Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Toyota Corolla submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 382 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.
The 25 most recent of 382, in the owner's own words
The contact's mother owns a 2009 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that on several occasions while he was driving straight at approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle began to drift to the left and right inadvertently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Power steering fails to operate causing loss of control while navigating turns.
The steering stopped responding, car started spinning hitting both left and right retaining walls. Normal high way driving. Great dry weather. NO WARNING- no shake- no rattle-no lights- no noise-NOTHING
2009 COROLLA IS DRIFTING LEFT AND RIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY. SOME VIBRATION. RECENTLY HAD NEW TIRES AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND STILL VERY UNSTABLE, FEELS LIKE DRIVING A BOAT AND CAN MOVE LEFT OR RIGHT AT ANY TIME. IT HAS ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING NOT HYDROLOGIC. I'M THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED TWICE ON CAR WHICH IS UNUSUAL. ANY RECALL OF THE ELECTRICAL RACK AND PINION FOR THIS VEHICLE? MY MECHANIC DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX BESIDES REPLACING THE WHOLE RACK AND PINION SYSTEM.
EXTREMELY LOOSE STEERING. CAR HAS NO CONTROL ON HIGHWAY. I ALMOST HIT A CAR. CALLED TOYOTA AND PRETTY MUCH GOT HUNG UP BY TOYOTA REP.
AT HIGHWAY SPEED CAR WANDERS ACROSS LANES. EXPERIENCED COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING DOWN SIDE STREET.
I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A LOT OF HIGHWAY WANDERS AND I HAVE REPLACED TIRES AND HAD THREE OR MORE ALIGNMENTS DONE SINCE JANUARY OF THIS YEAR. IT FEELS AS IF THE WILD IS BLOWING A HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR AROUND ME AND PUSHES MY CAR ALL OVER THE FREEWAY. I FEEL IT GETTING WORSE AS WELL. I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE TO DO OR WHO TO CONTACT. I REALLY NEED TO GET THIS FIXED ASAP AND WE HAVE TRIED MANY THINGS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL HAD FRICTION AND WAS NOT CENTERED. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (CROSS BAY TOYOTA, 2001 N BAYSHORE DR., COOS BAY, OR 97420), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 1803082465. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED BACK TO THE DEALER BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 188,000.
MOST PRONOUNCED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE CAR WILL INTERMITTENTLY NOT GO STRAIGHT. IT FEELS LIKE A NOTCH BOTH TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT OF CENTER. IT TAKES BOTH HANDS TO FIGHT THE WHEEL TO MAKE IT GO SOMEWHAT STRAIGHT. PULLING THE STEERING WHEEL OUT OF ONE OF THESE NOTCHES AT 65 MPH MAKES THE CAR VEER A FEW FEET OR MORE IN THE OTHER DIRECTION OF THE NOTCH. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN A CAR OR 18 WHEEL SEMI TRUCK IS IN THE NEXT LANE AND COMPLICATED FURTHER WITH A SIDE WIND. I JUST BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR A TAKATA AIRBAG REPLACEMENT AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR KNEW NOTHING ABOUT ANY STEERING PROBLEMS REGARDING A 2009 COROLLA. I WENT TO THE CORPORATE LEVEL AND AGAIN, TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT ANY PROBLEMS. WHEN I ASKED IF I COULD SEND THEM LINKS TO REPORTS BY ABC, CONSUMER REPORTS, USA TODAY AND MULTIPLE OTHER SOURCES ABOUT LAW SUITS, JUDGEMENTS AND DECISIONS, THEY SAID THEY HAD NO WAY OF ACCEPTING THESE LINKS. APPARENTLY, HUNDREDS OF 2009 COROLLAS HAVE THIS ISSUE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE AT ALL SPEEDS, ALTHOUGH AT SLOWER SPEEDS IT ISN'T AS DANGEROUS BUT MOVING AT A HIGHWAY SPEED MEANS THAT A FEW FEET OF UNPREDICTABILITY IS NOT ONLY POSSIBLE BUT HAPPENS EVERY FEW HUNDRED YARDS. THERE ARE TIMES BUT VERY FEW TIMES WHERE THE STEERING IS COMPLETELY NORMAL. MY SUSPICION IS THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING BOX OR CONTROL MAY BE AFFECTED BY CELL PHONE INTERFERENCE, BOTH FROM MY OWN PHONE AND OTHERS AS WELL AS RECEPTION TOWERS. I AM A DRIVER OF ALMOST 45 YEARS AND HAVE LOGGED ALMOST A MILLION MILES WITH NO ACCIDENTS. I AM MECHANICALLY INCLINED AND AM SENSITIVE TO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION AND ABNORMALITIES. THIS STEERING ISSUE IS DANGEROUS AND HAS ALREADY COST LIVES AND CREATED ACCIDENTS ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLES I HAVE FOUND. PLEASE HELP ME CONVINCE TOYOTA TO EITHER RECALL THE CAR OR FIX MY CAR TO NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS.
THE CAR STEERING WHEEL DRAGS TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING IN A HILLY CURVY ROAD. SOMETIMES THE STEERING WHEELS GETS STUCK WHILE DRIVING AND CANNOT MOVE OR OPERATE.
STEERING WHEEL COIL REMEDY NEVER RESOLVED TOOK VEHICLE IN TWICE FOR SERVICE UPDATE AT THE DEALERSHIP ON STEERING COLUMN COIL AND AIRBAGS.WAS TURNING AT 5 MILES AN HOUR ON WAY TO DRIVE ONTO A TRAILER SO THE VEHICLE COULD BE PULLED WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SLOPPY AND WAS HIT BY ANOTHER CAR FROM THE LEFT SIDE
"TAKATA RECALL" HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED DO NOT LIKE DRIVING AROUND WITH BAD AIRBAG.
I OWN A TOYOTA COROLLA 2009, AND WHEN I WAS DRIVING AT 285 S. ALTANTA, GA; ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HEAVY. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN RIGHT AT EXIT 40 AND TO CHANGE DIRECTION. JUST LIKE THE STEERING WAS LOCKED. I JUST BARELY COULD TURN INTO THE PARKING SPACE CLOSE TO THAT EXIT. I AM DRIVING THIS CAR EVERY DAY FOR ONE HOUR IN THE MORNING, AND ONE HOUR OR MORE IN THE AFTERNOON, I'M SCARE THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN WHILE I'M DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY (85 ATLANTA) OR IN A LOT OF TRAFFIC. I AM SO AFRAID OF DRIVING THIS CAR. PLEASE, HELP ME!! DO WE HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM? I THINK THAT TOYOTA COROLLA STEERING PROBLEMS MAY LEAD TO ANOTHER RECALL. WHAT ARE THEY WAITING FOR?
WHILE DRIVING THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING CAUSES CAR TO DRIFT AND LOCKING UP ON HIGHWAY
TAKATA RECALL - DEALER WAS CONTACTED BUT NO PARTS AVAILABLE JUNE/1/2015 UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AT A SECURITY GATE WHEN BRAKING TO APPROACH GATE ARM. 04/24/2017
THE STEERING DOES DRIFT AT TIMES WHICH IS SCARY!
I WAS DRIVING WITH 30 MILE/HOUR ON THE ANDERSON MILL ROAD, AUSTIN, TEXAS. ALL OF SUDDEN, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HEAVY, JUST LIKE STEERING WAS LOCKED. IT'S SO DIFFICULT TO CHANGE DIRECTION. IN THIS SITUATION, I ALMOST HIT ANOTHER CAR WHEN I TRIED TO FIND PLACE TO PARK. THIS SITUATION MAY LAST SEVERAL MINUTES, AND BECOME NORMAL. I DROVE MY CAR TO THE TOYOTA CENTER, THE TECHNICIAN TOOK FEW HOURS TO CHECK, BUT NOTHING THEY FOUND. RIGHT NOW, I AM SO AFRAID OF DRIVING.
I'VE HAD EVERYTHING FIXED ON MY 2009 COROLLA REGARDING THE STEERING, THINKIN IT WAS THE ALIGNMENT ,TIRES,BALANCING,BRAKES ,SPENT ALOTTA MONEY AT MY MECHANIC.. TURNS OUT ITS THE STEERING CONTROL UNIT. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS MY CAR WANDERS VERY BAD AND I'M AFRAID ILL HIT ANOTHER CAR.EVEN CHANGING LANES MY CAR TROUBLE SOMETIMES AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. MY MECHANIC AND TIRE GUYS SAID THIS IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.. I WILL BE WRITING TOYOTA AND TAKIN MY CAR IN TO SEE IF THE COST MY CAR IS COVERED OR NOT. TOYOTA WAS INVESTIGAGED BUT NOTING AND WERE LATER SURED OVER THIS ISSUE. TOYOTA SHOUD BE ASHAMED FOR KNOWING ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND REFUSEING TO COVER THE COSTS.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD, SUDDENLY THE RED BATTERY SIGN AND ABS BREAK RED SIGN CAME ON AND STEERING LEFT OR RIGHT WAS EXTREMELY HARD AND COULD HAVE LED TO AN ACCIDENT. IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS NO OUTPUT FROM ALTERNATOR BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. SEEING THIS BEHAVIOR SECOND TIME IN LAST 2 YEARS DUE TO ALTERNATOR FAILURE. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY TOYOTA COROLLA DURING THE DAY AND WENT TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING SPACE AND SUDDENLY THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. I JUST BARELY COULD TURN INTO THE PARKING SPACE I WAS TURNING INTO AND MY CAR WAS SIDEWAYS. MY CAR WAS STILL RUNNING. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH IT. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WENT INTO THE PHARMACY. WHEN I CAME OUT AND WENT TO START MY CAR, IT WOULDN'T START. I HAD TO CALL AAA FOR A JUMP START AND EVEN AFTER THE JUMP START, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS STILL LOCKED BUT THE CAR WAS RUNNING. I WAS ABLE TO TURN IT ENOUGH TO MAKE IT HOME BECAUSE IT WAS A STRAIGHT RIDE HOME AND HALF WAY HOME THE STEERING WHEEL ALL OF A SUDDEN UNLOCKED ON IT'S OWN. NOW I'M SCARED THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN WHILE I'M ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN ALOT OF TRAFFIC AND I'LL BE IN AN ACCIDENT AND KIILED OR HURT SOMEONE ELSE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE WINDOWS FAILED TO FUNCTION. IN ADDITION, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000.
LETTER FROM SENATOR BOOZMAN ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT REGARDING HIS 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD WANDER, EVEN AFTER HAVING THE TIRES AND TWO WHEELS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE DEALT WITH THE STEERING ISSUE FOR SEVERAL YEARS. EVENTUALLY, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A CLAIM FORM IN THE MAIL FROM TOYOTA STATED THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING. *JB
ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING IN MY 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA BECOMES NOTICEABLY LOOSE AND WILL DRIFT TO ONE SIDE WHILE DRIVING. I NOTICE THE STEERING WHEEL BECOME LESS RESPONSIVE AFTER PULLING INTO/OUT OF A DRIVEWAY, OVER TRAIN TRACKS, POTHOLE, ANYTHING THAT PROVIDES SHOCK TO THE VEHICLE WITH THROW OFF THE STEERING CONTROL, BUT IT COULD BE A FLAT STRAIGHT ROAD AND THE VEHICLE WILL DRIFT. THE STEERING CONTROL IS SO LOOSE THAT ONE MUST CONSTANTLY BE ADJUSTING THE STEERING WHEEL TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM DRIFTING. I HAD MY ALIGNMENT ADJUSTED 3 TIMES OVER THE PAST 3 WEEKS THINKING SOMETHING MAY BE WRONG WITH IT, BUT THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT ALIGNMENT WAS WITHIN SPEC. I PURCHASED NEW TIRES (AND BALANCED TIRES) AND THE DRIFTING STILL OCCURS. FOUND THIS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TSB-0140-10 AND IT IS EXACTLY THE SAME DRIFT LIKE CROSSWIND PUSHING THE VEHICLE. I CALLED A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE TO A SERVICE TECHNICIAN WHO STATED THAT THE AUTHORIZED SOLUTIONS WAS TO REPLACE THE ECU WITH A DIFFERENT ECU PART NUMBER, CALIBRATE STEERING WHEEL CENTERING AND AGAIN ALIGN THE WHEELS FOR THE NEW ECU. IF THEY GIVE REPLACE IT WITH A DIFFERENT PART NUMBER WHY ISN'T THIS A SAFETY RECALL, SINCE THEY ARE NOT REPLACING IT WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART NUMBER? SOMEONE AT TOYOTA IS CLEARLY AWARE THAT THE OLD PART NUMBER IS NO GOOD. IF THE VEHICLE STEERING GOES OUT EVEN SLIGHTLY WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, WHY IS THAT NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY RECALL? NO PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE CAN PREVENT THIS, ONLY A TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER CAN REPAIR THIS. THIS WOULD ONLY BE COVERED BY TOYOTA WARRANTY IF THE ISSUE WAS REPORTED WITHIN 36 MONTHS OR 36000 MILES, EVEN THOUGH A SETTLEMENT WAS REACHED WITH TOYOTA IN JULY 2015 THAT CLOSED THE ISSUE WITH THE NHTSA. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP QUOTED ME AN OUT OF POCKET REPAIR COST OF $1200, FOR SOMETHING THAT THEY KNOW IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING CONTROL.
TAKATA RECALL: HOW COULD THIS HAVE A RECALL AND YOUR COMPANY IS STALLING TO COMPLETE THIS RECALL WHEN YOU ARE KNOWING THAT WHEN DRIVEN WE CAN GET INTO A MAJOR FATAL CAR ACCIDENT WITH THE AIRBAGS FORCING PRESSURE AGAINST OUR BODIES AND EVEN CAN BURN OUR FACE AND MORESO DEATH CAN APPEAR DURING THIS INCIDENT. I WAS SO FRIGHTENED TO THINK I SEE THE AIRBAG 6 SECOND LIGHT LIGHT UP AND BLINK DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THANK THE LORD THAT NOTHING HAPPENED TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR A 36O TURN MULTPLE CRASH ON THE RAIN, MUDSLIDE ROADS..
CAR DRIFTS HIGH SPEEDS ABOUT 1' FT. LIKE ON A WINDY DAY ! BUT NO WIND BOUGHT 2 NEW SET OF TIRES / AND ALIEGNED DID NOT FIX !!! WENT TO DEALER THEY SAID NO RECALLS BUT OTHER PEOPLE SAY EPS CAN BE RE- TUNED
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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