I was turning in a parking lot and the next thing I know I came to a jarring stop and smacked my face in to the steering wheel. I couldn't figure out what had happened. I got out of the truck and found I had ran in to a crash pole protecting a transformer. I couldn't understand how the truck had hit it, I had seen it and was turning around it, but when I got it back in the truck and went to back off my steering was really stiff. I backed off the pole, stopped and popped the hood. I didn't see anything smoking or looked broke, but I was looking out through only one eye as my other eye was busted up, just like my sunglasses.

I strong armed the steering back to home and inspected the engine compartment. I inspected the power steering fluid and it was empty, odd no leaks in the drive way. Long story short, thank gosh I was going slow, the air bags never deployed, bent the bumper a tad, popped some plastic clips in the front wheel wells.

Come to learn Toyota Tundra's rack and penions are known to fail. Toyota has now posted a recall.

After adding 3/1 leveling kit to my Tundra, the rack and pinion blew out. I had purchased extended warranty but they would not cover it cause leveling kit put stress on rack and pinion. From what I have read on the internet this is not just a problem with lifted vehicles but stock vehicles have the same problem. Maybe there is a problem with the rack and pinion itself. Also could be a safety concern cause mine happened just driving straight down the road. At first the steering got stiffer but shortly after before I pulled over it was harder to turn the vehicle then it would be to turn vehicle without power steering not moving. I mean almost impossible. The power steering is actually working against you at this point. Sad to say after being a Toyota lover for years and still am. Toyota dropped the ball on this one and if you experience the same problem it is your duty to put in the complaints so this might save a life>>>>