2011 Toyota Highlander Steering Problems

Your steering column makes a clicking noise, and a power steering warning light appears on your dashboard. When this happens, it becomes difficult to turn the steering wheel. After a while, the light goes off and steering returns to normal. This issue comes and goes intermittently.

Your steering wheel feels loose and unresponsive, as if you're driving on ice, with excessive play that's gotten worse over the past month. In the last two days, you've noticed a thumping sound when turning right. This type of steering problem can affect your ability to control the vehicle safely and should be inspected by a mechanic soon.

Your power steering feels stiff and clunky, especially when turning slowly at speeds between 3-10 mph or backing out of parking spots. The steering column sometimes locks up temporarily, making the wheel harder to turn. The steering feels unreliable at low speeds and may need inspection of the power steering system components.

Your steering shaft is making a knocking noise when you turn left or right, and your driver's side window won't roll up or down because it's off track. Neither problem triggered any warning lights. Your dealer was unable to diagnose or repair these issues. Fixing the steering noise may require inspecting and servicing the intermediate steering shaft, while the window issue will likely need the window regulator mechanism to be realigned or replaced.

WHEN YOU TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THEN THE TURN IS COMPLETED...THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT GO BACK INTO POSITION. THIS OCCURS WHEN YOU ARE IN MOTION.

FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, THERE'S A THUMP WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION, NO MATTER WHAT ROAD/STREET. WE HAVE LESS THAN 43,000 MILES ON IT & DO NOT DRIVE ON RUFF TERRAIN. WE PURCHASED THE 2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER NEW, TAKE IT TO THE DEALER EVERY 6 MOS FOR MAINT. & NOW TOLD IT NEEDS A STEERING SHAFT REPLACEMENT & 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT. ($657.33 TOTAL!) THIS IS INCONCEIVABLE TO PASS ON TO CUSTOMERS. AND A ROAD HAZARD TO ALL ON THE ROADS.

CLUNKING AND CLICKING WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. TSB FROM TOYOTA CALLS FOR INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT REPLACEMENT, BUT TOYOTA WILL NOT WARRANTY REPLACEMENT OF THE FAULTY PART. HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE WITH THIS SAME ISSUE.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN CRUISE CONTROL AND NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING SPEEDOMETER READINGS. REPORTED ABS BRAKE MALFUNCTION, BRAKE MALFUNCTION. OVER THE NEXT 45 MINUTES WHILE IN ROUTE TO A TOYOTA DEALER VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY LOST POWER STEERING AND SPEEDOMETER READINGS. ALL MALFUNCTIONS HAPPENED WITH NO WARNING.

STEERING SHAFT U JOINT MAKES CLUNKING NOISE. DEALER ADVISED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT AS THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN.

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH MY POWER STEERING WHEEL, IT'S STIFF AND I UNABLE TO CONTROL IT WHEN ON THE ROAD. WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WITH HIGH SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL SWAY LEFT OR RIGHT AND I UNABLE TO CONTROL IT BACK TO STRAIGHT. ALSO, WHEN MAKING A TURN THE STEERING WHEEL NOT REFLEXES, FAST ENOUGH FOR ME TO MAKE A TURN. FOR INSTANCE, WHENEVER I MAKE A RIGHT TURN AND THEN TRY TO STRAIGHTEN THE VEHICLE BACK TO STRAIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT REFLEX BACK ENOUGH THAT IT LEADS ME TO HIT THE CURB DAMAGING FRONT WHEEL RIM. SINCE, THE PROBLEM KEEPS ON OCCURRING, AS I GET WORRIED I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP TWICE WITHIN THE PERIOD OF 2 MONTHS. THE FIRST TIME, I TOOK IT IN THE MECHANIC STATES THAT PROBABLY HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ALIGNMENT, SO I PAID THE FOR THE PERFORMANCE. AND IT DIDN'T HELP AT ALL. THEN THE SECOND TIME, I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP AGAIN, I TOLD THEM THAT THE ALIGNMENT DIDN'T HELP AT ALL AND ALSO I SPECIFY THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE STEERING WHEEL THEN I LEFT THE VEHICLE THE WHOLE DAY FOR THE REPAIR SHOP TO FIX IT. LATER, WHEN I WENT TO PICK IT UP, THEY STATED THAT THEY CORRECTED THE CRADLE AND DO THE ALIGNMENT 4 TIMES AND I TOOK THE CAR OUT HOME. THE VEHICLE STILL HAD THE PROBLEM THAT I HAD WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN TO REPAIR, THEN I DROVE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THE MECHANIC. THEN THE MECHANIC DROVE THE CAR WITH ME IN THE CAR, AND HE TOLD ME THE PROBLEM IS THE ELECTRIC STEERING WHEEL AND THERE NO WAY HE COULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEN I ASKED HIM IF I TOOK IT TO ANY OTHER SHOP WILL THAT HELP. HE SAID NO, THERE NO SHOPS THAT COULD FIX IT. HE ALSO SAID THAT I JUST HAVE TO PUT UP WITH IT. BUT, IT IS MY LIFE OR EVER MY FAMILY MEMBERS LIFE ON THE ROAD. SO, I'M REALLY WORRIED AND I DON'T HAVE MONEY TO REPLACE WITH A NEW CAR RIGHT NOW. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT BEFORE, I BOUGHT IT NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP.

I STARTED EXPERIENCING A CLUNK IN THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT FOR PARKING . IT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES SO I TOOK IT TO MY REGULAR TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. AFTER TEST DRIVING THE CAR THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I FELT I HAD NO CHOICE SO HAD THEM DO THE WORK AND IT COST $782.30 FOR PARTS / LABOR PLUS $134.95 FOR ALIGNMENT. TOTAL OF $917.25. I FOUND OUT THAT TOYOTA HAD ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #T-SB-0034-13 ON FEBRUARY 21,2013 SENT TO ALL TOYOTA REPAIR SHOPS ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE. THEY TOLD THE MECHANICS HOW TO REPLACE THIS EQUIPMENT AND THAT "A NEW INTERMEDIATE SHAFT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO ADDRESS THIS CONDITION". TO ME THAT MEANS THAT IN 2013 THEY KNEW IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW AND CORRECTED THE PROBLEM BY DESIGNING A NEW SHAFT. IF THEY HAD NOTIFIED THE 2008-2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER CUSTOMERS THEN THAT THIS WOULD BE AN ISSUE, MANY WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN UNDER WARRANTY AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED. BUT INSTEAD THEY WAITED UNTIL PEOPLE HAD THE PROBLEM, BROUGHT THEIR CARS IN FOR REPAIR AND THEN CHARGED THEM WHATEVER THE GOING RATE IS. IN THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN IS CLEARLY STATES THAT THIS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER A BASIC WARRANTY FOR TOYOTA. I SPOKE TO MY SERVICE ADVISOR AND HE REFERRED ME TO TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS. I CALLED THERE AND SPOKE TO TWO "SENIOR CUSTOMER ADVISORS" AND BASICALLY WAS TOLD I WAS OUT OF LUCK...NO RECALL, NO CAMPAIGN AND NO CUSTOMER REMUNERATION. WHEN I LOOK ONLINE IT'S CLEAR THAT MY HIGHLANDER IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE AND SPEND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR THE REPAIR. I THINK THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE TO OWN UP TO !!

AT A STOP OR AT LOW SPEED STARTS, TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL RESULTS IN A CLUNKING OR CREAKING NOISE. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THE NOISE HAPPENS WHETHER TURNING IT LEFT OR RIGHT. USUALLY HEAR IT COMING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT OR MOVING FROM A STOP. IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR A FEW YEARS.

WHEN TURNING OR OVER BUMPS THE STEERING COLUMN MAKES CLUNKING NOISE. HAS BECOME LOUDER WITH TIME

AT AROUND 90,000 MILES I NOTICED A DISTINCT CLUNK IN THE STEERING AS THE WHEEL UNWOUND FROM SHARP TURNS AT SLOW SPEED. THE CLUNK ALSO SHOWED UP WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON ROUGH ROADS AND UNDER FIRM BRAKING. THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/TSBS/2013/SB-10075792-2280.PDF. I HAVE HAD THE PART REPLACED WITH THE UPDATED VERSION, AND THE STEERING IS NOW GOOD AGAIN, BUT I EXPECTED SOMETHING LIKE TO BE COVERED IN A SAFETY RECALL.

I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A RED LIGHT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, PREPARING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. WHEN I THEN BEGAN THE RIGHT TURN I LOST POWER STEERING AND COULD NOT STRAIGHTEN OUT THE WHEEL, RESULTING IN ME RUNNING UP ONTO THE CURB. I IMMEDIATELY LET OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL- LUCKILY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME. I THEN GAVE THE CAR GAS AGAIN WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL BACK TO THE LEFT, AND SUDDENLY THE POWER STEERING WAS WORKING AGAIN.

INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFTS CLUNK NOISE. FREQUENTLY WHILE DRIVING.

LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH ON AN ACCESS ROAD ENTERING THE FREEWAY AND DASH LIGHTS AND RADIO CUT IN AND OUT.

POPPING NOISE IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT AT SLOW SPEEDS.

THE STEERING IN MY HIGHLANDER HAS STARTED MAKING A POPPING AND KNOCKING SOUND WHEN TURNING THE VECHICLE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN DESIGN DEFECT WITH THIS VECHICLE BY TOYOTA AND THEY SHOULD ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL. THE NOISE IS MOSTLY NOTICEABLE AT LOWER SPEEDS WHEN PARKING BUT IT ALSO OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.

INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ISSUES. HAD ONE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY A YEAR OR TWO AFTER PURCHASE. INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ISSUES RETURNED IN THE LAST YEAR. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WANTS $500 TO REPLACE A SHAFT THEY KNOW HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE FOR YEARS LEADING UP TO THIS MODEL. THIS IS THE PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR MY WIFE AND CHILDREN. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THERE SAFETY WITH THIS MATTER. THIS ISSUE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED YEARS AGO. THIS ISSUE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO COME TO THE POINT OF SOMEONE GETTING INJURED OR DYING TO HAVE THIS MATTER ADDRESSED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHEN THE CONTACT MOVED THE STEERING WHEEL, IT MADE A LOUD ABNORMAL POPPING NOISE. THE NOISE GREW LOUDER WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

CLUNKING OR TAPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT THAT CAN BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. DIAGNOSED BY TOYOTA AS "STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BINDING." THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE 2008-2013 HIGHLANDER. ADVISED BY TOYOTA MECHANIC THAT IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE FIXED UNLESS I PREFER IT NOT TO KNOCK OR CLUNK WHEN TURNING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS OR GOING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STEVE LANDERS TOYOTA (10825 COLONEL GLENN RD, LITTLE ROCK, AR 72204, (501) 568-5800) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT IN THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,396.

RUIDOS O GOLPES EN LA CAA DEL GUIA DE DIRECCION CUANDO GIRO A LA IZQUIERDA O DERECHA. MI VEHICULO COMENZO CON ESTOS RUIDOS A UN POCO MAS DE LAS 3600 MILLAS DE GARANTIA Y TOYOTA NO TOMO NINGUNA ACCION. VIVO EN PUERTO RICO Y MI DIRECCION ES P. O. BOX 1909, BARCELONETA PUERTO RICO 00617, MUCHAS GRACIAS...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING AND POPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT AND RIGHT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER (FIVE STAR TOYOTA OF MILLEDGEVILLE, 2816 N COLUMBIA ST, MILLEDGEVILLE, GA 31061, (478) 387-2112) AND WAS INFORMED TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE18005 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY WITH GENTLE TURNS AT 35MPH, POWER STEERING FAILED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE STRAIGHT UNTIL THERE WERE NO CARS DIRECTLY BEHIND ME AND I COULD BRAKE TO A SAFE SPEED TO ATTEMPT TURNING. I WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO MANUALLY STEER THE CAR TO TURN INTO A DRIVEWAY USING A THREE POINT TURN.

EVERY TIME I TURN MY WHEEL I HAVE A THUMPING SOUND (WORSE WHEN I AM TURNING RIGHT)

I HAD A CLUNKING NOISE WHENEVER I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT AT SLOW SPEEDS. I CHECKED ON LINE AND FOUND THIS SITE WHICH NOTED FAULT TO BE THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT, AS THE ISSUE. I TOOK MY VEHICLE INTO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THEY CONFIRMED THAT THIS WAS THE ISSUE AND BECAUSE IT IS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE, NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. TOYOTA WOULD NOT COVER ANY OF THE COST WHICH WAS $684. IT STARTED WHEN I HAD 80,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR AT 94,000 MILES WHEN NOICE BECAME LOUDER.. DISAPPOINTED TOYOTA DID NOT HELP WITH THE REPAIR COST.

WHEN MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN THE STEERING SYSTEM HAS A SIGNIFICANT "BUMP" OF "THUMP". THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH A PART OF THE STEERING SECTOR SHAFT THAT TOYOTA IS WELL AWARE OF BUT WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH DESIGN. TOYOTA WILL ONLY CORRECT PROBLEM IF CUSTOMER IS WILLING TO PAY COST OF APPROXIMATELY $1200. NOT SURE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF CORRECTION IS NOT MADE, BUT I BELIEVE IT COULD LEAD TO FAILURE OF THE STEERING SYSTEM TO FUNCTION APPROPRIATELY.

STARTED THE CAR. POWER STEERING WAS GONE!! IT HAD JUST GONE OUT!!! THANK GOD I WAS IN TOWN. I HAD JUST GONE OVER MOUNTAIN ROAD WHERE I COULD HAVE GONE OVER A CLIFF AND BEEN KILLED. I WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE CAR WITH HORRIBLE DIFFICULTY TO A MECHANIC ACROSS THE STREET AND THEY CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY TOLD THEM TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. THAT DIDN'T WORK. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALER WHEN THEY TOOK THE TOW IT SEEMED TO BE WORKING. THEY CHECKED IT AND WAS GIVEN AN "ALL SYSTEM OK" ON THE POWERTRAIN, CHASSIS, ELECTRICAL AND NETWORK SYSTEMS. THEY SAID IT WAS A "GLITCH" A GLITCH???? THIS IS A CAR I PAID $34,000 FOR AND I HAVE KEPT UP WITH ALL THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. NOW I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. IT WAS TERRIFYING. I HAVE TO DRIVE HOME FROM SAN LUIS OBISPO TO LANCASTER CA AND I'M SCARED TO DEATH. A GLITCH???? *TR

AT APPROXIMATELY 40-42 MPH ON A SLIGHT CURVE TO THE RIGHT, THE STEERING WOULD GET VERY TIGHT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ROAD.( IT IS AS IF THE CAR WAS TURNING TO THE LEFT ON ITS OWN) THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DEALER AND TOYOTA INSPECTED THE CAR. THE CAR WAS UNDER CASE MANAGEMENT WITH TOYOTA THREE TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. CASE #'S [XXX], [XXX], AND CASE [XXX]. EACH TIME TOYOTA WOULD STATE THERE IS NO PROBLEM AND THE CAR WAS "FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. " TOYOTA'S EXCESSIVE USE OF ELECTRONICS IN AREAS SUCH AS STEERING HAVE CREATED UNSAFE VEHICLES. EVEN WORSE, MY OPINION IS TOYOTA KNOWS THEY HAVE ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE AND ONCE AGAIN IS DENYING AND COVERING IT UP. TOYOTA CAN NO LONGER BE TRUSTED! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I ONLY HAVE 7K MILES IN MY CAR I OWN THE CAR FOR ONLY 1 YEAR. I NOTICE THAT THE STEERING WHEEL IS NOT BALANCE AT ALL. AT LEAST 5-10 DEGREE TO THE RIGHT. I HAVE MY CAR SERVICE EVERY 6 MONTHS WITH TOYOTA IT SHOULD BE BALANCED AND DONE THE TIRE ROTATION??? ALSO THE TRANSMISSION OCCASIONALLY STALL ABOUT 1-2 SECOND WHEN I ACCELERATE TO 30-40 MPH. I AM AFRAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION WILL HAVE PROBLEM WITHIN THIS 2-3 YEARS. LIKE HONDA TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON ODYSSEY. *TR

PURCHASED MY 2011 HIGHLANDER IN MARCH, & IT HAD 7000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. I STARTED THE VEHICLE IN MY DRIVEWAY, PUT IT IN DRIVE, AND STARTED DOWN MY DRIVEWAY. PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES AND SEEMED NOT TO HAVE POWER STEERING. THE LIGHTS IN THE DASH CAME ON, AND THE SCREEN SAID BRAKE MALFUNCTION CONTACT DEALER IMMEDIATELY. THERE WERE NO BRAKES, I FINALLY CAME TO A STOP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL, PUT THE CAR IN PARK, AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. WHEN I TURNED THE KEY, THE CAR STARTED, THE DASH LIGHTS WERE STILL LIT UP, AND I GUESS THE COMPUTER SEEMED TO "RESET". I PULLED BACK INTO MY DRIVEWAY & HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY. THE DEALER HAS HAD IT FOR OVER TWO WEEKS, AND THE INCIDENT HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY CANNOT FIND A SINGLE THING WRONG WITH IT. THEY CAN, HOWEVER, SEE THAT THERE WAS AN "INCIDENT" WITH THE BRAKES ON THAT DATE BY THE COMPUTER READING. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I AM GOING TO BE GETTING THIS CAR BACK, AND THAT IT IS FINE. EVERYONE SAY A PRAYER FOR MYSELF AND MY 3 KIDS THAT ARE IN IT, & HOPE THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN IN THESE MOUNTAINS THAT I LIVE! *TR