I am taking my '04 V6 AWD Highlander to the dealer this week to check a
subtle "clunk" in the steering. I feel it when I am making an extreme
turn at a very slow speed, such as when parking.

I wanted to get it in this week because my car is about to go out of
warranty. Is there anything else I should get checked before the
warranty is up? Any weak spots in this model and year?

Thanks!
BC

John wrote:
> There is a TSB for the this issue. You should be able to find it on the
> internet.
>
> "BCDrums" <bcdrums@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:XPidnfIP3oJe6FrYnZ2dnUVZ_vmqnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>> I am taking my '04 V6 AWD Highlander to the dealer this week to check a
>> subtle "clunk" in the steering. I feel it when I am making an extreme turn
>> at a very slow speed, such as when parking.
>>
>> I wanted to get it in this week because my car is about to go out of
>> warranty. Is there anything else I should get checked before the warranty
>> is up? Any weak spots in this model and year?
>>
>> Thanks!
>> BC
>
>
I took a quick look and didn't find it. What might the title bee?

Thanks!

BC

"BCDrums" <bcdrums@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:5LidnWNRc8YrF1XYnZ2dnUVZ_uvinZ2d@comcast.com. ..
> John wrote:
>> There is a TSB for the this issue. You should be able to find it on the
>> internet.
>>
>> "BCDrums" <bcdrums@comcast.net> wrote in message
>> news:XPidnfIP3oJe6FrYnZ2dnUVZ_vmqnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>>> I am taking my '04 V6 AWD Highlander to the dealer this week to check a
>>> subtle "clunk" in the steering. I feel it when I am making an extreme
>>> turn at a very slow speed, such as when parking.
>>>
>>> I wanted to get it in this week because my car is about to go out of
>>> warranty. Is there anything else I should get checked before the
>>> warranty is up? Any weak spots in this model and year?
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>> BC
>>
>>
> I took a quick look and didn't find it. What might the title bee?
>
> Thanks!
>
> BC

Steering Intermediate Shaft Noise
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr...sb/results.cfm

--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

"BCDrums" <bcdrums@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:AMGdnTuw4ZUHpVTYnZ2dnUVZ_h_inZ2d@comcast.com. ..
> Ray O wrote:
>> "BCDrums" <bcdrums@comcast.net> wrote in message
>> news:5LidnWNRc8YrF1XYnZ2dnUVZ_uvinZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>>> John wrote:
>>>> There is a TSB for the this issue. You should be able to find it on the
>>>> internet.
>>>>
>>>> "BCDrums" <bcdrums@comcast.net> wrote in message
>>>> news:XPidnfIP3oJe6FrYnZ2dnUVZ_vmqnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>>>>> I am taking my '04 V6 AWD Highlander to the dealer this week to check
>>>>> a subtle "clunk" in the steering. I feel it when I am making an
>>>>> extreme turn at a very slow speed, such as when parking.
>>>>>
>>>>> I wanted to get it in this week because my car is about to go out of
>>>>> warranty. Is there anything else I should get checked before the
>>>>> warranty is up? Any weak spots in this model and year?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>> BC
>>>>
>>> I took a quick look and didn't find it. What might the title bee?
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>>
>>> BC
>>
>> Steering Intermediate Shaft Noise
>> http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr...sb/results.cfm
>>
>
> Ray,
>
> Thanks for this tip. The link did not work, it led me to an error page,
> but I was able to find it from there. Should I mention this TSB to the
> service agent at the dealer? What is the right way to do this?
>
> Thanks!
> BC

It is usually not a good idea to take your vehicle in to have something
fixed and ask for something specific to be done because all of the
responsibility for a mis-diagnosis is yours. For example, if the clunk is
due to a loose rack end instead of the intermediate shaft, you might have to
pay for the intermediate shaft.

The best approach is to take your vehicle in and describe the conditions
under which the clunk occurs, such as turning which direction(s) you are
turning the wheel, vehicle speed, ambient temperature, direction of travel,
first turn after sitting for x hours, etc. You can mention that you heard
about TSB on the intermediate steering shaft and politely ask if it applies
to your vehicle, although the proper response from the service advisor
should be "I don't know, but we'll check it out" or something to that
effect.

Let us know what transpires.

--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

"BCDrums" <bcdrums@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:XeqdnYfoy9PwNFHYnZ2dnUVZ_v2nnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
<snipped>

Ray,
>
> I took the car in, and, following your suggestion, just gave them my
> observations about the noise. . They replaced the intermediate shaft and
> noted the TSB on the work order. In my short drive home, I didn't notice
> the steering clunk, so maybe they got it. I hope so!
>
> They also replaced the carpet clips, subject of a safety notice.
>
> I had complained that the driver's side seatbelt did not retract reliably.
> The connector would dangle and I'd slam the door on it. The work order
> said that the belt was "working as designed."
>
> Thanks for the help!
>
> BC
> sans a belt

The seat belt retractor spring retracts the belt slowly so that the buckle
does not hit the occupant in the face. Unfortunately, as it belt wears, it
gets slower and slower. What sometimes happens is that the edges of the
belt become frayed-fuzzy and the additional thickness of the fuzz is enough
to slow down the belt as it passes through the shoulder guide. This
complaint has been around a long time, and I don't understand why Toyota's
seat belt supplier has not come up with a permanent solution like a larger
opening in the guide.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

Ray O wrote:

>
> The seat belt retractor spring retracts the belt slowly so that the buckle
> does not hit the occupant in the face. Unfortunately, as it belt wears, it
> gets slower and slower. What sometimes happens is that the edges of the
> belt become frayed-fuzzy and the additional thickness of the fuzz is enough
> to slow down the belt as it passes through the shoulder guide. This
> complaint has been around a long time, and I don't understand why Toyota's
> seat belt supplier has not come up with a permanent solution like a larger
> opening in the guide.

Interesting! I went out and checked my belt. Not fuzzy. Also,, when I
extended it and released it, it worked just fine. But still, I have all
those chips in the paint where the door has slammed on the buckle...

BC
unbuckled