Toyota Kluger 2008 Problems

Normally, I would recommend the Kluger, but with 225,000 km on the clock already it’s not so cut-and-dried. If the Kluger has a good service record and is in good condition then I still think I would go that way. The Freemont is more of a gamble in my view. Should you decide on the Freemont you shouldn’t have problems getting parts for it.

It's not a safety issue. Your car is nine years old; pay the money to have it fixed.

Looking at seven-seater SUVs, the new Kia Sorento is excellent in all areas to earn The Tick and the Nissan Pathfinder is a good choice. One of them should work for you, your budget and your towing duties.

It's a common problem and one that is normally fixed by the dealer when reported. Go back to the dealer and ask him to repair it. At the very least Toyota should supply the replacement part free of charge.

Your car is six years old, so you would expect some wear to have occurred in that time. I'm not surprised that Toyota refused to replace the part free of charge, but I would have thought they might have come to the party for part of the replacement cost. The knock in the steering shaft is not uncommon. 

It's most likely the steering shaft as the dealer has suggested, it's quite common and Toyota has recalled a number of models for just such a knock. Have the dealer replace the shaft and press for compensation from the company.

Generally today carmakers do not recommend servicing automatic transmissions, the transmissions are "filled for life" in the factory and according to the carmakers don't need any servicing. Auto transmission experts would disagree and say that you should change the oil every 25,000 km or so, and carry out a major service every 100,000 km or so. On that basis you could have the oil changed as a precaution, but if you're not towing with your vehicle you could safely let it go for a few more kays.

Have the alignment checked and corrected if found to be out of specification.