Steering Tie Rod Assembly problems of the 2012 Toyota Highlander

Very shortly after purchase it was immediately noticed that there was difficultly controlling the direction of the vehicle on acceleration. Later it appeared as if there was a high point in the steering. All four tires were changed at 32k miles and now there is a distinct clunk in the steering when turning or accelerating. The car was checked for alignment when the tires were changed. I received no report of suspension or tie rod problems. Clunk became more audible. My research indicates that this is a problem with the intermediate steering shaft. Toyota should recall and fix the problem. This car was bought new and a problem was evident very early. Current mileage less than 33k.