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.
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.
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.
Hard steering. at low speeds and not moving
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.
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.
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???