Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 08/19/2011 | 500 | 1 | |
| I am writing to report an electric power steering safety defect with my 2011 toyota corolla le. i purchased the car new and noticed, during my first trip on the interstate highway, it was difficult to maintain center lane because the vehicle would drift from side to side and the faster the vehicle speed the more pronounced the drift became. road smoothness did not seem to make any difference. i assumed that since this is my first vehicle with electric power steering it must just take me some getting accustomed to driving it. having driven it for 18 months, in varied weather and road conditions, i am now convinced it is a safety defect as it causes me much fatigue to drive it at highway speeds for more than approximately 45 minutes due to constant steering inputs required just to keep the vehicle in the lane. on 3 december 2012 i presented the vehicle to my toyota dealer for warranty repair and was denied for the following reason test drove vehicle. high winds and poor street conditions seem to have more affect on smaller vehicles than larger heavier ones. checked alignment in spec and tire pressures are good as well. the test drive was less than 10 miles in duration. *tr | |||
| 08/19/2011 | 500 | ||
| I am writing to report an electric power steering safety defect with my 2011 toyota corolla le. i purchased the car new and noticed, during my first trip on the interstate highway, it was difficult to maintain center lane because the vehicle would drift from side to side and the faster the vehicle speed the more pronounced the drift became. road smoothness did not seem to make any difference. i assumed that since this is my first vehicle with electric power steering it must just take me some getting accustomed to driving it. having driven it for 18 months, in varied weather and road conditions, i am now convinced it is a safety defect as it causes me much fatigue to drive it at highway speeds for more than approximately 45 minutes due to constant steering inputs required just to keep the vehicle in the lane. on 3 december 2012 i presented the vehicle to my toyota dealer for warranty repair and was denied for the following reason test drove vehicle. high winds and poor street conditions seem to have more affect on smaller vehicles than larger heavier ones. checked alignment in spec and tire pressures are good as well. the ?test drive? was less than 10 miles in duration. | |||
| 09/15/2012 | 23000 | 1 | |
| 9/15/12 complete vehicle failure due to power steering axle and seals failure during 45 mph test mode by a sheriff's deputy...vehicle inoperable had to be towed...extremely dangerous and life threatening for future toyota corolla owners in any emergency situation ...call [xxx](sarasota sheriff's driving school program...ask for [xxx] for more details and officer [xxx]testimony.) information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr | |||
| 09/15/2012 | 23000 | ||
| 9/15/12 complete vehicle failure due to power steering axle and seals failure during 45 mph test mode by a sheriff's deputy...vehicle inoperable had to be towed...extremely dangerous and life threatening for future toyota corrolla owners in any emergency situation ...call 941 927 4190 (sarasota sheriff's driving school program...ask for melanie for more details and officer rick beasley testimony.) | |||
| 07/29/2011 | 7000 | 1 | |
| The car is wandering sideways and you have to really control and focus on keeping the wheel straight to stay on lane. the best way to describe it is like you are always driving on windy weather with severe wind gusts. this happens on highway, with a speed of 60 mph or higher. the assistant service manager said it could be the wheel alignment but after they aligned it and checked it, the problem remains. i live in an area where we get significant amount of snow during winter and i am afraid of my safety because of this problem. *tr | |||
| 07/29/2011 | 7000 | ||
| The car is wandering sideways and you have to really control and focus on keeping the wheel straight to stay on lane. the best way to describe it is like you are always driving on windy weather with severe wind gusts. this happens on highway, with a speed of 60 mph or higher. the assistant service manager said it could be the wheel alignment but after they aligned it and checked it, the problem remains. i live in an area where we get significant amount of snow during winter and i am afraid of my safety because of this problem. | |||
| 06/23/2012 | 15000 | 1 | |
| I recently took a trip from the south to the mid west. the roads are much straighter and the speed limit is higher. i had been noticing that the car drifts back and forth on the highway but hadn't paid it much attention until we went north. while doing 70-75mph down the highways that are straight forever the car was incredibly hard to keep straight. when i got home it was due for regular service and i addressed my concern with the steering. they did an alignment at the dealership, after i picked up my car and took it on the highway 24 hrs later i noticed my steering wheel was not straight. the t toyota symbol on the wheel had to be slanted to the left in order for the car to drive straight. if you held the wheel straight the car was driving off the side of the road to the right! the drifting side to side was worse than ever!!!!! i have since taken my corolla to the same dealership about 5 times now (although they haven't properly recorded that in the computer, they show its only been about 3), taken the lead service tech and the customer service rep for a ride in my car and they completely agreed with me that the steering wheel was off, noticeably! they held my car for a week and replaced the steering computer and said that should fix the problem. they drove it after it was fixed and returned the car to me. i then drove it down the highway about 30 min later and it is still freaking crooked!!!!!! toyota corp and the people at the dealership are making me feel like i'm crazy and that its normal! this is not normal! it was not crooked before i took it in and it is not fixed!! there is a lemon law in this state! this is my first brand new car and first toyota and this is the worst experience i have ever had with a car and will not buy one again! unbelievable! *tr | |||
| 06/23/2012 | 15000 | ||
| I recently took a trip from the south to the mid west. the roads are much straighter and the speed limit is higher. i had been noticing that the car drifts back and forth on the highway but hadn't paid it much attention until we went north. while doing 70-75mph down the highways that are straight forever the car was incredibly hard to keep straight. when i got home it was due for regular service and i adressed my concern with the steering. they did an alignment at the dealership, after i picked up my car and took it on the highway 24 hrs later i noticed my steering wheel was not straight. the t toyota symbol on the wheel had to be slanted to the left in order for the car to drive straight. if you held the wheel straight the car was driving off the side of the road to the right! the drifting side to side was worse than ever!!!!! i have since taken my corolla to the same dealership about 5 times now (although they haven't properly recorded that in the computer, they show its only been about 3), taken the lead service tech and the customer service rep for a ride in my car and they completly agreed with me that the steering wheel was off, noticably! they held my car for a week and replaced the steering computer and said that should fix the problem. they drove it after it was fixed and returned the car to me. i then drove it down the highway about 30 min later and it is still freaking crooked!!!!!! toyota corp and the people at the dealership are making me feel like i'm crazy and that its normal! this is not normal! it was not crooked before i took it in and it is not fixed!! there is a lemon law in this state! this is my first brand new car and first toyota and this is the worst experiance i have ever had with a car and will not buy one again! unbelievable! | |||
| 09/23/2011 | 100 | 1 | |
| At highway speeds from 65-80 mph this vehicle takes constant effort to keep in a straight line, it feels as if you are always driving on a windy day even when it is not. the steering in too sensitive at highway speeds and even the smallest movements cause the car to move alot. i notified the dealer of this within a week of purchasing the vehicle, they said it was normal and would not even take a look at it. i notified toyota with written correspondence and got not answer from them either, very frustrating on a brand new car. i wish i would have test drove it on the interstate before i bought it. if they could fix the steering this would be an enjoyable vehicle, but on this car wears you out on interstate drives. please come out with some kind of update on the steering for this vehicle! *tr | |||
| 09/23/2011 | 100 | ||
| At highway speeds from 65-80 mph this vehicle takes constant effort to keep in a straight line, it feels as if you are always driving on a windy day even when it is not. the steering in too sensetive at highway speeds and even the smallest movements cause the car to move alot. i notified the dealer of this within a week of purchasing the vehicle, they said it was normal and would not even take a look at it. i notified toyota with written correspondence and got not answer from them either, very frustrating on a brand new car. i wish i would have test drove it on the interstate before i bought it. if they could fix the steering this would be an enjoyable vehicle, but on this car wears you out on interstate drives. please come out with some kind of update on the steering for this vehicle! | |||
| 03/04/2012 | 1000 | ||
| Update!. on 11/25/11 i wrote: nov 25, 2011 - the villages, fl - vehicle speed control this is a new car purchase (w/200 mi). at 60-75 mph (and noticeable also at slower speeds on other roads) on the freeway the car's steering wanders all over the road, it cannot stay on a straight line even if the steering wheel is not moved. t ---------------------------------------------------- update 3/2/12 - i have an update on the problem. the problem for me is not looseness or wandering from looseness it's an overly tight steering situation causing tracking fluctuations... most cars have some slack or 'looseness' when driving straight at higher speeds... for safety. humans breathe and move their bodies and heads all the time. this all translates to small natural movements in the arms and hands. if the steering at higher speeds is so tight that the least movement on the steering translates to wheel movement (imagine a go cart at 75 mph) , then while it's great at 30-45mph (for tight responsive steering) - it makes for an unmanageable struggle at higher speeds to control the steering. the car steering is reacting to the smallest movements... think... flying a slower cessna 172 where large steering movements cause slow turns, yet in a military jet a minute movement of the stick causes tight radical changes. most humans are not jet pilots and we need some 'slack' at high speeds...otherwise over-corrections could cause steering oscillation and loss of control (crash). perhaps toyota countered the 'looseness' complaints of 2009/2010 with overly tight steering in 2011. but toyota guys, do you actually drive your cars? no real engineer would call the steering acceptable. it's really a serious problem. just copy what bmw does. their steering is tight, natural and yet totally controllable. can i please have a new steering? please? for my wife's safety? | |||
| 11/23/2011 | 200 | ||
| This is a new car purchase (w/200 mi). at 60-75 mph (and noticeable also at slower speeds on other roads) on the freeway the car's steering wanders all over the road, it cannot stay on a straight line even if the steering wheel is not moved. trucks passing by do not appear to greatly effect steering. wind was not an issue. this, not a looseness but rather inaccurate steering, causes a wandering which is very dangerous as the car will wander into another lane or off the road into a potentia crash. the driver is 57, with 200-300k miles driving experience in mercedes to bmw to volvos to gm to other toyotas to ford cars - w/o an accident. this is a real and serious problem which may cause deaths. there appears to be little control between the steering wheel and the steering. the tires have the proper air pressure (goodyear). i repeat, this is the most dangerous new car i have driven since 1968. that's problem #1. problem #2, a lesser problem but also ridiculous.. is the accelerator pedal. you cannot keep the speed constant at 45-50 mph. holding the accelerator steady the engine speed, as shown in the tachometer ,wildly jumps up and down at will, intermittantly, rpm going from 1600 to 2200. if you hold steady it drops to 1600, if you then depress the pedal the smallest possine about, it jumps to 2200, then back to 1600. other times the same action works as you would expect a linear press on the accelerator would command a linear increase in speed. the engine/transmission speed control is all over the place with no feedback to the driver. look... i have examined this on empty roads. it's the most ridicululous control system i have ever used. it's not acceptable and it's potentially dangerous. i cannot believe it would pass safety standards> please correct these 2 issues before deaths occur. i will swear to this. | |||
| 11/16/2011 | 50 | ||
| Vehicle is difficult to drive in a straight line at speeds above 60 mph. it feels like there is constant side winds pushing the car around. this causes the driver to constantly adjust the steering wheel which is extremely sensitive. a very small movement of the steering wheel to correct the constant drifting causes the car to veer. if the driver holds the steering wheel in one position for more than a couple of seconds the car will change lanes or leave the road. | |||
| 10/07/2011 | |||
| This vehicle wonders in the lane at 70 mph and when the wind is blowing it is very hard to keep in the lane. this vehicle would be very unsafe in the rain. i drive vehicles for a living and this is the worse driving vehicle i have ever encountered. test drives under 55 mph will not reveal the problem. following a tractor trailer on the interstate will feel like someone is shaking you in your seat. some turbulence are expected but this is overwhelming. being pushed from center line to side line will make you nervous trying to hang on. if you are planning on taking a trip, be prepared to fight the steering wheel the entire time. toyota says this is factory specs and there is not correction needed. shop foreman at toyota told me it is a big problem but toyota says it is factory specs so there is nothing they can do. i have owned a toyota since 1974 and have never had one that drove this way. problems are on the way with this steering i can promise you that. families with children should not take them on vacation in this vehicle. i drove another one that was a mirror image of this one and it did the same thing. this is a toyota corolla le edition. | |||
| 07/13/2011 | 2000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2011 toyota corolla. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph or more, the steering wheel would not remain straight and would cause the vehicle to sway back and forth abnormally. the dealer was notified of the failure who stated there was no fix for the issue. the manufacturer was notified and a claim was filed. they offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 2,000. kmj | |||
| 07/13/2011 | 2000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2011 toyota corolla. the contact stated while driving 35 mph or more the vehicle steers to the left and to the right it does not keep a straight and steady course in the lane. the dealer was notified who stated there is no fix for this problem. the manufacturer was notified and a claim was file. they offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 2,000. mw | |||
| 07/06/2011 | 45 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 2011 toyota corolla. the contact stated that while driving highway speeds, the vehicle felt like it was wondering and he had to force the steering wheel back into place. he also stated that when he released the brake pedal it would exhibit an abnormal noise. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that everything he described were normal characteristics of the vehicle. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 45 and current mileage was 551. kmj | |||
| 07/06/2011 | 551 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 2011 toyota corolla. the contact stated that while driving highway speeds, the vehicle felt like it was wondering and he had to force the steering wheel back into place. he also stated that when he released the brake pedal it makes a noise. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that everything he described was normal characteristic of the vehicle. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offered any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 45 and current mileage was 551. pm | |||
| 07/04/2011 | 300 | ||
| 2011 toyota corolla s, steering problems. feel like off-center, not easy to keep car in line. not so nice to have this feeling on brand new car. | |||
| 06/15/2011 | 2100 | ||
| My 2011 toyota corolla started to wander and drift on the road after reaching speeds of around 50 to 60 mph. i took it to the dealer and they said they could find nothing wrong but said they contacted toyota and were told to align the front end. after the alignment, or whatever they really did, it was better but still at 50 to 60 mph if you move the steering wheel at all, the car drifts and wanders like the rear end is on ice. very scarry. not much better. | |||
| 05/08/2011 | 120 | ||
| At about 55mph-60mph, the car becomes difficult to steer. the car becomes very unstable and will not hold the road well. the car jerks quickly back and forth across the lane, feeling almost as if one were driving in high winds; however, this steering issue will occur at every high speed and even without wind present. the steering is too sensitive and will easily move into any other lane despite holding the wheel still. this car feels like the steering has a mind of its own, which is especially frightening while driving past other cars on freeways due to diminished driver control. at lower speeds, steering is fine, but becomes dangerous at higher speeds. very scary to drive. | |||
| 05/08/2011 | 800 | ||
| When driving on the highway with any kind of wind the car is hard to steer, it has a mind of it's own, it will start to go to one side to the other | |||
| 04/28/2011 | 100 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2011 toyota corolla. while driving at any speed above 60 mph with windy weather conditions, the contact noticed that the steering wheel became hard to move making it difficult to steer. the dealer advised the contact that there were no issues and that he needed to get used to driving the vehicle. the contact did not inform the manufacturer nor was the vehicle diagnosed or repaired. the current mileage was 2,100 and the failure mileage was 100. | |||
| 04/28/2011 | 100 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2011 toyota corolla. while driving at any speed above 60 mph with windy weather conditions, the contact noticed that the steering wheel became hard to move making it difficult to steer. the dealer advised the contact that there were no issues and that he needed to get used to driving the vehicle. the contact did not inform the manufacturer nor was the vehicle diagnosed or repaired. the current mileages were 2,100 and the failure mileages were 100. bw | |||
| 04/02/2011 | 260 | ||
| 2011 toyota corolla. steering very hard to keep on the road. wanderes and jerks wheel very hard and turns by itself in the wind.. loss of control.. unable to keep the car in the same lane as it steers wherever it wants to go. conditions worsened by wind and passind tractor trailers.. has something to do with the electric power steering. it over steers when you only want it to turn a lilttle bit.. very scary at highway speeds | |||
| 03/01/2011 | 80 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2011 toyota corolla le. the contact stated that when driving at various speeds, the electric power steering would become unstable. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor repaired and the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 80. | |||
| STEERING - ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||
| 08/19/2011 | 500 | 1 | |
| I am writing to report an electric power steering safety defect with my 2011 toyota corolla le. i purchased the car new and noticed, during my first trip on the interstate highway, it was difficult to maintain center lane because the vehicle would drift from side to side and the faster the vehicle speed the more pronounced the drift became. road smoothness did not seem to make any difference. i assumed that since this is my first vehicle with electric power steering it must just take me some getting accustomed to driving it. having driven it for 18 months, in varied weather and road conditions, i am now convinced it is a safety defect as it causes me much fatigue to drive it at highway speeds for more than approximately 45 minutes due to constant steering inputs required just to keep the vehicle in the lane. on 3 december 2012 i presented the vehicle to my toyota dealer for warranty repair and was denied for the following reason test drove vehicle. high winds and poor street conditions seem to have more affect on smaller vehicles than larger heavier ones. checked alignment in spec and tire pressures are good as well. the test drive was less than 10 miles in duration. *tr | |||
| 11/11/2011 | 1 | 10/21/2011 | |
| 2011 toyota corolla. consumer writes in regards to rasping noise in the steering column *tgw the dealer informed the consumer the noise was normal with an electric power steering system. *jb | |||