[Mike Murrell]

Read the TSB at the Tundra forum mentioned further up.

It was a short read, especially after I saw the "36 month - 36,000" miles warranty limitation.

 

[jeffl.]

Well, I decided to take a shorter route. I purchased a Grease Injector Needle from the local hardware store and was able to find the two slots on the shaft that are mentioned in the TSB. Put the needle into each of those and using a regular grease gun I was able to get grease to go into it. I didn't disassemble anything.

I've been driving the car now for 3 days and the popping noise has went away. Will see how good it works.

(I bought the car used and while I was working on it, noticed that two alignment marks were already on the shaft, so it looks like it's already had a visit for this problem earlier.) The car had 80K when I bought it and it now has 82K miles.

 

[inov8]

Very resourceful. Did you use ordinary chassis / ball joint grease or something more exotic?

 

[jeffl.]

Nothing exotic, just some regular lithium grease that I use on the wheel bearings of my lawn tractor.

it took it about 10-12 miles of driving before it worked itself in deep enough to make the popping go away.

 

[bear1906]

I reported the steering issue to the NTHSA to add to the list of other potential safety issues that toyota has tried to downplay. I couldn't get a straight answer from the dealer as to whether it was a safety issue with the steering or a nuisance issue, so for peace of mind I paid the 400+ and replaced it. I purchased my vehicle used after it was out of warranty, so I couldn't get it covered. Either way, this is something that toyota should have bit the bullet on and recalled fully.

 

[raytseng]

I just found this thread after surfing the web. I've ordered the grease kit.

From reading the TSB, it seems like you really don't need to remove the shaft anything to get the grease in, just wedge yourself under the dash.

Seems like the biggest purpose for the removal is is to do the compressions to distribute the grease, but I would think normal use will take care of that by itself after awhile.

Although perhaps less effective, I would think that should reduce the time to complete from 1hr to like 10min, and pretty much saves you from the danger of messing up the steering/alignment.

What do people think?

EDIT/UPDATE:
Performed the grease injection without any disassembly,
By itself, the grease injection itself does not solve the problem, it need the compressions described in the TSB to get the grease into the splines.

However, I also cleaned off as much of the old grease from the exposed top portion of the splines and hand packed white lithium grease into it as best as possible (wear gloves). After some driving, and repacking, and repeating, this seemed to work the grease onto the splines and the steering has gotten smooth.

Toyota charging $200+ for this is ridiculous, definitely can be DIY and successful without any dissasembly.

 

[lifguardct]

My 05 Avy Ltd has 38k and sounds like crap already. Anyone have any pictures of where the grease goes? This sounds like a factory defect that should be fixed under "another" recall...

They are replacing the inter. shaft and column in my car today, under warranty. Funny, Toyota seems to be more eager to fix things right now.

 

[Riick]

Resurecting this old thread - just got the TSB (Grease version) about the intermediate shaft done on my '05.
I thought it would be a bullsh*t repair and I was going to have to hassle them to do the shaft.
However, all noise and all the funky feel is gone. I'm a happy camper

.

 

[iceman1001]

Hi guys
I just did it today after reading on here and the TSB, it definitely helps immediately, i might pack more in later after this round of grease settles down.make sure you get it from Toyota cause the needle and syringe really help, make sure the needle goes all the way down in the spline.Toyota was asking $225 for this

 

[bnet504]

So does anyone have an idea of whether the clunking noise indicates additional wear and tear or poses safety issues?

My '05 has about 70k miles on it and I've occasionally noticed the noise for a while now. It just started to bother me this morning as I was driving through a parking garage with the stereo turned off. I heard the soft clunking noise every time I made a right turn. I guess I'm wondering whether this is worth getting fixed immediately or if I should just live with it.

 

[84Cressida]

Geeze, did Toyota buy these shafts from Delphi or GM or something? GM is notorious for having numerous models with ISS failures. Good to see most of you are having the issue resolved, though. Still unacceptable for Toyota though.

 

[raytseng]

So does anyone have an idea of whether the clunking noise indicates additional wear and tear or poses safety issues?

My '05 has about 70k miles on it and I've occasionally noticed the noise for a while now. It just started to bother me this morning as I was driving through a parking garage with the stereo turned off. I heard the soft clunking noise every time I made a right turn. I guess I'm wondering whether this is worth getting fixed immediately or if I should just live with it.

It depends what is causing your clunk.

The steering shaft floats on these splines and as you turn the steering wheel, it slides up and down on the splines, depending on your adjustable steering wheel position..
If your clunk is caused by the same issue described is the TSB (which is bad/inferior grease turning into goo over time, causing the splines to stick and lead to un-smooth steering), then this is not a severe service issue.

But your clunk could be caused by plenty of other things that might be serious (such as a suspension issue like balljoints). So be sure that this is just the jerkiness and clunk is coming from the steering wheel/steering shaft, not the actual car.

As I mentioned in my experience, you can use the syringe kit, or just try cleaning off as much of the old sticky grease from the joint and packing in nice high quality room-temp lithium grease by hand. As you rotate the wheel, you'll see the splines go up and down, try to see when it is most accessible to clean off the goo, and pack in your new grease at that point.
Next you go for a drive with a bunch of figure 8s/turns to work in the grease, then repeat again as necessariy to to pack more grease into the splines, hopefully displacing the goo and lubricating the sticky spot that's causing the jerk.

 

[raytseng]

Geeze, did Toyota buy these shafts from Delphi or GM or something? GM is notorious for having numerous models with ISS failures. Good to see most of you are having the issue resolved, though. Still unacceptable for Toyota though.

It's not the shafts themselves, it's just the grease that was used turns to goo. Shows how even a small thing can cause a big problem.

 

[flyboyy]

I just found this thread after surfing the web. I've ordered the grease kit.
EDIT/UPDATE:
Performed the grease injection without any disassembly,
By itself, the grease injection itself does not solve the problem, it need the compressions described in the TSB to get the grease into the splines.

However, I also cleaned off as much of the old grease from the exposed top portion of the splines and hand packed white lithium grease into it as best as possible (wear gloves). After some driving, and repacking, and repeating, this seemed to work the grease onto the splines and the steering has gotten smooth.

Thanks for the info!

I will definitely try this on my Rav 4.

When you say hand packed, it sounds like you had to have it apart. Or do you mean you injected the grease with the syringe by hand?

 

[flyboyy]

How long does the injector needle have to be?

Anyone have a link to buy one?

Looks like this is a regular maintenance item.

 

[raytseng]

wow, an old thread. only notified through my email subscription.

but just to help

when I say handpacked, I did not mean that I took out the shaft.

I just meant I cleaned up all the old OEM factory grease from the top I could see, then worked in new white lithium grease from the hardware store into the seams with your finger (use a latex/nitrile glove=less mess).

It's like working with caulk or grout with your finger/spoon/or a finishing tool, try to pressure the grease into the gaps. Or like trying to get toothpaste back into the tube by packing it into the nozzle.

The partnumber for the syringe is in the TSB, but at least from my experience, it's mostly going to just dump the grease into a cavity in the middle, so unless you;re going through the full steps to compress the shaft into the cavity to get the grease it into the splines it's not going to help. The grease that came from Toyota, seemed pretty much the same as the room-temp white grease from the hardware store.

You may just want to try working the grease in from the top first. May take several times (go for a drive and working the steering wheel lock-to-lock a few times between procedures).

 

[flyboyy]

wow, an old thread. only notified through my email subscription.

but just to help

when I say handpacked, I did not mean that I took out the shaft.

I just meant I cleaned up all the old OEM factory grease from the top I could see, then worked in new white lithium grease from the hardware store into the seams with your finger (use a latex/nitrile glove=less mess).

It's like working with caulk or grout with your finger/spoon/or a finishing tool, try to pressure the grease into the gaps. Or like trying to get toothpaste back into the tube by packing it into the nozzle.

The partnumber for the syringe is in the TSB, but at least from my experience, it's mostly going to just dump the grease into a cavity in the middle, so unless you;re going through the full steps to compress the shaft into the cavity to get the grease it into the splines it's not going to help. The grease that came from Toyota, seemed pretty much the same as the room-temp white grease from the hardware store.

You may just want to try working the grease in from the top first. May take several times (go for a drive and working the steering wheel lock-to-lock a few times between procedures).

OK got it.

I will get the syring and have a go. What vehicle did you do it to? I am doing a Rav4

 

[raytseng]

this is the 3Gen avalon forum, and the car i did this procedure on

 

[flyboyy]

Thanks,
I got to this thread via a link from the Rav4 World forum. Lot of people there have the same issue and the Canadian dealers don't have this TSB yet.

It doesn't make sense that Toyota wouldn't disseminate the info. I will look to very I can do the job and take it from there.

Really appreciate it.

Alan

 

[raytseng]

Thanks,
I got to this thread via a link from the Rav4 World forum. Lot of people there have the same issue and the Canadian dealers don't have this TSB yet.

It doesn't make sense that Toyota wouldn't disseminate the info. I will look to very I can do the job and take it from there.

Really appreciate it.

Alan

Interesting that the canadians don't have the same info. I would've thought the database would be the same.

Heck even shadetree home mechanics can get a short-term 2day pass into the Toyota system and get all the manuals and TSBs for $15. You guys don't have a different internet up there do you?

https://techinfo.toyota.com/