while the car is stationary. the problem started a few months ago and is getting worse. the car has 38k and is several months out of warranty. *tr

The steering wheel makes a clunking noise when turning the wheel to the right or left. this happens when sitting still or when the vehicle is in motion there is a tsb for this item, but toyota will only replace it if the vehicle is still under warranty. this is a safety issue and should be a recall. toyota has fixed the problem by redesigning the intermediate shaft and is aware that it is a safety issue but is attempting to not pay by delaying until owners are outside of their warranty and then attempting to charge for the part. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 toyota rav4. the contact stated when driving at least 35 mph and attempting a turning in either direction, there was a loud, abnormal noise coming from the steering wheel. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised replacing the steering column. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer did not provide any assistance. the failure mileage was 29,300.

Noticed a "clunking" noise from the steering column. had the vehicle at the dealership for oil change and asked that they look into this noise. mechanic said that there was a problem with the steering shaft and the intermediate shaft and that they should be replaced. there is also the danger that the car would lose the ability to steer if the problem were to get any worse, a safety danger. since the service was not covered under the vehicle warranty, i took it to my private mechanic for a second opinion. he agreed that the two parts should be changed. the repair was made on 7/24/09. i contacted toyota and was told that my vin number was not part of the service bulletin group. *tr

Steering intermediate shaft noise i own a 2006 toyota rav4 and now has about 65000 miles. there is a noticeable clunk noise (and feeling) while steering when the car is moving. the noise seems to be more evident in warmer days (summer time) and diminish during winter months. toyota has issued a tsb (toyota service bulletin): st001-08 so they acknowledge that this is a common problem. since this issue has been reported significantly, this tsb should be part of a recall. i do not wish to pay for a service for a problem that toyota new about since the beginning. we should not carry the burden of paying for toyota's incompetence in manufacturing safe vehicles. *tr

My wife's 2006 rav4 has a "clunking" noise in the steering that is worrisome to us. it has been present and getting worse for seven or eight years, now. i noticed the noise as being faint but didn't think much of it until my stepson asked me one day what the noise was. it occurs when driving the vehicle and turning the steering wheel. it got progressively louder and when i mentioned it to the toyota dealer where we have the vehicle serviced they basically blew us off and implied that it was our faulty driving. i have seen other complaints about this same problem from other rav 4 owners but toyota doesn't seem to want to fix this very dangerous problem. the fix will cost from 5 to 7 hundred dollars. we were asked if we wnted to pay for the repair and we said no, that toyota should issue a safety recall about this problem and they documented that we had turned down repairs to the steering column. another cosmetic problem we experienced was the finish on the wheels corroding and flaking off so that now the wheels look terrible. this happened when the car was just out of warranty. toyota told us that we must have used a "solvent" to clean the wheels therefore creating the problem ourselves. this same problem is also on the internet among rav 4 owners. toyota doesn't want to fix any of these problems.

Took my vehicle to dealer for loose feeling in steering wheel on my 2006 toyota rav. the front steering shafts are bad due to poor design. toyota issued service bulletin. no one contacted me about this issue. i took veh to shop. i have to pay the entire cost ($700) when will this become a recall, when people start dying to steering failure. i think you should make this a recall and make toyota pay for their poor design, not the consumer. *tr

There was an increasing loud noise and vibration through the steering column when i turned the wheel to the far right or left. i investigated toyota tsbs and found my 2006 rav4 has 2 detailed problems, one requires replacement of the connecting shafts and the other the entire steering rack. on inspection by the dealer it was determined i had the first problem, but because i was out of warranty, i would have to pay for it. this is a recall safety problem, which toyota was in denial about. i escalated and pushed and managed to get them to cover the labor, but i still had to pay several hundred dollars for parts for something that should have instigated a recall. if i had the 2nd problem, it was 3 times as expensive. many consumers have reported these issues, but toyota ignores them. just look at edmunds and other toyota forums. you trust the steering design of car with your life. toyota did not seem to care, only enough to let the dealers know there was an issue, not the consumer directly, nor step up repair it. *tr

There is a loud "clunk" in steering and you can actually "feel" it in the turns. mechanic feels it should be fixed (about $800) and checked with toyota to see fix. there is a recommendation, but no recall. what the heck?! sounds like defective work to me - and this wasn't a cheap car. does somebody have to die before they take care of this? i hope this isn't becoming toyota's policy. waiting for toyota to take action. *tr

Steering wheel pops when turning left or right at slow speeds. only seems to happen during warm weather. multiple complaints found online, but no recalls by toyota. no deaths or injuries yet! *tr

I own a 2006 rav4. the steering column seems to have a problem, there is a regular clunking noise. *tr

My 2006 toyota rav4 has a clunking noise when turning. the dealer said i would need to replace the steering column for $300.00 if i wanted to eliminate the noise. i declined. they said it was not a safety issue. now the power steering warning light has come on. *tr

We hear a continuous popping/clunking noise from our 2006 toyota rav4 when turning the steering wheel to the right or to the left. when this happens, a slight increase of the force is required to turn the steering wheel. this problem is well documented in toyota t-sb-0318-08: "some customers may hear a clunk, pop, or knock-type noise when turning the steering wheel left or right. a new intermediate shaft has been developed to address this condition." it shows that toyota originally used defective intermediate shafts. "warranty application is limited to correction of a problem based upon a customer's specific complaint." toyota will do nothing about the defective intermediate shaft if customer doesn't complain. the noise is caused by "shaft excessive play" according to toyota. it may not cause audible noise in early stages so a customer can't hear it. toyota can continue to ignore the defect until this condition aggravates to a certain point. is it a safety concern that excessive shaft play may eventually lead to full or partial loss of steering? we have filed complain through bbb to toyota but they decided to do nothing about it. *tr

2006 toyota rav-4 clicking in steering column since early 2009...after research found that it's actually a defect that toyota knows about and put out a service bulletin for (nhtsa item number: 10024291 service bulletin #: st001-08 ) , but refused to fix if problem was discovered after warranty expired (problem started about 1 month after my warranty expired)....next problem: water leak when raining on floor front passenger, leaked to back of vehicle causing mold damage (again toyota refused to fix even though they were aware of issue...my husband researched and fixed it himself). third problem, check engine light, vehicle stability control light, and 4wd light randomly come one (quite often)...have brought to mechanic and diagnostic test comes back with an error code. mechanics have said it's most likely a computer malfunction (which i haven't investigated myself, but have been told is very expensive to fix or worse replace). *tr

My 2006 rav4 with 21k miles developed steering clunking sensation at slow speeds in august 2008. brought it into the dealer and the steering shaft was replaced under warranty. now in march 2009 with 25k miles it's slowly starting to developed same condition. it's scheduled for dealer service shortly but i'm concerned that there is a design flaw in the steering shaft assembly and a more permanent solution must be applied by toyota, hopefully the dealer will do that. *tr

Steering intermediate shaft noise. toyota tsb report number t-sb-0318-08. when turning the steering wheel you feel like something is loose and you hear and feel a banging noise. from what i read many people are having this issue on there rav4 model years 2006-7. could this be a safety problem if left unfixed? *tr

A popping,knocking, clunking noise when turning the steering wheel, it can be heard and also felt when turning. toyota has issued a tsb about the problem but the dealers refuse to do anything about it. there is only 22,000 miles on the vehicle, i also have a 2007 rav 4 with less than 20,000 miles on it. so far the popping noise has not started yet but i think it is only a matter of time because it has the same components as the 2006 has. *tr

At around the beginning of the year, the steering column started knocking when turned left or right at low speeds. i brought it to a dealer and they seemed to be able to fix the problem by tightening something down in the steering assembly, but later the problem came back. i have since discovered that there are many consumer complaints about this problem, and the issue is addressed in toyota technical service bulletin# st001-08. i brought the car into another dealer to be looked at today (5/22/09), and they informed me of the problem, which is a defective intermediate shaft assembly. because the vehicle was out of its standard warranty, they would not fix the problem without charge, which they said was around $800 parts & labor. when i asked if it was possible if the shaft could fail completely at a later time, they said they didn't know. as the noises seem to be getting louder as time goes on, it indicates to me that the shaft interlocks are wearing out and there is a real possibility of failure down the line. with that said, i feel that this is a safety issue and the possibility of a recall should be considered. *tr

I have 2006 toyota rav4. the steering has clunk issue when make turn. this caused sometime out of control when make turns. i talked to the dealer and this is known issue. *tr

Clanking when turning the vehicle at low speeds. began to occur at approx 45,000 miles. steering column feels loose when sounds appear. is this dangerous?!?!? dealer looking for service bulletin. need recall. *tr

'model year: 2006 'make: toyota rav4 'model: 4 drive, 2 wd, v6 sport 'component: power steering system description: i bought the above car on 12/16/2006. after two years of driving, i started to notice that there is a tweaking sound on the steering wheel whenever i make a left or right turn of the vehicle at a slow speed. i have made a complain to capitol toyota at the beginning of 2009 and demand a fix without charge, but their management insisted that they charge me a fee of $132.00 for diagnostic and additional repair cost if they find out that problem is not within their warranty limits; please note that my car was within warranty at 42k miles. frustrated and angry, i brought my car home without any service. a year later with 44.3k miles, i began to notice additional problem with my car. this time, the check engine, viscous, and track lights get turned on. i brought my car to capitol toyota again with my additional complaint. this time, they agreed to perform a diagnostic service without a fee of $132.00, but they charge me for $1083.00 to replace the power steering ecu computer which is out of range and causing the lights to be turned on, and $483.00 for fixing the first, original power steering noise problem. they said that my vehicle is out of warranty. the only thing they can help cover for free of charge and within warranty at this time is to fix the cam timing oil valve which is sticking out to cause the engine light problem. i believe my toyota has their design and manufacturing problems, and i have not ordered the ecu computer and steering wheel noise fixes that they recommended because i do not agree with the provided cost. i am expecting that they should fix these problems for me free of charge. *tr

Since day one there was a knocking/popping sound coming from the steering column when turning the wheel at park and low speeds. i had taken the vehicle in to the dealer at least 3 times and finally, and ironically, the dealer acknowledged the noise. previous trips yielded the ever present "could not duplicate". however steering adjustments via an alignment was attempted. could not duplicate but tried something anyway? the ironic part about when the dealer acknowledged the noise is that the vehicle was 4000 miles past warranty. funny how such an obvious thing can go unnoticed until warranty expires. *tr

A noise came from steering wheel. this had been going on for sometime. toyota replaced r&r steering intermediate shaft. eventually steering wheel airbag had to be replaced due to severance of the spiral cable. no doubt these were related. unknown to me at the time of the repair toyota issued a technical service bulletin on 2-8-08 covering this issue. they refused to reimburse me for the repair. the defective part started to fail from the day i bought the car. both of the issues are safety related items. waiting for the steering to fail would be absurd. a look at the internet shows this was a widespread problem for this model year of the rav4. please issue a safety recall for the steering wheel problems for the 2006 rav4. *tr

Had a clunking sound in steering column when turning and backing up. steering shaft was replaced under warranty. problem returned and repaired on aug. 27,2012 at 73,852 miles and cost $720. i have been driving for 50 years and never had a car that had a steering problem like this. i was told that if i didn't have it repaired the steering column could lock up. i see there has been alot of complaints about this problem in 2006-2007 rav4's can someone look into this? *tr

I have 2006 rav4 sport with 52k miles on it that is making a clunking noise when i turn at low speeds. there is technical service bulletin about this issue: st001-08 for steering. i can live with the noise but i want to know if this will be a safety issue. i do not want to lose steering control if i do not have this replaced since the warranty for the vehicle expired at 36k or 36 months. *tr

Toyota rav4, 2006, steering intermediate shaft noise, vehicle does not keep the direction properly. *tr

At the end of 2008 i took my 06" rav4 in for it's pre-paid maintenance and told the service attendant that my steering wheel was making a strange noise when i was turning. i said maybe it just needs steering fluid. he got in and turned the wheel a couple of times and said he felt it would be fine. i mentioned the noise at each of the following appts. and was told basically the same thing. well now my car is out of warranty and they now know that it is the problem referred to as service bulletin dated 10-20-2008. they estimated the repair would cost $1,001.00 at my expense. i feel they put of the diagnosis until after my warranty ran out intentionally so toyota would not have to fix it. this should be a recall asap before innocent people are killed. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota rav4. the contact heard a thumping noise within the steering wheel of her vehicle. the failure only occurred while making turns. over the past three weeks, the noise occurred more frequently. the dealer stated that the intermediate shafts needed to be replaced. the vehicle has not been repaired and the manufacturer has not been notified. the current mileage was 62,248 and failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

Steering intermediate shaft noise / loose when making turns. the shaft has not "failed" yet, however it is a safety concern. repair has not been made yet, parts are backordered. vehicle out of warranty by 3650 miles, so far toyota will only pay half. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota rav4. while driving various speeds and making left or right turns, the contact hears a strange noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. the dealer stated that the steering intermediate shaft needed to be replaced and a wheel alignment needed to be performed. the vehicle has not been repaired. the vin was unknown. the current mileage was 45,000 and failure mileage was 43,000. updated 02-23-09 *bf updated 02/24/09. *jb

The steering column and/or steering wheel makes a clunk, pop and knock type noise when the steering wheel is turned left or right. this occurs at any speed and sometimes even when the vehicle is not moving. i am fearful that something in the steering mechanism might break while diving leaving the vehicle to continue on a course not under my control. *tr

Klunking noise heard and thump felt in steering column while turning vehicle a slow speeds. *tr

My 2006 toyota rav4/ sport has steering clunking. there have been recalls for the same problem in other years of toyota rav4's. i feel that with all the complaints that i have been reading about with the same year and model that a recall needs to be issued before someone else dies. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota rav4. the steering wheel made a loud noise while driving at various speeds and making left and right turns. the dealer was unable to diagnose or recreate the failure on four occasions. he will notify the manufacturer. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 25,000 and the current mileage was 48,000.

Steering shaft goes bad on 2006 toyota rav4's and some camry's and toyota won't recall it. i feel a clunking noise whenever i make a turn and was told that it's worn out. after 3 yrs of purchasing a brand new car? and the same thing is happening with a number of other toyota owners with the same models. and i was told eventually, if it goes unattended that i could lose control of the vehicle! and that too bad i didn't bring it in while still under warranty! who would think that a brad new car would do this? and now they want us to pay arm and leg to fix?! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota rav4. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, she heard a clunking noise from the steering wheel when turning. the vehicle was then taken to an authorized dealership where the contact was informed that the steering shaft needed to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the vin was unavailable when the complaint was filed. the failure mileage was approximately 15,000. the current mileage was approximately 20,900. updated 7/26/10. *lj updated 09/16/10

Tl*the contact owns a 2006 toyota rav4. the contact stated that the steering rods made a noise at low speeds and when he made left and right turns. the contact called the manufacturer who stated that the failure was a known defect but there were no related recalls. the contact was informed that he would be responsible for the repair costs. the vin was unavailable when the complaint was filed. the current and failure mileages were approximately 55,000.

My new 2006 toyota rav 4 was in for repairs in february of 2008. the intermediate steering shaft had to be replaced at 39,817 miles, just after the 36,000 mile warranty had expired. every time the steering wheel was turned the steering made a loud clunking sound. it got worse in a couple of weeks and the dealer said it was worn. i asked why after only 39,817 miles and they could not explain. now i have 81,000 miles and the sound is back and the shaft has to be replace for another $4-5 hundred dollars. i have had cars with 250,000 miles on them and never had to replace a steering shaft. now i have had to replace 2 in less then 80,000 miles. i feel this is a defect that toyota is covering up. *tr

Clunking sound in the steering column, chipped paint on the hood, and a jumbled radio screen. radio fixed, steering column ongoing, paint still chipping. *tr

I purchased a new 4 cylinder 2006 toyota rav 4 in april 2006. at about 30,000 miles i noticed a subtle clunking noise when making right turns at a slow speed. when the sound continued to increase and also occurred when turning the steering wheel to the right when the car was not moving, i took it to the local toyota dealer. i have now done so 2 times . the mechanics assigned to evaluate the situation agreed that there was the clunking noise and gave me the toyota t-sb-0318-08. since the situation has continued to get worse i am concerned about wear on parts. we drive on mountain roads with many curves. are we safe? does toyota have plans to address this problem? *tr

This defect is with regard to my 2006 toyota rav4. turning the steering wheel at low speed causes multiple loud clunking sounds, and the steering wheel vibrates along with clunk. it's almost like a ratcheting behavior on the shaft connecting the steering wheel to the steering mechanism. this defect began at approximately 40,000 miles. the car has 83,000 miles and the clunking is becoming more pronounced. there is at least one toyota technical bulletin on the defect: #st001-08. it describes a new series of parts redesigned to correct the issue. when i brought car to dealer for repair, they said parts are on backorder and toyota isn't offering a recall or assistance in covering the cost of the repair. as it requires redesigned parts, is a prevalent defect, and directly involves the steering integrity of the vehicle, i would contend that toyota should recall the affected cars and replace these defective parts without charge and without delay. *tr

I have a loud knocking sound in the steering column of my rav4 when i make low-turn speeds. i have had the car at the dealer three times and they have not been able to identify the problem. however, among rav4 car owners this problem is very well identified, as you can see from this url: http://rav4world.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5820&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 that discussion thread alone has almost 150 messages on this topic, but most toyota dealers can't find or fix the problem. this seems like a real problem, and toyota should have a tsb out on this, but if they do, i can't find one. because it makes a lot of noise it seems dangerous, but the dealer i've taken it to has said "don't worry, it won't get you in an accident or leave you stranded." if they can't identify the problem i don't understand how they can make that statement. thank you. *jb

Clunking steering column when turning. started at about 15k miles. now 45k and noise much more pronounced. read this is rod/shaft problem with 2006s, see that majority of complains filed w/ nhtsa relate to this issue. why is toyota not recalling? they claim not safety issue. clunking noise while turning can't be good for future integrity of vehicle's steering. it's not a problem until there is a serious injury or death. read toyota recalled 2005s for same issue, and read no post-2006 models suffer same problem. come on toyota, fix this problem on 2006s. *tr

I have a 2006 rav4 6 cylinder. within the last few months i have begun to notice the knocking/creaking noise when making turns at slow speeds. i have asked the dealer to look at it when it was in for service but of course they could not hear the problem. have found many people with this dreaded "knocking" noise when turning and according to those people, the steering shaft needs replaced. *tr

2006 toyota rav 4. consumer states issues with front steering, suspension and drive train *tgw the consumer stated the problems started with an abnormal noise in the steering system and continued with other problems associated with the steering, front suspension and drive train. various front end components had been replaced 10 times. after the steering shaft was replaced for the second time in august of 2011, the vehicle is now performing as designed. *jb

The following sequence of events describe the problem with my car. in august 2006, i purchased for my wife a new toyota rav 4/l4 at 4x2. in august 2007 (vehicle mileage: 9,540), i had to take the vehicle to the car dealer because of a strange noise coming from the steering shaft assembly which had to be ordered (part # 45260-42090) and installed. in november 2007 (vehicle mileage: 11,989), i took the vehicle to the dealer due to the same noise. i was told there was nothing wrong. in december 2007 i took the car to the dealer once again (vehicle mileage: 12,717) with still the same problem and noise. dealer personnel determined a damaged steering shaft assembly which was ordered (part # 45260-42090) and installed for the second time. we are now in september 2008 and my rav 4 (vehicle mileage: 20,855) is becoming noisy again with the same problem. i have no question in my mind tat the steering shaft assembly will have to be replaced for a third time. i have never been informed by toyota that rav 4 vehicles have been recalled but have read online that other models such as the prius have been recalled with this problem. *tr

Get a clunking in steering,, took it to dealer bad intermediate steering shaft.. they have a tsb on it,, but wont fix due to it currently being out of warranty, am concerned about steering issues and causing a accident. toyota has been aware of this issue and wont recall,, has to think steering probs can be a major risk hazard,, since they knew about it in 2008 read forums.. and seems to be a major widespread issue notjust mine..will it take someone getting killed before this is brought to light? *tr