Final update on my experience. Picked up my car today (Thursday) after dropping it off Tuesday morning. All appears to be ok and the steering wheel has not fallen off yet. They gave my car a wash while they were at it as well.
Ah, guys, Can I ask only about the steering shaft recall? I wasn't aware there is anything new for the 2nd generation USA Prius in that respect (other than the steering shaft knuckle that was recalled back in 2006 or 2007 that I already had done on my 2005 back that recall first came out). I think the problem then was that if you turned the steering wheel quickly to a hard lock, or if you were already at full lock & bumped a curb, the steering knuckle would crack & loosen up. Is the new steering shaft recall for a different part & a different problem? All the posts in this thread are new, so this is not an old thread being revived from back in 2006 or 2007. The only recent recalls I'm aware of for my 2005 Prius are the inverter water pump one for 2004 models through part of the 2007 model year [which I hope to put off for approx 14,000 more miles which will be the next scheduled coolant change interval (but needs to be done before that campaign expires in Nov of 2013)]. Don't worry, I'm frequently checking in the reservoir for turbulence in the meantime. The other recent recall notice (if you can call it a recall---it's actually called a warranty enhancement) is the one I received just last week for the 2G (2004- 2009) combination meters. So, what's the deal with the steering shaft one you guys are talking about? Thanks ahead of time. Ken (in Bolton,Ct)
It has been found that the splines on some steering shafts were not hardened correctly causing ware play and possible steering failure, although no reported failures causing accidents. As I understand it the shafts were made by two different companies and only one make of shaft is involved. The cars need to be checked to see which shaft is fitted and if a replacement is required.
Thanks! The article I read only mentioned the steeringwheel issue with other Toyota's and then went on to speak about the waterpump on the Prius. It did also mention you wouldn't get contacted if the issues had been taken care of before... The (Dutch version of the) MOT needs to be done before the 18th of Feb. 2013 (car's 4th birthday) and can be performed 2 months prior, so I'll phone them for an appointment at the end of December and discuss these issues. Any other recalls since 2009? (The car has been in the care of Toyota apart from the very first service, and looked at by Toyota before I bought it last year, so I'd expect everything to be in order.) BTW, it's a year ago today we bought it
I'm in Arizona with a 2008 that has the steering shaft thing recall and I am not happy with the "Don't call us; we''ll call you" response from my local dealer. I already had a very traumatic experience with the car dying on me on a busy expressway because the inverter pump died and Toyota hadn't even bothered to tell us 2008 owners yet! Experts - please tell us if we should be more concerned about the steering shaft thing. Thank you.
If your habit is to frequently turn the steering wheel to the full-lock position then you should be concerned. Otherwise it is not a significant problem.
Rework all done. Mine didn't require any work. The customer service from Toyota world Bristol north was second to none. My prius was washed waxed and valeted with a safety check too
I find it odd that the UK is getting the service (recall) work done at this time, but it seems the owners here in the USA are being put off. So far the dealer here is still saying they know about it, but they don't have the parts and to wait until next year. Furthermore, I haven't received anything from Toyota, even though the car is registered at Toyota USA and the site plainly shows the car is being recalled for the pump and the steering. Are any other owner's here in the states seeing or hearing the same thing? Ron
I don't mean to cause an argument, but us Brits seldom get things first, try complaining more to Toyota USA
No arguments meant or needed on this end, I was simply asking if the stateside folks are seeing what I am seeing. Please don't take the post as meaning the brits are more or less important. We are all the same people coming from the same source. Ron
I agree it does seem strange, but I did not get any notification from Toyota or our DVLA (official body) about the recall I just rang the dealer who said bring it in for the work.
Yes, I'm experiencing the same thing with my dealership. They have confirmed, by VIN number, that my car is affected by both recalls. However, have told me to wait until I receive a letter from Toyota. If they're not ready to do the repairs, why announce the recalls in the first place? Perhaps they're waiting to see if the world comes to an end on 12/21 first.
After getting the steering recall completed my car now pulls badly to the right! Must go back and have them "fix it right the second time"! Merry Christmas.
Letter arrived today and mentions the steering-issue and the replacement of the waterpump. Didn't manage to plan the regular service appointment yet but will combie this soon.
Double check your letter. I too received one notifying me of the recall(s). However, it states they're currently working on a remedy to correct the problems. Information, as you know, we already were aware of. It also stated that I would be receiving another letter in the future, at which point I can schedule my car to have the work performed. This is getting crazy. It seems Toyota is trying to buy time for some reason before fixing our cars.
Appointment scheduled for 28th of January. I will try to get as much info as possible. The recallwork would be some 2 hours, and the regular service and APK/MOT/bi-annual-government-check another 2 or so.