Toyota RAV4 steering column klunking noise - an epidemic?

Summary: The Toyota RAV, 2006 model and newer, have become famous for a steering column klunking sound. Toyota then saddles the RAV4 owner with an $800 repair bill.

The question is, why isn't there a Toyota recall on this steering column klunking sound problem?

I started doing some research about my Toyota RAV4 steering column "klunking" noise, and it turns out that a lot of people have this same RAV4 steering column klunk/knocking/popping sound (threads here and here.)

People that are writing about their RAV4 steering column noise problems are also saying that the Toyota dealer mechanics are "unable to reproduce this problem", the same as the Toyota dealer here in Anchorage, Alaska. Maybe I've watched too many X-Files episodes, but this sure sounds like a cover-up to me.

Toyota RAV4 steering column klunking noise - how about a recall?

This RAV4 steering column klunk problem also makes me wonder what needs to be done to have a recall on this issue? I'm going to get into that next, as this is really pissing me off big-time.

In a way this is also upsetting because I heard so much about Toyota quality that I'm surprised to have such a major problem so early (33K miles).

(A little later in the day ...) I just figured out how to deal with this. Since my digital camera also takes movies, I'm going to take the car out for a spin w/ the camera running, and see if it can pick up all the noise. This way I can show it to the dealer (if need be), post it on YouTube, and have some proof that this was a big problem while the car was under warranty.

RAV4 steering column noise - follow up - 2009

If this didn't make me want to cry, I'd laugh ... I just looked on the internet, and not surprisingly, the Toyota dealer in Anchorage, Alaska is now under new ownership.

RAV4 steering column klunking noise - follow up - April, 2010

As a follow-up to this article, I wrote another article titled, "Hey Toyota, how about a RAV4 recall (RAV4 steering column noise)?". Finally today, April 19, 2010, Toyota has agreed to reimburse me for half of the total repair cost for this RAV4 steering column klunking noise. If you're interested, you can read all the details at that other link - including dozens of comments from other RAV4 owners.