RoadVitals

1999 Toyota Corolla Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Jun 4, 2010
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
6%
of 155 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Toyota Corolla submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Body & structureBrakesSteering+1 more
Filed Jun 4, 2010

1999 TOYOTA COROLLA PURCHASED IN VERMONT JAN. 1999, MOVED TO NC IN JULY, 2008, WITH ABOUT 101,000 MILES. DRIVER WAS AT DOCTOR'S OFFICE PARKING LOT AUG '08-STARTED THE VEHICLE, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARDS, POOL OF BRAKE FLUID ON GROUND. REFILLED RESERVOIR, AND AS SOON AS PEDAL WAS PRESSED, BRAKE FLUID SPRAYED OUT. TOWED TO LOCAL GARAGE, WHERE MECHANIC SHOWED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LINE TO REAR BRAKES WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND JUST RUPTURED UNDER PEDAL PRESSURE. HE SPLICED ON A 1-2 FOOT SECTION WHERE THE RUST WAS WORST. ON 6/03/2010, THE SAME HAPPENED ON THE OPPOSITE REAR BRAKE LINE IN OUR DRIVEWAY. CAR WAS TOWED TO TOYOTA OF NEW BERN, NC. BY AAA, WITH A DETAILED NOTE TO REPLACE THAT RUPTURED LINE. AFTER A $207.00 INFLATED BILL, THAT LINE WAS ALSO SPLICED, AND THE REPAIR INVOICE NOTED THAT ALL THE BRAKE LINES NEEDED REPLACEMENT FROM SEVERE RUST. ASKED THE DEALERSHIP OWNER TO RECONSIDER THE 2 HOUR CHARGE OF $90.00 PER HOUR, BUT HE WAS OBSTINATE STATING HE HAD A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY HE HAD TO PAY FOR, AND WOULD NOT COMPROMISE WITH THE INITIAL $90. ESTIMATE GIVEN THE PREVIOUS DAY. THIS UNDERCARRIAGE RUST RUNS THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. NO GARAGE WILL ALIGN THE 4 WHEELS FOR FEAR OF SNAPPING SOMETHING. I'VE REPLACED THE LEAKING GAS TANK AND FILLER NECK TWO YEARS AGO FOR THE SAME MASSIVE CORROSION. THESE CORROSION ISSUES POSE A VERY REAL THREAT TO LIFE SHOULD THE BRAKES FAIL ON THESE NORTHERN VEHICLES DRIVEN ON SALTED WINTER ROADS. TOYOTA OF NEW BERN, NC OWNER APPARENTLY IS TRYING TO MAKE UP FOR HIS DROP IN SALES DUE TO RECALL ISSUES BY OVERCHARGING HIS REPAIR CUSTOMERS. WHEN THE SERVICE DEPT. REP PHONED TO CONFIRM RECEIPT OF THE VEHICLE TOWED, HE INFORMED ME THERE WAS AN INITIAL $90. DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE BEFORE BEGINNING THE WORK. I OBJECTED, AS I HAD TOLD HIM TO REPAIR THAT SPECIFIC BRAKE LINE, AND HE COUNTERED WITH, "BUT THAT INCLUDES A FREE 23 POINT CHECK." I SAID NO WAY, & HIS MGR. AGREED WITH ME. YEAH, RIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10334658
Incident
Jun 3, 2010
Mileage
119,271 mi
Steering
Filed Nov 28, 2008

SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST DUE TO DEFECTIVE POWER STEERING PUMP PULLEY. INNER SPLINE ON POWER STEERING PUMP PULLEY STRIPPED OUT AFTER 49,000 MILES, ALLOWING RELATIVE MOTION BETWEEN THE PULLEY AND PUMP SHAFT. RESULTANT PULLEY WOBBLE ALLOWS THE SERPENTINE BELT TO WALK OFF THE POWER STEERING PUMP PULLEY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10250067
Incident
Nov 20, 2008
Mileage
49,000 mi
Steering
Filed Aug 29, 2008

MY CAR IS A 1999 TOYOTA, COROLLA AND I HAVE HAD SO MANY THINGS GO WRONG WITH THIS CAR. FIRST OF ALL I ALSO HAD A NOVA 1989 THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CV JOINT WENT TWICE(@)30 TO 40 K MILES. I CAN NOT BELIEVE AFTER 10 YEARS THEY STILL DID NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM. IT IS TRULY A MANUFACTURES PROBLEM. ALSO I HAD TO HAVE MY STEERING COLUMN REPLACED IN THIS 1999 AND I NEVER HEARD OF THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. AND HERE I AM AGAIN AT 135,282 MILES AND I NEED ANOTHER CV JOINT THIS SURE SEEMS LIKE A TRUE LEMON CAR. I LOOKED UP ON ODI AND AM ASTOUND AT ALL THE CARS AND THE PROBLEMS THEY HAVE. I WAS PLANNING ON BUYING A NEW CAR BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MANUFACTURE TO TRUST. NONE OF THEM WANT TO FIX WHAT THE MANUFACTURES SCREWS UP OR OWES UP TO IT. WHAT IS A CONSUMER TO DO? *TR

NHTSA ID
10240262
Incident
Aug 28, 2008
Mileage
135,285 mi
Body & structureSteeringSuspension
Filed Mar 20, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A U-TURN AT 5 MPH OR LESS THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE IN THE STEERING AND WHILE GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS THERE IS A SQUEAKING NOISE NOTICED COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, ALL THE DOOR TRIM HAS DETACHED AND THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES ARE CRACKING AND BREAKING. THE DEALER WAS ALERTED.

NHTSA ID
10153260
Incident
Mar 20, 2006
Mileage
70,000 mi
Driver assistanceSeat beltsSteering+2 more
Filed Oct 24, 2005

THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WEBSITE HAS NO RECALL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOYOTA COROLLA. THE COROLLA IS NOT LISTED AMONG THE CHOICES FOR A TOYOTA VEHICLE. I HAVE A 1999 COROLLA LE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10140550
Incident
Oct 24, 2005
Steering
Filed Jul 25, 2002

CONSUMER STATE AT 20 MPH THERE WAS LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. CAUSE UNKNOWN DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*JB

NHTSA ID
8014751
Incident
Jun 13, 2002
Steering
Filed Oct 11, 2001

THERE WAS TOO MUCH PLAY IN STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT STEERING WHEEL BOLT HAD LOOSENED, AND THEY RETIGHTENED IT AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK *NLM

NHTSA ID
897620
Incident
Oct 11, 2001
Steering
Filed Oct 1, 2001

NOICE AT LOW SPEED, RATTLE SNAKE IN STEERING WHEEL, EXCESSIVE CLEARANCE INTERNAL IN RACK, REPLACE STEERING RACK TWICE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
9004535
Incident
Aug 1, 2000
Steering
Filed Nov 24, 1999

POWER STEERING PUMP IS VERY NOISY, LIKE IT HAS NO FLUID IN IT. AFRAID IT MAY FAIL SOON. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
715222
Incident
Jul 20, 1999

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .