Steering Pinion Shaft problems of the 2008 Toyota RAV4

I am having a steerling noise issue when backing up or moving forward there's a loud clunk from the steering column area that I can feel in the wheel. I feel it in the wheel when driving down the freeway or uneven surfaces as well as when the vehicle is stopped and idling while turning the wheel to the locks. This vehicle was inspected my an ase certified master mechanic who found no issues with the rack and pinion system but diagnosed the issue as an intermediate steering shaft failure.

I had just dropped off my fiance at work and was attempting to turn around in the parking lot when my steering wheel dropped roughly 8 inches hitting my leg. The steering wheel can be moved 8 to 12 inches up and down with little resistance. It can also move be moved 6 to 8 inches left to right with no resistance. It's not guided in any way, you can move it around in a large circular motion. The car amazingly enough still steers. The steering assembly is still attached to the steering intermediate shaft as well as the rack and pinion. Though when you do attempt to steer, it makes a horrible popping sound, which makes sense because the shaft is no longer in a fixed position. Upon investigation it looks like a factory weld has failed. For a 2008 Rav4, the steering column assembly is mounted to the instrument panel reinforcement bar. This is a large bar that runs the length of your dashboard. This bar has a few welded mounts on it that allow you to bolt on the steering column assembly, which holds the steering wheel in place, it is these welds which have failed. This is a major safety issue, if the steering wheel had dropped 5 minutes earlier when I was traveling at highway speeds I could have easily lost control of the vehicle. The car had 65,000 miles on it at the time of incident.

I took my 2008 Toyota Rav4 to the dealership for its schedule appointment, and I was told that the rack and pinion and shaft needed replacement. Researching about this problem online, it was evident that many Rav4 owners were experiencing the same situation. This a common problem with many Rav4s. A so called dependable car should not have this problem before reaching 100,000 miles. Certainly, Toyota must clearly know that this is a common problem and should address it as soon as possible because this problem could potentially lead to an accident which can disrupt the safety of our communities.

I went to the dealer because I heard a clunking noise when turning the steering wheel. They did not hear anything and I could not do anything because the vehicle was under warranty. A year later, at a routine checkup, they said they heard the sound and it was a damage steering shaft and rack & pinion. A year later the same sound, but only the steering shaft was replaced. The year after that, the noise again and they had to replace the steering shaft and rack and pinion. Today I was told that I have to change the rack and pinion. I read on internet that this is a common problem throughout Rav4 2008, but this is ridiculous.