2016 Toyota Corolla Steering Problems

The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle downshifted with no warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that the steering wheel seized with no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the steering module and the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 43,000.

NHTSA ID

11650547

Incident

Mar 25, 2025

Mileage

43,000 mi

I recently 6 weeks ago bought a used certified 2016 Toyota Corolla with 43,000 miles. I have been going back and forth with Toyota since the day after I bought it about the many mechanical issues that pose a major safety risk. The car shudders/vibrates when accelerating, knocks when backing up. And when making turns the car shifts hard side to side with a shudder and wobble in floor board of car. It feels as if you don’t have control of the vehicle when driving. It has lots of loose play in the front end and steering really the whole car. It also has a problem going up hill and jumping on fwy a major problem accelerating. They keep telling me car is working per design but this is a lie. I have taken it to 2 other mechanics who told me this car has major issues safety ones to take it back. Toyota fixed the control arms stating that might be what it is but the same problems remain. I am afraid to drive this vehicle and they refuse to figure out the problems and fix them. 2 days after buying it I told them take the car back it has too many mechanical issues they refused. I don’t know what to do I cannot continue driving this car like this and in the rain it could barely handle also. The car has a feeling of loss of control like the whole frame of car is loose. I need help and don’t know what else to do I’ve taken the car back to them about 15 times. They continue to lie and say nothing is wrong even though when I test drove it with the head mechanic. He admitted the car has major issues but told me he did not want to get involved and I would have to take it up with management. I traded in my 2011 suv that was in good working order to buy this smaller car so my daughter could also learn to drive. They should have never sold this vehicle with this many mechanical safety issues please help.

NHTSA ID

11643020

Incident

Nov 30, 2024

A knocking noise is coming from the front of car. Noise correlates with car motion. Worn parts in suspension were replaced by Euro Car Doctor in Costa Mesa. One problem complies with Toyota Technical Service Bulletin. Noise continues. The electronic invoice has photos of worn parts. Euro Car Doctor documents concern. I do not trust the local Toyota dealer service department to properly inspect the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11593343

Incident

Jun 1, 2024

I have been driving my car since 2016, however since Nov 24, 2023. Incidents that alarm me have happen. I have filed a police report but don't have the funds to get vehicle swept. All of these events occur while I am driving. Passenger windows goes up in and down a lot. Static in my speakers. Steering wheels lock. somethings draining my battery. though I have ensured nothings on or there isn't any short fuses. Doors unlock. Door beeps though someone has had access. Trunk pops open. I am reaching out to NHTSA because my safety is at risk. Is any other Corolla owners reporting this. Please assist me.

NHTSA ID

11576490

Incident

Mar 6, 2024

I was exiting a freeway offramp and as I was turning at a speed of approximately 35 mph, I had both hands on the steering wheel and full control, but the actual car wheels disengaged from the steering. The car went in a different direction than the steering wheel and hit a wall. I was able to reverse. But, as I kept driving, the steering wheel was not controlling the car wheels correctly. When I would turn the steering wheel, the car's wheels wouldn't obey.

NHTSA ID

11501047

Incident

Jan 7, 2023

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AS AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY DEPRESSED HER BRAKE PEDAL, HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO MOVE FORWARD INDEPENDENTLY DOWN AN INCLINE. THE CONTACT PANICKED AND EJECTED HERSELF FROM THE VEHICLE AS HER VEHICLE THEN HIT A TRAILER THAT WAS ATTACHED TO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER LEFT ARM BUT DID NOT RECEIVE ANY MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LONGO TOYOTA (3534 N, PECK RD, EL MONTE, CA 91731) WHERE IT HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND AN INVESTIGATOR WAS SENT OUT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THE BRAKES WERE NEVER APPLIED PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. THE CONTACT DISPUTED THAT REPORT AND STATED THAT MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD BEEN PLACED UNDER NHTSA RECALL NUMBER:20V024000 (AIR BAG). THE VEHICLE REMAINED IN THE POSSESSION OF THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,473.

NHTSA ID

11327266

Incident

Apr 30, 2020

Mileage

25,473 mi

INVOLVED IN COLLISION ON OCTOBER 14, 2019. VEHICLE LIABLE FOR COLLISION HIT THE FRONT OF LEFT SIDE OF MY VEHICLE. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, SAFETY RESTRAINT DID NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY. SUFFERED INJURIES TO LEFTS SIDE OF BODY, HEAD, NECK, LEG, FRONT AND BACK. BODY PROPELLED FORWARD TOWARDS WHEEL AND DASH ARM, SHOULDER AND ONE CONTACTED VEHICLE AND HEAD HIT STEERING WHEEL. WENT TO ER. SEEKING TREATMENT FOR INJURIES FOR 6 MONTHS NOW AND ONGOING. *TR

NHTSA ID

11321186

Incident

Oct 14, 2019

Mileage

60,000 mi

THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE IT IT WAS LIKE DRIVING A MANUAL STEERING. WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY IT WAS LIKE DRIVING A TRACTOR. THEN WHEN I GOT TO WHERE I WAS GOING IT MADE A CLICKING NOISE WHEN I TRIED TO START IT AGAIN. THEN EVERYTHING WENT DEAD. THIS IS MY ONLY CAR AND I AM A RETIRED TEACHER WHO SPENT HER RETIREMENT MONEY ON THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD BE RELIABLE.

NHTSA ID

11316889

Incident

Mar 7, 2020

Mileage

20 mi

WHEN IT'S A LITTLE COLD OUT AND I START UP MY CAR,MY STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT TURN, IT'S LIKE IT IS LOCKED. UNTIL IT WARMS UP A BIT I CAN'T AND WILL NOT MOVE IT UNTIL IT BECOMES NORMAL AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF OCT. 2019.I UNDERSTAND IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COMPONENT. I AM VERY CONCERNED IT MAY LOCK UP ON ME WHILE I'M DRIVING AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT??

NHTSA ID

11309521

Incident

Oct 1, 2019

Mileage

31,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OF THE GARAGE, THE CONTACT TURNED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. ALSO, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,500.

NHTSA ID

11266203

Incident

Oct 2, 2019

Mileage

75,500 mi

A NUMBER OF TIMES THE PAST FEW MONTHS AND MOST RECENT AS OF TODAY WHEN I FIRST CRANK MY CAR AND START TO DRIVE THE STEERING WHEEL IS STIFF AND TAKES TIME BEFORE I CAN TURN. TODAY A STEERING WHEEL LIGHT WITH ! POINT WAS ON AND WHEEL WAS STIFF WHEN FIRST TRYING TO LEAVE. ITS STATIONARY WHEN HAPPENING BUT FEARFUL WILL HAPPEN WHEN DRIVING BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY.

NHTSA ID

11253593

Incident

Sep 6, 2019

LIGHT ON LONGER THAN NORMAL WHEN START CAR. SOMETIMES STIFF WHEN TURNING WHEEL WHILE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY.

NHTSA ID

11228721

Incident

Jul 1, 2019

Mileage

27,000 mi

STEERING GOES STIFF WITH CAR RUNNING/STATIONARY AND STEERING WARNING LIGHT ON LONGER THAN NORMAL. FEARFUL PROBLEM WILL OCCUR WHILE MOVING

NHTSA ID

11218086

Incident

May 30, 2019

Mileage

19,556 mi

BRAKES MAKE A GRINDING NOISE AS SOON AS BOUGHT CAR, TOOK FOR 1ST OIL CHANGE AND TOLD THEM, ALSO DRIVES LIKE FLOATING OR WEAVING DOWN HIGHWAY ALSO TOLD ABOUT AT DEALERSHIP. NOW THE HEATER AND AIR IS NOT RIGHT ALL THE TIME.

NHTSA ID

11204220

Incident

Jan 4, 2016

Mileage

50 mi

BRAKES ARE NOT ENOUGH STRONGE POWER STEERING LIGHT TURN ON THE STEERING WHEEL IS SO HARD TO MANIPULATE

NHTSA ID

11202677

Incident

Jan 1, 2019

TRANSMISSION PROBLEM: MY RPM IS LOW AND VIBRATES THE CAR AND LOSS OF PERFORMANCE, WHILE SHIFTS GEAR IMPROPERLY. I HAVE 6 OEM ENHANCED DTC, I CAN PROVIDE PICTURES, THE IMPORTANT CODE IS ECM/PCM CODE. ABS: EVERY TIME I HIT A POTHOLE, ABS MAKES GRINDING NOISE. POWER STEERING PROBLEM: I DID ALIGNMENT, EVEN AFTER THAT MY STEERING MY CAR SWERVED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT ON HIGHWAY, IT'S LIKE I HAVE TO BATTLE MY CAR TO BE IN THE LANE. WINDSHIELD WIPERS: THE FASTEST LEVEL IS NOT FAST ENOUGH, ALSO MY WINDSHIELD BECOMES LIKE OILISH, LIKE IT'S HARD TO WIPE MY WINDSHIELD,THERE ARE TIMES IN THE HEAVY RAIN, LOTTERY I COULD LOSE MY WAY OUT, I SLOW DOWN IN CASE I HIT SOMETHING AT LEAST IT WILL BE MINOR DAMAGE.

NHTSA ID

11182474

Incident

Feb 1, 2019

Mileage

25,000 mi

I'M HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM SEVERAL TIMES DURING 2018 AND ALMOST TWICE GOT INTO THE ACSEDENT BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WITH STEERING. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. THE WARNING LIGHT JUST STARTS SHOW THE PROBLEM ON 09.27.2018. I START TO READ ABOUT THIS ONLINE AND REALIZE THAT THIS CAN COURSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT ON THE ROAD. IT'S DANGEROUS FOR ME AND PUBLIC. THE TOYOTA COROLLA DID THE MAINTENANCE ON MY CAR ON JAN 19, 2018 AND THEY NEVER MENTION TO ME ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP ME TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE WITH DON MEGILL TOYOTA OF KATY, TX. I'M TAKING THIS CAR BACK TO TOYOTA ON 9.28.2018. I'M AFRADE TO DRIVE THIS CAR.

NHTSA ID

11132018

Incident

Sep 27, 2018

Mileage

24,999 mi

NOTED OVER HEAD LIGHT BY THE BACK SEAT MAKING A ELECTRICAL STATIC NOISE WHILE THE CAR WAS RUNNING ON A CITY STREET AND WAS ABOUT TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE DIED, STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFFED NOT ABLE TO MANUEVER, EPS LIGHT CAME OUT BATTERY WAS FULLY CHARGE FOR SOME REASON STILL DRAINING THE POWER DOWN TO 9.6 VOLTS FROM 12VOLTS. PLEASE SEE ATTACHED PHOTO PER MY MECHANIC SAME PROBLEM FROM TOYOTA YARIS 2005. THIS PART IS CALLED THE ELECTRIC POWER ACTUATOR FOR ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WHICH ON THE BOARD (GREEN COLOR)HAS MALFUNCTION CAUSING THE EPS OR STEERING WHEEL BECOMING STIFF AND BATTERY TO DRAINED. WHEN CAR IS RUNNING AND ACCIDENTALLY RUN OVER SOMETHING LIKE HUMP OR ANY DEBRIS THE MALFUNCTION WILL START. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENNED TO ME WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO TURN RIGHT THERES A HUMP.THIS PART COST A LOT AND HOPEFULLY TOYOTA WILL ENLIGHTHEN WITH THIS PROBLEM. I JUST WANT TO HELP AND LET OTHERS BE AWARE. I JUST CURRENTLY BOUGHT MY TOYOTA COROLLA LAST MARCH 2016 AND I DONT THINK I DESERVE TO PAY THE COST OF THIS MALFUCTION WHICH TOYOTA MADE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD FOR YOUR HELP. JUST IMAGINE IF THIS THING HAPPEN TO YOU OR TO YOUR FAMILY. THANK YOU

NHTSA ID

11130018

Incident

Sep 7, 2018

Mileage

36,294 mi

MY SRS AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON OUT OF NOWHERE. SHORTLY AFTER THAT MY STEERING WHEEL CONTINUALLY CLICKS WHEN I TURN IT. AND WITHIN THE SAME DAY NOW MY HORN STOPPED WORKING AS WELL AS ALL OF THE BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL NO LONGER WORK INCLUDING THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE LIGHT NEVER WENT AWAY AND THE FUNCTIONS OF THE STEERING WHEEL NO LONGER WORK WHEN THERE IS NO CAUSE OR REASON FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.

NHTSA ID

11053710

Incident

Nov 20, 2017

I WAS DRIVING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AT 10-15MPH. A CAR WAS WAITING TO TURN AT A STOP SIGN 200 FEET AHEAD. THE ROAD HAD MILD SNOW AND ICE AND WAS ON A 20 DEGREE SLOPE, SO I STEPPED GENTLY ON THE BRAKE. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE CAR. I STEPPED OFF THE BRAKE AND STEPPED DOWN A LITTLE HARDER. THERE WAS MILD RESPONSE. I CONTINUED PUSHING ON THE BRAKE, AND WAS ABLE TO PUSH ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. THE CAR DID NOT STOP. 50 FEET BEFORE COLLISION, I ATTEMPTED TURNING THE WHEEL TO GET OUT OF THE WAY, BUT THE CAR ONLY SHIFTED 3 FEET BEFORE I COLLIDED WITH THE FRONT CAR. 50 MINUTES AFTER THE INCIDENT, I WAS DRIVING THE SAME CAR HOME AT 25MPH. THE CITY STREET WAS FLAT AND STRAIGHT, AND THERE WAS MILD SNOW AND ICE. A CAR WAS TURNING RIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION 250 FT AHEAD. I WAS WORRIED THIS TIME, AND PRESSED ON THE BRAKE EARLIER AT MODERATE PRESSURE (PEDAL HALF DOWN). IN THE PAST, THAT TYPE OF PRESSURE COULD DECREASE THE CAR FROM 35 TO 10MPH IN 100FT. THIS TIME, THE CAR ONLY DECREASED FROM 25 TO 15MPH IN 245FT. I WAS LUCKY THE DRIVER AHEAD TURNED, BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A SECOND COLLISION IN ONE DAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10948077

Incident

Jan 25, 2017

Mileage

6,700 mi

WHELP MY 2016 TOYOTA COROLLA L HAS A ISSUE WITH THE SENSOR THIS CAR IS ONLY A MONTH OLD I TOOL IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE STATED THE NITROGEN IN MY TIRES ARE TO COLD, WELL ITS SUMMER TIME IN FLORIDA AND NOTHING COLD EVERYDAY I HAVE HAD A ISSUE WITH THE SENSOR. ALSO MY CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS ABOUT TO BLOW AWAY WHEN I AM ON THE EXPRESSWAY , WHICH IS VERY SCARY

NHTSA ID

10905870

Incident

Aug 23, 2016

Mileage

800 mi

STEERING WHEEL RECALL. I WAS COMING OUT FROM AN ALLEY TO GET INTO THE MAIN ROAD, THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE, LOCKED UP, OR JAMMED TO THE RIGHT. QUICKLY STEPPED ON THE BRAKE TO AVOID INJURY AND DAMAGE TO THE CAR. HAD TO RESTART ENGINE TO GAIN CONTROL OF CAR. COULD BE FATAL IF THERE WAS ONCOMING CAR OR MERGING ON INTERSTATE.

NHTSA ID

10893690

Incident

Aug 4, 2016

Mileage

6,800 mi