2010 Toyota Corolla Steering Problems

While driving at highway speeds, the vehicle suffered a sudden, simultaneous failure of multiple electrical and safety systems. Without warning, the Check Engine light, VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) light, Traction Control light, and SRS Airbag light all illuminated simultaneously on the dashboard. Immediately upon illumination of these fault lights, the vehicle lost computer-assisted stability control, began swerving violently, spun out of control, and collided with another vehicle, suffering severe front and rear impact damage. The vehicle was declared a total loss. Despite severe impact forces to both the front and rear structure, the SRS airbags completely failed to deploy. Both occupants sustained injuries due to the impact and lack of airbag protection. The simultaneous illumination of the airbag and VSC lights prior to impact strongly points to a sudden failure of the steering column spiral cable (clock spring) assembly—a known safety defect under NHTSA Recall Campaign 14V-168 (Recall E0M). The illumination of the airbag fault light appears to have deactivated the SRS system prior to impact, leaving occupants unprotected during a major collision. The vehicle is currently held at IAA San Diego and contains unread Event Data Recorder (EDR) crash data proving the pre-impact system shutdown. I request that NHTSA review this safety system failure and airbag non-deployment. CHP Crash Report #[9645-2026-02967] and Insurance Total Loss Evaluation are available upon request.

NHTSA ID

11752255

Incident

Jun 24, 2026

The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was making abnormal sounds and also vibrating. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal gradually, the steering wheel and brake pedal would vibrate. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The contact stated that the traction control warning light would illuminate intermittently and would cause the vehicle to shut off inadvertently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where all four ignition coils were replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was no longer losing motive power and stalling; however, the steering failure persisted. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11476297

Incident

Jul 28, 2017

Mileage

100,000 mi

Power steering goes out while operating the car then come back

NHTSA ID

11425885

Incident

Jul 21, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED AND THE POWER STEERING OPERATED AS INTENDED. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN UNKNOWN LIGHT FLASHED ON INSTRUMENT PANEL PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WAS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 187,000.

NHTSA ID

11321237

Incident

Mar 13, 2020

Mileage

187,000 mi

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHEN I AM BACKING UP MY CAR TO DO REVERSE PARKING. IT HAPPENED ONLY ONCE. IT STARED WORKING WHEN I TRIED TO MOVE FORWARD AND CAME BACK TO NORMAL. I SHOWED IT TO TOYOTA AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH STEERING.

NHTSA ID

11282615

Incident

Nov 23, 2019

Mileage

123,000 mi

MY CAR'S STEERING WHEEL FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS HAS BEEN SO STIFF AND HARD TO MANEUVER. I WENT TO WORK FINE BUT AS I WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE WORK, I TURNED THE CAR ON, SEEMS LIKE THE START WAS WEAK, AS I BACKED UP 2 FEET, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SO HARD TO MANEUVER. I WENT TO PARK MY CAR BACK TO WHERE IT WAS FROM, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, THEN ALL I HEAR WAS A CLICKING SOUND, ENGINE WON'T START. COWORKERS JUMPED THE CAR, IT STARTED, TOOK IT TO ADVANCE FOR DIAGNOSIS, THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG ON THE ALTERNATOR OR BATTERY (BOTH LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD). THE CAR RAN LIKE NOTHING WAS WRONG. WENT TO WORK DRIVING THE CAR THE FOLLOWING DAY. IT WAS FINE, UNTIL I HAVE TO LEAVE WORK AGAIN. THE SAME THING HAPPENED!!! CAR'S ON PARK, STARTED THE CAR, BACKED UP, TURNED THE WHEELS, IT WAS STIFF AND IT SEEMED TO HAVE LOCKED, COWORKERS JUMP STARTED IT, DROVE HOME BUT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ACTING WEIRD. I MADE IT HOME. HUSBAND DROVE THE CAR A BLOCKS FROM THE HOUSE TO SEE IT FOR HIMSELF THEN WHILE DRIVING BACK HE MENTIONED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED GET SOOOOO HARD AND STIFF. IT WAS NOT SAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE THE CAR. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED.

NHTSA ID

11255224

Incident

Sep 2, 2019

Mileage

131,000 mi

DIFFICULTY TURNING STEERING WHEEL. I WAS PULLING OUT OF A STORE PARKING LOT & ONTO A MAIN STREET AND AS I WAS DRIVING AND BEGINNING TO TURN RIGHT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. I BECAME ANXIOUS BECAUSE I WAS HALFWAY ON THE MAIN STREET SO I USED BOTH HANDS TO TURN MY VEHICLE ONTO THE STREET AND LOOKED FOR THE NEAREST SIDE STREET TO GET OUT OF HARMS WAY. ONCE I GOT ONTO A SIDE STREET MANY IF NOT ALL LIGHTS ON MY CENTER CONSOLE ILLUMINATED (BRAKE LIGHT, BATTERY, ABS, VCS, ENGINE LIGHT ETC.). I HAVE ABOUT 140000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11253089

Incident

Aug 31, 2019

Mileage

140,000 mi

ON 08/30/2019 I WAS DRIVING DOWN A SUBURBAN CITY STREET GOING 40MPH AND SLOWED DOWN TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL BECAUSE IS HADU LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT TURN. I WAS TERRIFIED BECAUSE I HAD TO COME TO A COMPLETE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET BECAUSE THE CAR KEPT MOVING STRAIGHT AHEAD. I WAS AFRAID OF BEING HIT, BECAUSE I COULD GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO TURN. OUT OF DESPERATION AND FEAR, I GRABBED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL WITH BOTH HANDS AND TRIED TO PULL DOWN TO MAKE THE STEERING WHEEL TURN...I WAS USING EXTREME FORCE, PULLING NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE THE STEERING WHEEL FINALLY MOVED THE WHEELS TO THE LEFT SO I COULD MAKE THE LEFT HAND TURN. BUT WHEN I TRIED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEELS AND CONTINUE MOVING STRAIGHT AHEAD, THE SAME THING OCCURRED....THE STEERING WHEEL REQUIRED EXCESSIVE FORCE, USING TWO HANDS PULLING DOWN ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL REPEATED TIMES TO GET THE CAR IN POSITION TO MOVE FORWARD. BY THE GRACE OF GOD, NO TRAFFIC CAME DOWN THE ROAD IN EITHER DIRECTION. I CONTINUED TRAVELING DOWN THE STRAIGHT ROAD FOR TWO MILES, UNTIL I CAME TO A STOPLIGHT WHERE I HAD TO MAKE ANOTHER LEFT TURN. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, THE SAME THING OCCURRED...I HAD TO REPEATED APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO TURN, WHICH SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY. THIS TIME THERE WAS TRAFFIC BEHIND ME BEEPING THEIR HORNS TO GET OUT OF THE WAY, BUT SINCE THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING, IT TOOK ABOUT 1-2 MINUTES PULL THE STEERING WHEEL TO TURN THE CAR. I TURNED ON THE FLASHER LIGHTS, DROVE 10MPH AND CONTINUED HOME. THE CAR DROVE STRAIGHT: STEERING WHEEL LOCKED-UP AND REQUIRED EXESSIVE FORCE FOR NEXT FOUR RIGHT/LEFT TURNS I HAD TO MAKE TO GET HOME. AFRAID TO DRIVE CAR; INJURED RT ROTOR CUP USING SUCH FORCE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL.TAKING TO TOYOTA DEALER TOMORROW FOR DIAGNOSIS.

NHTSA ID

11252767

Incident

Aug 30, 2019

Mileage

79,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V168000 (STEERING) IN JUNE OF 2019. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO OURISMAN FAIRFAX TOYOTA (10441 FAIRFAX BOULEVARD, FAIRFAX, VA 22030, (703) 359-1010) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE RECALLED PART NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE PART WAS ON BACKORDER. THERE WAS NO ESTIMATED DATE OF DELIVERY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

11246542

Incident

Jun 1, 2017

ELECTRIC STEERING STOPPED WORKING AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS LIT UP. I SHUT OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED AND RETURNED HOME. CAR IS IN THE DRIVEWAY SINCE.

NHTSA ID

11194314

Incident

Mar 23, 2019

Mileage

111,000 mi

SUDDEN FAILURE OF STEERING WHILE DRIVING. CURRENT MILEAGE AROUND 116,000. HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT 30MIN AROUND 15-35MPH ON CITY STREETS WHEN STEERING SUDDENLY LOCKED UP AT ABOUT 15MPH WHILE I WAS MERGING LANES. BECAME INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO TURN STEERING WHEEL. AFTER 3 STRAIGHT BLOCKS AND NO CARS IN THE ROAD, I HAD TO USE 3 LANES AND ALOT OF FORCE TO ATTEMPT TO TURN RIGHT IN ORDER TO GET OFF THE MAIN ROAD AND ON TO A SIDE STREET. I LET RUNNING CAR SIT FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES WHILE I TRIED TO CALL FOR HELP...THEN THE STEERING SUDDENLY STARTED TO WORK AGAIN AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AGAIN. I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS HAPPENING AGAIN. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN ON A FREEWAY.

NHTSA ID

11194226

Incident

Apr 4, 2019

Mileage

116,000 mi

STEERING THE COROLLA IS DIFFICULT AND REQUIRES INTENSE EFFORT. THE ISSUE IS THE CAR WONDERS/SWERVES AND IS THUS DIFFICULT TO KEEP TRACKING CORRECTLY. THIS IS FIRST ELECTRIC POWER STEERING VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED AND PERHAPS IT RESPOND DIFFERENTLY FROM HYDRAULIC STEERING BUT THIS STEERING ISSUE IS VERY DANGEROUS, TAKING YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD EVEN TO SCAN GAUGES WILL HAVE YOU STEERING OFF THE ROAD OR ADJACENT LANE. JUST BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE 1/19 WITH ONLY 70K SO IT'S IN MINT CONDITION AND NO ACCIDENT HISTORY OR EVIDENCE TO BLAME.

NHTSA ID

11176060

Incident

Jan 1, 2019

Mileage

70,000 mi

SUDDEN FAILURE OF MY CAR'S POWER STEERING: I WAS DRIVING AT ABT 50-55 MILES PER HOUR AT I-880 GOING NORTH, I WAS MAKING A LANE CHANGE BECAUSE MY EXIT WAS APPROACHING, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, I LOST MY POWER STEERING, MY STEERING WHEEL BECAME SUPER HARD TO MOVE OR TURN, AND I ALMOST HIT THE REAR-RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, WHICH WAS AT THE SAME LANE. I WAS ABLE TO CHANGE LANE BUT IT WAS A VERY CLOSE CALL FOR COLLISION-ACCIDENT. I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR HAS ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPS). SUCH EPS SHOULD HAVE A BACK UP SYSTEM, OR SUCH FAILURE SHOULD NOT HAPPEN ALL OF A SUDDEN--IN A BLINK OF AN EYE. WITHOUT A BACK UP SYSTEM, SUCH SUDDEN FAILURE COULD RESULT IN FATAL ACCIDENT. IT WAS TOO SCARY, PANICKY, N STRESSFUL FOR ME. THEN, WHEN MAKING A LEFT N A RIGHT TURN, BECAUSE OF MY SUPER HARD TO TURN-STEERING WHEEL, I SUFFERED A SPRAIN N PAIN IN THE LEFT SIDE N THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY BODY. THE MILEAGE OF MY CAR WAS ABOUT 106470 MILES WHEN IT HAPPENED.

NHTSA ID

11141109

Incident

Oct 16, 2018

Mileage

106,470 mi

POWER STEERING HAS NOISY EITHER LEFT AND RIGHT TURN ALL THE TIMES.

NHTSA ID

11121991

Incident

Jan 20, 2016

Mileage

142,000 mi

WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IT SEEMS TO JUST LOCK UP AND DOESN'T WANT TO TURN, AND I HAVE TO FORCE THE STEERING WHEEL TO TURN. IT HAPPENS ABOUT 2 TO 3 TIMES A WEEK. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A CAR THE OTHER DAY BECAUSE I COULD NOT GET TURN THE CORNER FAST ENOUGH BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO TURN THE WHEEL. IT ALSO FEELS LIKE IT'S LOCKING UP WHEN I AM DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ALSO. I READ HUNDREDS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE ON OTHER 2010 TOYOTA COROLLAS.

NHTSA ID

11076182

Incident

Mar 2, 2018

WHEN I AM DRIVING MY 2010 TOYOTA COROLLA S ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF OVER 50 MPH IT DOES NOT STAY STRAIGHT. IT REQUIRES ALOT OF STRENGTH TO KEEP IT STRAIGHT. IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS BEING MOVED TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT BY WINDS. FEELS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE STEERING WHEEL IS SO STIFF TO TURN SOMETIMES. I HAVE DONE THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT SEVERAL TIMES AND PUT ON NEW TIRES RECENTLY BUT THE PROBLEM STILL REMAINS. VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND I GET VERY TIRED AFTER DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS JUST MAINTAINING IN MY OWN LANE. THE DEALER'S ARE NOT MUCH HELPFUL AT ALL WITH THIS. I'VE READ ONLINE ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL WITH THE STEERING. THERE NEEDS TO BE AN INVESTIGATION ON THIS SOON BECAUSE IT'S VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ID

11063401

Incident

Jan 3, 2018

Mileage

99,000 mi

STEERING HARD TURN HARD MOVING TO SPEED 55 MILES HOUR

NHTSA ID

11041366

Incident

Oct 30, 2017

Mileage

111,000 mi

AT APPROX 1730LT TODAY 10/19/2017 CAR DRIVEN FROM WORK PARKED IN THE DRIVE WAY NO PROBLEM AT APPROX 1745 LT STARTED CAR TO LEAVE DRIVEWAY AND NO POWER STEERING.... UNABLE TO DRIVE CAR. WILL CONTACT DEALER TOYOTA OF WEST KENDALL AS THIS SEEMS TO BE ANOTHER ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE COROLLA

NHTSA ID

11034713

Incident

Oct 19, 2017

MY SON GOT IN A CRASH THIS PAST SATURDAY. HIS STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED UP AS HE WAS TURNING COMING OUT OF AN INTERSECTION AND HE CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. WE FILED A POLICE REPORT AND THEY CONFIRMED HE WAS IN THIS SINGLE CAR CRASH WITH NO OTHER REASON FOR THE CRASH.

NHTSA ID

11022223

Incident

Sep 2, 2017

Mileage

90,000 mi

STARTING ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO VEHICLE BEGAN SHOWING SIGNS OR PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN T-SB-0140-10 TITLED STEERING ON-CENTER FEEL. VEHICLE IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO STAY IN A STRAIGHT PATH OVER SPEEDS OF 30-40 MPH. VEHICLE IS LONG SINCE PAST, WARRANTY, 2010 TOYOTA COROLLA W/>106K. ORIGINAL TSB DATED JUNE 3, 2010 INSTRUCTED THAT TOYOTA WOULD REPAIR WITHOUT CHARGE BY REPLACING COMPUTER ASSEMBLY, POWER STEERING IF STILL UNDER WARRANTY, HAVE COME ACROSS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND FEEL THERE SHOULD BE FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO INSTITUTE A FULL SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL.

NHTSA ID

11006338

Incident

Jan 19, 2017

Mileage

104,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL

NHTSA ID

11003859

Incident

Jul 9, 2017

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE ISSUE; HOWEVER, THERE WERE OTHER OPEN RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE AND ASSISTED THE CONTACT WITH MAKING A REPAIR APPOINTMENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,444.

NHTSA ID

10994955

Incident

Jun 8, 2017

Mileage

59,444 mi

TAKATA RECALL.........TOYOTA HAS ALMOST A YEAR TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE MAKE IT WHERE MY FRIENDS CAN RIDE IN THE FRONT SEAT. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I PURCHASED THIS CAR BECAUSE OF TOYOTA'S SAFETY RATING MARCH 2010, THE NEXT DAY THERE WAS A RECALL AND IT HAS GONE DOWN HILL SINCE. I PAID CASH MONEY FOR MY CAR AND CANNOT AFFORD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER. IF THE AIRBAGS OR ANY OTHER SAFETY RECALL IS NOT FIXED ASAP AND SOMETHING HAPPENS I OR MY HEIRS WILL OWN TOYOTA! AND TAKATA! GET BUSY!!!!!! NOTHING HAPPENED YET BUT DOES IT HAVE TO?

NHTSA ID

10972298

Incident

Mar 10, 2010

TAKATA RECALL STEERING COLUMN POWER WINDOW

NHTSA ID

10946641

Incident

May 1, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE BATTERY DIED. WHEN THE BATTERY WAS JUMPSTARTED, THE POWER STEERING WAS LOST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,843.

NHTSA ID

10946616

Incident

Jan 17, 2017

Mileage

60,843 mi