2009 Toyota Corolla Steering

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

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.

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.

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.

SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST. I PARKED MY TOYOTA MATRIX WHICH WAS RUNNING PERFECTLY. I STAY UP TO DATE ON TUNEUPS AND OIL CHANGES AND ANY OTHER MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT ARISE. WHEN I CAME BACK TO MY PARKED CAR I NOTICED A RED EXCLAMATION LIGHT ON WHICH TURNS OUT TO BE THE WARNING LIGHT FOR ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. WHEN I TURNED ON MY CAR I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT I HAD NO POWER STEERING ASSIST. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MECHANICS AND THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE. THEY REPLACED THE FUSE THINKING IT WAS A BROKEN FUSE, BUT NOTHING. THEY CALLED TOYOTA AND EVEN TOYOTA HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS. AS I DID MORE RESEARCH THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH TOYOTA MATRIX' BASED ON SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THAT SOME THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONS HAPPEN WITHIN FOUR YEARS OF A HEALTHY CARS LIFE. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THE POWER STEERING AS THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS MALFUNCTION. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT IT HAPPENED WHILE MY CAR WAS PARKED BUT IF IT HAD OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING (WHICH IVE SEEN IT HAS) IT COULDVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

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.

WHILE DRIVING THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING CAUSES CAR TO DRIFT AND LOCKING UP ON HIGHWAY

DIFFICULT TO STEER. I HAVE TO KEEP HANDS GRIPPED ON WHEEL, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING. I'M ALMOST LANDING IN THE ONCOMING LANE. IF I IT A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE LEERS.

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?

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 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.

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.

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA MATRIX. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING ABILITY SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

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

MY DAUGHTER WAS PARKING THE CAR AT COLLEGE IIN A PARKING BUILDING GOING UP A SPIRAL AND IT WOULD NOT TURN. TOWED TO DATSUN DOCTOR MECHANIC. FAILURE IN POWER STEERING RACK OR THE STEARING GEAR BOX.

WHEN DRIVING, STEERING REQUIRES CONSTANT ATTENTION AS IT DRIFTS BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT OFF CENTER MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE STRAIGHT. VEHICLE, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WILL SOMETIMES GIVE THE FEEL OF HYDROPLANING OR BEING BUFFETED BY STRONG CROSS WINDS(VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS). THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AS IT REQUIRES YOU TO FOCUS ALL OF YOUR ATTENTION DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE CAR JUST TRYING TO KEEP IT BETWEEN THE LINES. ANY DISTRACTION SUCH AS READING A HIGHWAY SIGN FOR 2 SECONDS CAN FIND YOU DRIFTING INTO ANOTHER LANE OR OFF THE ROAD. THE SUDDEN FEELING OF HYDRPLANING IS EXCEPTIONALLY DANGEROUS AS ONE CAN OVERSTEER TO CORRECT.

I WAS DRIVING BACK TO HOME, WHEN I ARRIVED I NEED TO TURN MY CAR TO THE RIGHT SIDE TO MY APARTMENT BUT I COULDN'T STEER MY CAR TO THE RIGHT SIDE. I DECIDED TO GO STRAIGHT TO PARK IN OTHER PARKING SPACE IN FRONT OF ME. I TRY TO TURN STEERING WHEEL BUT IT BECAME HARDER TO TURN THEN THE BEGINNING. THEN I SAW THE "ABS" LIGHT AND "BATTERY" LIGHT ARE ON, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND MY CAR STOPPED WORKING. IF I WAS ON THE FREEWAY, PROBABLY WILL CAUSE HORRIBLE ACCIDENT!

WELL I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER IN MAY 2014 STATING MY COROLLA WAS RECALLED FOR A SPIRAL CABLE ASSEMBLY AND TO THIS DAY I STILL HAVE NOT HEARD FROM TOYOTA REGARDING THIS RECALL AND IT WILL BE A YEAR AND IM NOT GETTING ANYWHERE WITH THEN. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. THANK YOU *TR

THERE IS A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE ROAD SURFACES CAUSES THE STEERING WHEEL TO JERK AND CREATES A RATTLING CLUNK NOISE AND LOW SPEEDS. IF THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK SIDE TO SIDE, THE APPARENT NOISE IS CLICKING. I SUSPECT THIS IS A FAULTY STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CAR TENDS TO DRIFT OUT OF THE LANE. UNEVEN ROAD SURFACES CAUSES THE WHEEL TO JERK AT CITY AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS. WHEEL BALANCING AND VEHICLE ALIGNMENT WERE PERFORMED. THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. REPLACING THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT SHOULD BE A RECALL AS WELL AS THE REPLACEMENT/REPROGRAM OF THE EPS MODULE. *TR

STEERING WHEEL GETS REALLY STIFF SOMETIMES IT LOCKS UP WHEN I REVERSE AND THEN PUT THE CAR BACK IN DRIVE. THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME LOST OF POWER FOR A BRIEF MOMENT, THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR THE PAST MONTH.