“…Corolla owners have been complaining that they have had times where it suddenly became very difficult to steer the car, as though the system temporarily stopped working.”

I own a 1989 Acura Legend which exhibits a similar flaw. If I were to work steering wheel inputs from left to right repeatedly, my power steering can not keep up, effectively eliminating power assist. I suspect this flaw exists in LOTS of cars. But after 220,000 miles it’s safe to say the flaw has not prevented safe operation of my car.

Toyota Corolla – Alternator/Steering issue.
I have a 2009 Corolla. One day as I was driving on the freeway the steering became very tough. I got off the freeway looking for a gas station thinking I needed to fill the tires with air. By the time I got to a station it was almost impossible to steer into it. I checked the tires but they were fine. Scratching my head I tried to turn the car back on. It wouldn’t start. still under the 30,000 mile warrenty it get’s towed to the dealer where they replace the battery. One month later the same thing happens. It get’s towed to the dealer again and they find out that the Alternator is shot. Why didn’t they investigate that in the first place since the car started dieing while I was driving it???

Now, everytime I come to a stop, it feels like the car is going to stall. It does a short, temporary rough idle before settling to a smooth idle. Sometimes when start driving it out of my driveway or from work there is a ticking sound on the roof of the car. Not a ticking sound like a clock, but one that sounds like small rocks hitting a thin sheet of aluminum. i think it’s time to take it back to the dealer so the rough idling and the ticking can be documented.

When we bought our new Toyota Corolla last fall we thought there was something wrong with the steerin and took it back to the dealer the next day. The service manager told us there was nothing wrong with the steering and went on a drive with us and told us the electronic power steering was far superior because it would improve our gas milage because the moter did not have to drive a belt. We bought the story because I thought it sounded reasonable. The steering is unpredictable and you must be constantly on guard while driving. We want out of this deal ;but see no way to get our money back.

PLEASE HELP!! I have a 2007 Toyota Camry, and just tonight I was on the highway going to pick up my daughter going about 67 mph. My car had a sound that sounded like a soft pop, sounded like it came from the front driver side wheel. then it jerked to the left very fast! i slowed down very quickly and was able to steer the car back into my lane so I could pull over on the shoulder because it terrified me! I turned the steering wheel from the left to the right several times and heard nothing. The wheels seemes like they were turning like they should with the steering wheel. I was scared but I had to pick up my daughter. when I proceeded it steered properly at first. when I was driving I was going about 45 -47 in a 65 MPH zone because I was so scared, the car began to feel like it was swaying left to right as I accelerated and pulling to the left frequently! almost like it was over correcting its self! took it to the closest garage and the jacked the car up and seen nothing wrong in the front end and they also checked the rear end. They looked all underneath the vehicle. Nothing was broken and the bushens lookedd fine.They drove the car and said that there is something deffinatly wrong with it! I am very scared to drive my camry and I just got it back for 2 recalls that was done on the car! anyone else have this problem?? I will be at my local dealer in the morning when they open!!! I have searched the internet and I cant find a duplicated issue on the 2007 Camry’s!

I have always been a Toyota customer since 1973 and have owned many Toyotas both new and used. I can’t remember ever having a problem with any of them. Enter 2010. I bought a new 2010 Corolla in January. When I drove it off the lot it had 9 miles on it. I was driving home on the highway and about 20 minutes into the drive my car started to veer on the road. Just as I was pulling it off to the side my right front tire blew. Fortunately we did not have an accident. I took it back to the dealer for a new tire. As the days passed I noticed that the car would not stay straight on the highway. I had to constantly correct the steering and fight for it to stay straight. I took it back to the dealer and they worked on it for a few days. Had to readjust the toe-in and other adjustments. I will admit that the drive had improved dramatically but to this day I still have a steering problem although not as bad as before. My last new Corolla was in 2008 and I had no problems at all with it. I am waiting to see if a recall is made on the steering of this vehicle because it still is not right for a new car.

I just bought a 2011 Camry- I am having the exact same problem- Car veers left at highway speeds, hard to control, constantly needs correcting to stay straight. Dealer has realigned 3 times, balanced tires- still the same problem. Headquarters is no help so far. Back to the dealers today, this is the last time. I cannot continue to drive this car.

These new Toyota vehicles have column mounted electric steering in them. They all have absolutely horrible road handling. The steering is loose and wobbly at all speeds from parking lot to highway. The reason for this is the mechanical design of the steering system. The column mounted electric steering in them uses a worm gear in the design. This design does not allow the steering wheel to self center at any speed and makes for extremely sloppy road handling. Very tiring and nervewacking to drive. The road handling had absolutely nothing to do with the programming/tuning/ECU unit. It is entirely a mechanical issue. Toyota has lied about this problem. Toyota’s decision to use these new steering systems is entirely a profit based decision. They are very cheap systems. Yes Toyots the all popular brand of car manufacturer is now making cars that drive like absolute ans utter and complete crap. Super sloppy unstable steering that is truly unbfixable. Buyer be warned and beware there is no “fix” for this problem. There is nothing they can do with a recall either. These cars are designed to drive as I described earlier. Dont believe me then go ahead and continue living in fantasy land. FYI there is an abundance of Toyota company trolls lurking on every major message board debating with people such as myself when we are critical of the steering and handling in these new Toyota cars. I’m not real happy with this company. I attempted to get them to repurchase my 2009 Corolla and they refused. I wish I could sue them.

I went into buy a Camry 4 weeks ago and looked under the hood and low and behold there was no steering column. NO STEERING COLUMN!!! So I went next door and bought a Honda Accord WITH a steering column. I don’t care if the steering is power assisted with hydraulics or electro servo motors, but to not put a rack and pinion in with a mechanical steering column is simply needless. Electronic steering is more expensive to install than a rack and pinion.

Also, I don’t trust the programmers at Toyota, particularly after the jammed accelerator fiasco on the Lexus in 2009. There has already been recalls and complaints about drifting at high speed, oh, that’s nice, and tight turn lock-up necessitating towing.

This is a case of over engineering something that worked great.

The software designers at Toyota did not implement feedback to the steering wheel so that you can assess road feel. So driving the totota is like driving a video game or a WII except you are inside a steel, glass and plastic projectile that thinks it can steer better than you.

1) it increased the cost of the vehicle,
2) no road feed back
3) it is less reliable than rack and pinion
4) it already is being recalled
5) it wasn’t necessary
6) I dispute that it reduced the fuel consumption, (anyway if Toyota is relying on that to sell this they are hard up)

I owned an 83 Tercel, an 89 Corolla, and a 2006 Camry. I was going to buy a 2012 Camry and refused based on 1 reason. I will not drive a car whose steering wheel is not attached to the wheels.

I have a 2011 Toyota Coralla Sport. I have already had to put brakes on this vehicle and tires. I have had many new cars and have never had to do either of these so early. Also, about a week after I purchased the car, I called Toyota about an issue I am having with the brakes. Sometimes, with no warning, my brakes kind of bump bump bump when I hit them. Especially if I hit them quickly. I have never had an issue like this. Toyota blew me off and said it was normal. They sent me a survey after I purchased the car and lo and behold it asked if I had any problems with the brakes acting strange. To date, nothing has been done. I shouldn’t have these issues on a two year old car. I will never buy another foreign car again. No wonder they only give you a two year warranty on their new cars.

I have a serious problem and don’t know what to do. I bought my son a 2010 Toyota corolla on Dec 2013 worst mistake I have ever done.. there was a few times that I drove the car and found the car accelerated then the abs turned on for a little I didn’t think anything about it until he told me it happened to him too.. he would take his car for oil changes and inspection as they so call recommend but nothing was ever told or done.. then the big one came my son got into a car accent in may 2, 2014. he was driving in the I-4 turning to the turnpike the abs went on and the car accelerate and the steering wheel turned hard and he had no control of the car.. instead of the turning his car kept going straight leading him to crash in to the wall of the turnpike. the car got messed up at the front of the driver side the wheel got hit hard by a miracle of God my son is still alive and well but soon enough the car got messed up.. and everything is coming out of our packets. I got a mechanic to fix the wheel but the steering wheel is still stiff it is hard to move.. he took it to have an aliment done and when they did it they said we had to take it to the dealer so they can re start the steering wheel with the computer so I took it and they looked at me like if I was crazy they told me that it had nothing to do with it.. I told them what the mechanics said and they said no that had nothing to due with it.. I had explain earlier about the accident and told them that once it was fix I was coming back to find out about the abs because that was what cause the accident… they said due to that I got in an accident with the car they couldn’t do anything plus they said abs light wasn’t on so it had nothing to do with it.. I really don’t understand but mean while I keep seeing these recall with the same reason why he got in to the accident and don’t know what to do next we are paying for a car that is parked and have this big lost..

i have a 2011 corolla also and i am having same steering battery alternator problems . i almost crashed with my grandson in the car when i turned into my local store parking lot when my steering wheel locked upand then the car cut off and would not start sad i also bought brand new top quality battery ans still ended up replacing the damn alternator

I just bought a 2010 Toyota Corolla S,and only had a week,and am having steering problems.The car veers left,to right,left to right ,and I have to fight it to keep it straight.I m terrified.The dealership will not give me my money back,but will only do a trade in.But they don’t have anything I want yet in my price range.I have called up there crying serveral times about it.I feel like it is going to cause me to wreck.If I do,will I be able to sue them if I survive.

I’m in a 2013 Toyota Corolla and keeping the car straight at high speeds is difficult. It drifts from one side of the lane to the other. Correcting it is a constant back and forth. If I were following this car I’d think the driver was impaired.