2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid steering problems

Filed Jun 15, 2019 · Steering · 140,000 miles · VA

My 2006 highlander drove just fine. Parked in my usual spot and the next time I start it my p/s light is on and I have no steering. I searched online and it seems to be a common problem for it to just quit working on people. I'm curious as to why this issue hasn't been addressed by toyota yet. Thank god I wasn't driving like others were when it happened.

Filed Nov 28, 2018 · Steering · 175,029 miles · MA

Steering does not steer correctly sometimes when I drive. Dealer says that they want $2000 to fix it by replacing the steering mechanism. I have noticed it sometimes when I am moving.

Filed Mar 7, 2017 · Steering · 200,000 miles · GA

When the car is turned sharply to the right the power steering for both right and left goes out. If there is no hard turn to the right the steering remains functional. Happened while on winding road nearly ran off the road. Restart the car and the problem disappears until the next right turn. Dealer could not diagnose the problem needed to replace both the power steering ecu and the power steering converter and give me a bill for over $1000.

Filed Jul 5, 2016 · Steering · 105,000 miles · MT

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 toyota highlander hybrid. While driving ar any speed, the power steering warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The steering wheel became very difficult to turn. When the contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, the steering returned to normal. The steering failure occurred intermittently. The approximate failure mileage was 105,000. Updated 09/06/16*lj the consumer stated the power steering didn't always return. Sometimes, the consumer had to sit for several hours. Updated 09/08/16.

Filed Jun 22, 2016 · Steering · 105,200 miles · MN

It is a 2006 highlander hybrid with 105200 miles and well maintained.. It looses power assist in steering at all speeds intermittently. It is very dangerous as I have to put lot of muscle in steering at low speeds but it had lost power assist even at 65 MPH as well which made me very nervous. I cannot drive the vehicle as the power steering p/s light comes on most of the times now. Only once a while it is off which is when I drive but few miles of driving gets the light back on with no power assist. I have seen many people in forums with the same problem for that years hybrids. Therefore I am requesting to help me out with either a recall or getting this fixed at my local rochester mn dealership. Anything you could do at the earliest would be appreciated.. Customer request to be removed from complaint list, cell phone , address. Not to be contacted. Updated 08/12/16*lj updated 6/18/18

Filed Jan 20, 2016 · Steering · 170,000 miles · CA

Power steering failure. Car was in motion turning when ps light came on and no power since then

Filed Nov 10, 2015 · Steering · NY

Stall steering wheel

Filed Sep 21, 2015 · Steering · 45,100 miles · MN

I apologize for the delay in filing this complaint. I just learned of the complaint process. We took delivery of the vehicle on 12/7/09 from burnsville toyota in burnsville, mn. On 12/10/09 while traveling from eagan, mn to omaha, ne the power steering went out on the vehicle. We were able to get the power steering repaired in bellevue, ne on 12/12. I felt fortunate to have repairs made as it was a saturday and the vehicle is a hybrid. The bellevue dealership made the repairs at no charge and informed me of the open recall on the power steering. Upon returning home I contacted the dealership. They apologized and offered a free update on the GPS. I also later contacted toyota corporate. My notes from that contact indicate a reference number of 1001108638. Upon learning of the complaint process I also learned that it is illegal for a new car dealership to sell a vehicle with an open recall. I do not know if that was the case in 2009. I am pleased to be able to submit this complaint as I have always felt consumers should be protected from purchasing products with known defects

Filed Apr 17, 2015 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · 49,936 miles · PR

I was driving on a straight highway between 45 -50 MPH. Sudden a bunch of lights and warnings came up in the dashboard. I lost power steering and motor propulsion too. I pressed the accelerator and nothing happened. Although I had the ability to brake, it seemed that the braking was also impaired. However because I was going up an incline I did not need strong braking. I managed to coast over to the breakdown lane. Luckily there were only a couple other cars near me so it wasn't too difficult to maneuver by them and coast to the other side of the road where the breakdown lane was. Once I was completely stopped I shut the car down completely and restarted in the normal hybrid startup manner. The car propulsion and steering came back but now the message was alternating between "maintenance needed" and "check vsc system", and the check engine light and symbol was on. I shut off everything electrical to minimize electrical drain. I was able to drive the car another 8-10 miles to get home but I was constantly looking to see where I could pull over if the car stopped again. I made it home. Tomorrow bring it to the toyota dealer. Significantly, I recently had the brake actuator replaced at a cost of around $2700, specifically because they warned me that I could lose braking and other electronic facilities unpredictably. I thought that expensive repair would avoid this. Unfortunately it appears that what they were predicting could happen did happen, but after the repair! I was on a highway when the car died but with not much traffic and an easy access breakdown lane. Had it been 10 minutes later I might have been on a much busier highway in a place where a breakdown lane is much harder to reach. That would have been a dangerous situation. Had it been daytime and in a safer area I would have stopped and called for a tow truck.

Filed Apr 4, 2014 · Steering · 107,732 miles · DE

Started vehicle, power steering fault indicator came on. No power steering. Does steer while in motion but extremely hard to turn, impossible while standing still.