Squeaking coming from steering wheel

A lady I work with has a highlander, not really sure about the year of it, im pretty sure its around 02 or 03. Anyway, when she turns the steering wheel it kind of squeaks, it sounds like rubber squeaking but im just not sure. Id like to know if this is a common thing and what it might be before I go tearing apart her car trying to find the problem. Thanks.

If it's what I suspect then you're right on the money. The steering column is probably rubbing on the gasket where the column protrudes through the firewall. The rubber gasket has gotten dry, so it squeaks when the steering wheel is turned. Cold weather seems to aggivate the issue, and the squeak may be intermittant.

Lube the gasket with some light-medium weight grease and the problem should go away. At least, it did for my Highlander. BTW, it affects the Camry and possibly other models as well.

HTH,

Howard