Problems with 2009 Toyota Corolla STEERING

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota corolla. the contact stated that the vehicle pulled left and right. in order to steer straight, she would have to tilt the wheel to the right and when she stopped, the vehicle would move to the left or to the right. she steering wheel began pulling to the right and caused her to drive over a curb. she took the vehicle to the dealership four times and was told that she needed an alignment. they replaced the two front tires and told her that the alignment caused the failure to occur. the steering wheel has continued to malfunction since the dealer was unable to diagnose or repair the failure. she had not called the manufacturer to-date. the current mileage was 20,669. the failure mileage was approximately 13,000.

The steering is hyper-sensitive at highway speeds (55 - 75 mph). this has the effect of making the car difficult to keep centered in it's lane. stated another way, the car always feels like it's being driven in high wind conditions. thus far it has not felt dangerous however it is very fatiguing on highway trips. the steering feels fine during in town driving (up to 50 mph). higher tire inflation paradoxically seems to slightly improve the car's highway steering behavior. my wife and i now remember noticing this behavior during the test drive; at that time we assumed that it was windy outside. most of the driving we do with this car is in town. *tr

I bought a 2009 toyota corolla back in april 2008 and was excited about upgrading from a 20-year old toyota camry, which i loved. ever since i've had the vehicle, i've also had the steering problems that many people have complained about on the web. around town the steering on the car is fine. but once you get on the freeway, it becomes difficult to steer since you're constantly trying to correct the issue. i have not filed a complaint directly with toyota nor have i spoken to the dealer because it appears that this issue is real and rather than deal with their condescending service managers, i'll simply wait for a recall from toyota. i can't say that i've felt unsafe on the road, but more irritated by the horrible steering. i may not purchase another toyota after all of this is said and done. *tr

This letter was dated and sent june132009 re: steering, brakes and/or suspension of my 2009 toyota corolla le, 4 door sedan. with a mileage of 11,682 to date. toyota motor sales, u.s.a., inc., this letter is in regards to the recent road handling of my toyota corolla (listed herein). i purchased this vehicle to replace my 1995 toyota avalon as a vehicle to drive to and from work. i drive quite a distance to work having put on 8000 miles on this car in only 3 months of ownership. our family car is a 2007 matrix xr. we are obviously fans of toyota vehicles. this past week the bishop ford highway, which is part of my route to work in chicago, was scraped prior to a resurfacing of the road. this left a stretch of road which was very rough and with deep wavy grooves cut into the pavement. when my car crossed into the scraped section of pavement my car lurched about a foot to the right (without the steering wheel moving). this alarmed me as it could have caused an accident but the steering recovered under normal conditions but i realized something was wrong or loose in the front end. my warranty was coming due (12,000 bumper to bumper) and the car does handle well for the most part and i need the car for work so i figured i would wait a few days until the weekend to have it fixed along with the brakes which are starting to feel spongy. new pads are probably needed on the front end. i will have them checked independently this week and pay the out of pocket expense (even though this should have been covered under the warranty, even if the brake pads are close to being in need of replacement at this point). our service department at toyota on 30 in merrillville indiana did not find any problem with the brakes and the road handling could not be duplicated by their mechanics. i am a ...

The new 2009 toyota corolla has a steering problem. on a highway going faster than 60 mph, it is very difficult to keep the vehicle within the lane. if it deviates (which is normal) and a correction is made, the car over-reacts and the vehicle veers to the other side of the lane. another correction puts the vehicle back to the other side. so the vehicle moves side to side. straight line travel can be accomplished only with both hand firmly on the wheel and fixing you eyes on the road. the danger is when you are distracted, such as looking in the rear view mirror, adjusting the rear view mirror, changing a radio station, reaching for sun glassed, etc. then the car heads out of the lane as a result of a continued steering adjustment. the dealers and manufacturer claim that this is normal because of the new feature, electronic power steering. however, the 2010 corolla has another standard feature (which is optional for the 2009): electronic stability control. my 2009 does not have this feature and i was never told of its possible benefit to the steering. *tr

I purchased a 2009 corolla xle because i commute to work and needed something with better gas mileage. the plan was to give the car to my daughter in two years when she goes away to college. the car is very dangerous. i constantly have to correct the steering. it scares me. the dealership claims that there is nothing wrong with the car. i know that there is something wrong. what can i do. i am scared to death driving it, and i would never let my daughter drive it. *tr

This is a follow up to a previous complaint. i felt compelled to do so after reading other issues people were having with there toyota corollas (s). i purchased this car june 1st 2009. three weeks after purchase i noticed something was wrong with the paint. i took it to the dealers, the service dept manager looked at it and said it was due to the environment, the sales guy told me it was due to tree sap and the third time i took it the sales manager said it was from bird crap ( it's garaged most of the time). weeks later i was hit by a concrete truck, at first thought it was the trucks fault but not real sure now because of the difficult steering with this car. at the time of the accident there was no air bag deployment. i had the car repaired by a private shop, they couldn't understand why the airbag did not deploy. while my car was there they looked at the paint. i have a black car with large white spots and was told there was a problem with the clear coat and it would cost around 4,000 to fix it. i again went to the dealership and was told this time that's what happens when you buy a black car. i have filed a complaint with toyota and we all know where that has got me. i filed a complaint with the consumer complaint agency and toyota failed to respond. boy, for a reliable care the only thing i can rely on is poor quality and a death trap. i have a dodge and will drive it before this death trap. good luck trying to do a lane change and looking into the blind spots. i have almost hit cars on my right while attempting to do a lane change more times than i can count. *tr

Tl*the contact owns 2009 toyota corolla. the driver stated that whenever he drove his vehicle over 55 mph he noticed that it would drift as if there was a strong wind blowing. the contact stated that the vehicle also performed as if there was too much lubrication in the steering column. the failure mileage was 31,000 and the current mileage is 38,000. updated 04/13/10.*jb the consumer stated the steering problem has become progressively worse. the dealer stated there was no fix for the problem, and they were waiting for a solution from toyota. updated 05/11/10.*jb updated 08/19/10*jb

This did not cause an accident, but my 2009 toyota corolla suddenly pulled to the left when i was on the highway. i noticed from day one that the car is hard to keep straight at highway speeds, to a point to where it is very frustrating, but when it pulled suddenly it became frightening. *tr

2009 corolla le......the vehicle would not steer correctly or maintain a straight course line. there is an engineering error in the 2009 corolla le. the rear stamped axle has no provision for rear wheel alignment. toyota claims the car at highway speeds with self align...this is not true. the only resolve for the steering issues on the 2009 corolla le is to modify the vehicle frame so that the stamped axle can be repositioned thereby bringing the rear wheels into alignment with the front wheels. i attempted to work with toyota corporate but was simply stonewalled. i had to have a private wheel and frame shop modify my new toyota to correct the steering issue. i have all the documentation including independent hunter specification sheets both from the dealership and 3rd party wheel and frame shops to verify the issue and also how the problem was solved. again, it is an engineering issue with grave potential of serious injury or death to which toyota will not acknowledge responsibility. *tr

I bought a new toyota corolla on 5-27-09 from fiesta toyota in lawton ok. i called them to tell them it did not drive good as my last corolla and i took it back to them on 7-13-09 and they kept it all day and said it was the electric steering. it wonders over the road especially if the road is not a good wide smooth road. they worked on the steering and said it was all they could do. i got and brought it home and then i called them to tell them i was dis-satisfied and was going to bring it back. i have not took it back as they said they had all they could do. something needs to be done about this steering problem. i hope you check into this letter. *tr

Inner and outer tie rod ends bent. it is brand new car. no damage and no acciendent. *tr

I would like to add our 2009 toyota corolla to the list of cars with a steering problem. at low speeds it seems to work just fine. it is when traveling on the freeway that the car seems to have a mind of its own. it takes constant effort to keep the car in the lane and after lane changes or slight curves the car will often shoot further in the direction of the turn and has to be caught and pulled back. *tr

2009 toyota corolla drifts and wanders at highway speeds. requires deliberate and distracting focus to keep car in its lane. alignment was checked and found to be correct. dealer indicated many owners have brought their cars in for this issue but there is nothing that can be done, that it is the design of the electric power steering. contacted toyota customer assistance center at 1-800-331-4331. case manager indicated that this was the design and that if a safety issue was found, a recall would be issued, but at this time there is nothing that can be done. believe there is a safety concern due to car's highway behavior and due to driver distraction; a car drifting around the road will be more likely to be in an accident, and a driver focused on keeping the car in its lane will be less focused on hazards that may develop in their path. *tr

I just purchased a 2009 toyota corolla le. i have previously owned a 1993 and a 2003 corolla. the steering and handling were great in the 1993 and 2003 models. this new electronic steering in the 2009 model is scary. at high speeds and in windy conditions the car goes all over the road. on highways with grooved pavement the car jerks from side to side requiring constant correction of the steering. toyota needs to be made to correct this problem. i have heard that new car dealers were increasing the tire pressure to 40 psi when the car was driven off of the lot to help cover up this problem. sure enough when i checked the pressure in the tires it was at 40 psi. thirty psi is the recommended pressure. i have driven many thousands of miles and this is the first car i have owned that i feel unsafe in at any time i have driven it. *tr

My complaint is regarding the electric assisted power steering of my corolla xrs 2009, at an approximate speed of 60kmh is very unstable at the wheel maneuvering, starts to move unexpectedly or jerking feel towards the left hand side or right. *tr

2009 toyota corolla steering problems. above 55 mph the car likes to wander all over the highway. *tr

Tl*the contact owns 2009 toyota corolla xle. the contact stated that the noise was coming from the axle while making a turn and driving in reverse. multiple authorized dealers diagnosed the failure and only one of them informed her what was wrong with the vehicle. the dealer stated the problem was the electric steering. the dealer told her that they could not do anything about her situation. the contact stated that her tires also continued to lose air. a different dealer stated that she needed a front end alignment. last week the contact notified the manufacturer who stated that if the dealer did not assist her to find a different dealer. the failure mileage was 50 and the current mileage was 17200.

Gas pedal in my 2009 toyota corolla stuck while my daughter was backing up and caused her to go into a tree causing $7,000 in damages to my car, which my insurance paid for and she is paying higher insurance from the accident. also my car does have steering problems driving over 50 mph. *tr

I own a 2009 toyota corolla which has electric power steering. i've noticed that at higher speeds, in excess of 50 mph it is difficult to keep the car tracking down the road. it feels as if the wind is whipping it around all the time. the steering is too sensitive, much more so than older versions of the same vehicle which had traditional power steering. at times i feel that the vehicle is not safe to drive because of the constant need to correct its tracking. i think toyota should recall the vehicle and correct this steering problem. *tr

In my 2009 toyota corolla ce the steering wheel will not remain straight when driving and lightly holding the steering wheel, the electronic steering wants to pull the car left or right, and you must hold a tight grip on the wheel at any speed to prevent the car from crashing itself left or right. gave me a good scare when it seems to pull itself away from the road even with hands on the wheel. this is a ce model. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota corolla. the contact was driving approximately 55 mph. the vehicle began to sway from the left to the right. the failure occurred at any speed being traveled. additionally, as the vehicle speed increased there was difficulty in steering. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection. the failure could not be reproduced. the current and failure mileages were 13,000.

I have a 2009 toyota corolla that drifts on its own at highway speeds, with no change in steering. i drive 25,000 miles a year and this is a real problem, and i don't believe this is a tire or alignment issue! when i had the car in for the gas pedal recall i asked them about this issue and they stated until there is a recall issued they didn't have a fix. i couldn't believe that they didn't want to at least look at the problem while it was there. i love the car and i'm a big toyota fan but they need to fix this! *tr

I recently traded a 2007 corolla sport because of steering difficulties that i thought resulted from 2 tires simultaneously going flat on the interstate at 70 mph. these tires had been installed by a local toyota dealership. they had neglected to replace the valve stems. since that incident i felt that the steering was "off." i took it to several dealerships and they all said the steering was fine. i decided to trade it for a 2009 toyota xle. i just bought it last thursday. the more i drive it, the more i notice that the steering is way off also! the car drifts in left/right directions with total unpredictability. it's like driving a roller skate or a skate board. it feels very dangerous. now i'm not sure what to do. i did not purchase the 2009 i drove originally. they sold me one of f"the truck" that already had a sun roof in it, instead of installing one. i'm not sure what to do next. it's very scary! *tr

I bought a 2009 toyota corolla for my wife because of its safety features. we notice d the steering was stiff, but the sales person assured us it would be better the more we use it. it has been over a year and no improvement in the steering, it is still stiff and tends to drift. we bought the vehicle in april of 2008 and it only has a little of 5,000 mile on it because my wife does not like driving it due to the steering. *tr

The steering on my 2009 toyota corolla s feels loose at highway speeds. car feels like it drifts and needs constant correcting, always feels like you need a firm grip on the steering wheel with both hands. feels as though you are driving in windy conditions when it's calm. i do not have this probably at lower speeds. the problem occurred as soon as i purchased the car, april 2009, and i still experience it now. i have not attempted to correct the problem. i thought i was over sensitive to it since it was a new car i was not used to driving, but after seeing this website, i know it is the car, not me. *tr

My 2009 corolla will not go exactly straight at highway speeds. close, but not exactly straight. steering must have a very minor correction about every 3-5 seconds to keep the car in or near the center of the lane. this is a safety hazard. 1. if the driver fails to do the constant correction the keep the car in the lane, the car would veer out of the lane - increased possibility of a crash. 2. the concentration required to do the constant minor steering correction keeps the driver from observing surroundings and other traffic - increased possibility of a crash. 3. on a long trip the concentration required correcting the vehicle increases driver fatigue - increased possibility of a crash. i read in the news that "spokesman brian lyons said toyota believes most of the complaints involved wandering from the center steering position that didn't amount to a safety problem." and "on june 3, toyota issued a bulletin to dealers telling them to address complaints by checking the tire pressure and alignment. if those steps are insufficient, the bulletin told dealers they could replace the computer that governs the electric power steering with a new unit, which toyota said had been "re-tuned" with an "alternative steering feel."". as of aug 18, 2010, my local dealer says he knows of no problem with corolla steering and can not find a service bulletin about 2009-20010 corolla steering. *tr

2009 toyota corolla - steering issues with the triptronic system. at highway speeds you have to correct and over correct to keep within the lines. the car constantly goes left right - left right. it is particularity bad noticeable when it is windy. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota corolla. she purchased the vehicle brand new in march of 2009. she noticed that whenever she drove the vehicle approximately 65 mph she was unable to control the steering wheel. she took the vehicle to the dealer who stated that they were unable to duplicate the failure. the failure mileage was 500 and the current mileage 6,000.

Steering wheel is straight and being held with both hands yet car is difficult to keep in the lane. this occurs everytime the car has been driven since it was purchased in april 2009 and can lead to accident. *tr

Bought a 2009 toyota corolla in april 2009 and have a problem with the steering as the car will not drive in a straight line and wanders on the road. driver must fight the steering at all times to keep it in the driving lane. toyota says it is normal and will do nothing about it. *tr

I recently purchased a 2009 toyota corolla that has a defect in the design of the vehicles electric power steering system (eps). when driving at highway speeds (50mph or greater) the vehicle wanders all over the road. the straight line stability of this car is terrible! and i believe it presents a dangerous problem for 2009 toyota corolla owners. i have read other complaints about this problem on your web-site from other drivers and i think this issue needs to be addressed by toyota immediately. thank you for consideration in this matter. *tr

Car pulls to the right or left (variable) at expressway speeds. it's a 2009 toyota corolla. took it in to the dealer who said everything was fine but there are multiple complaints about this. has done this ever since i bought it. *tr

Thought i better add my experience with my 2009 toyota corolla. the car was impossible to keep in a straight line. it was as if every tiny steering correction was greatly exaggerated or being buffeted by strong winds from every direction on a calm day constantly. i had to constantly stay up on the wheel & not lose concentration for a second or i would be out of my lane. as i said, it was impossible to keep in a straight line. i complained to toyota about this but received no response at all. after about 5,000 miles it seemed to get a bit better or maybe i' just getting used to it. *tr

Purchased a new 2009 corolla s about 3 months ago from the local dealer in ardmore, ok. there is a steering problem with the new electronic power steering system on their models now. the driver has to make a constant adjustment in steering the auto to prevent it from constantly veering left or right as you drive on city streets or major highways. i met with the factory rep from toyota and he states that this problem is created by the new design of their steering system with 0% variance for error. a master toyota mechanic checked out the auto and attempted to make adjustment to correct, a case has been assigned by their service department stating that the steering is very oversensative. a case has also been filed with toyota customer service. my problem still exists i have a new corolla s parked in my garage with less than 400 miles on it due to the safety issue of driving this auto. *tr

2009 toyota corolla is a dangerous car. steering is horrible. *tr

I picked up my new 2009 toyota corolla on 3-5-2009. the more i drove it the more i noticed that the steering wandered. while trying to drive straight, the car goes left and right, almost like there is a strong cross-wind, but there isn't any wind. it is very difficult to drive on the interstate and stay between the white lines. you have to keep two hands on the wheel at all times and continually make steering corrections to avoid jumping into the other lanes or off the side of the road. i took it back to the dealer to have it checked and they said it worked just fine. i told him no, that it does not work just fine and insisted somebody else look at it. he had me go along with his head mechanic, and the mechanic said something was wrong, suggesting that the pinion gear had too much "preload" . they kept the car and replaced the steering. after i picked up the car, it seemed better at first, but then it returned to the same problem with the wandering after driving a few hundred miles. this is a very dangerous problem in my opinion and needs some serious followup. i'm taking the car back as soon as i can arrange for other transportation. help! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota corolla. while driving 60 mph, the vehicle veers to the left and right, instead of in a straight line. when other vehicles pass or in windy conditions, the contact struggles to maintain control of the vehicle. the manufacturer stated that no one else was experiencing this failure; therefore, they would not assist. the failure mileage was 2,106.

I noticed again today that while i was driving on the freeway, the steering wheel pulled to the right out of nowhere. i got so scared. this is dangerous for a 2009 toyota corolla type s. what can i do? *tr

I have noticed that while driving in the highway, even though it's not windy, the steering wheel seems like it's being dragged to the left or right and sometimes, the steering wheel would just swerve to either left or right...it was kind of scary! *tr

When the speed goes over 60-65 mph, the car tends to be pulled to different directions, wobbling and making me feel very unsafe to drive. even if i'm holding the steering wheel firmly and steadily, the car would be pulled to right side, then next moment to left side. *tr

The vehicle is difficult to control (drifts) at speeds in excess of about 60 mph. *tr

The car is hard to control the power steering and i luckily have been able to get control of the car without a accident but i have been close to being slammed in the side of 18 wheelers, other cars and concrete barriers. this issue needs to be resolved asap. my dealership keeps telling me there is nothing wrong with my car. as a consumer and a parent of small kids this is not right. toyota needs to address this issue or take the cars back and fix them and quit telling us there is nothing wrong. *tr the consumer noticed the vehicle had excessive play in the steering wheel and drifted from side to side in the travel lane. updated 05/24/10

Ever since i purchased my 2009 toyota corolla i have noticed steering difficult. i read blogs at the time and it seemed from what i read, that this was just a draw back of the car, so i let it go. i feel i need to report it now. the steering feels way to responsive to even the slightest hand movement of the wheel, or bump in the road. because the suspension on this model is so stiff, a bump in the road can cause my hand to move a tiny bit, resulting in the car moving much more than one would expect from little movement. the best way to sum up the problem is this; it is near impossible to just go straight, or hold the wheel still for a second. you have to constantly move slightly to the right or the left just to keep in the middle of your lane. going around curves smoothly is difficult as well. if it is windy this problem is 10 fold, and down right dangerous. i have already skidded off a snowy highway because the car so easily fish tailed while trying to correct my steering. luckily there was no damage, had there been vehicle in the lane next to mine, there would have been a horrific crash. in my 17 years of driving i have never fish tailed before. the alignment and tires have been checked and are fine. i had the brake recall done before the above mentioned incident. there doesn't feel to be an alignment issue. the car does not pull. the steering just seems far too sensitive, this combined with it's odd aerodynamic response, and bumpy ride make the steering feel very unsafe at times. even when it doesn't feel dangerous, it is tiring to have to constantly adjust the wheel right and left just to keep it in lane. i've never had a steering issue like this with any other car. there is also the overwhelming smell of sulfur in the passenger cabin several times a week, seems the catalytic converter doesn't handle it well. took it to a dealer for the sulfur issue and they said that's normal. makes me light headed at times, on top of just stinking up my new car. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota corolla. he stated that while driving at 45 mph on a rainy day the vehicle surged forward while having his foot on the brake and applying a lot of pressure. the vehicle was very hard to control, the steering turned very loosely and then he crashed. he sustained lower back injuries and the vehicle was destroyed. toyota will be contacted to report the crash. prior to this crash he had experienced this issue 2 additional times. the failure and current mileage was 22172.

I purchased a toyota corolla 2009 new the steering is dangerous. if you happen to look away from the road in front of you for a moment,you may find yourself heading out of your lane when you look back. a friend of mine drove a toyota corolla from the state of georgia to new york and didn't notice any problem with the steering. i ask him to test drive my car he noted it was difficult to stay in the lane the one he drove up from georgia tracked straight and true. i took my corolla back to the dealership they said every thing was in speck . i did some searching on the web and found there have been some accidents involving this car and the nhtsa has received over 820 complaints at this time. please add mine to your growing list. ps with the growing number of young kids using cell phones and texting these days they do not stand a chance in @#$% driving a car like this. *tr

Change in steering response . car wants to wander going down road. *tr

Purchased 2009 toyota corolla yesterday. drove 140 miles mostly highway. i noticed the car wanders at highway speed as it was gusty when it isn't. this is for my wife, how will it act during real wind and/or ice? i am disappointed and have already scheduled dealer to check steering however sources say that this is an unfixable problem and needs recall. *tr

2009 toyota corolla le requires excessive concentration to steer at speeds over 60 mph on imperfect highways or in windy conditions. i noticed this immediately after purchase and had the car in to get aligned by brunswick toyota. the alignment helped only somewhat. i took the car in to have it tested in marysville last spring, however the track was in good condition and the runs over 50mph were short. i don't believe it was a realistic test. compared to my other cars (one being a 2004 dodge ram 1500 pick up which steers better) this one requires full attention and if changing radio stations on a highway with lots of heavy truck use could cause a less experienced driver to veer into another lane. *tr

I purchased a new 2009 toyota corolla on march 16, 2009. the eps steering causes the car not to run in a straight line. at highway speeds it pulls strongly to the right. to correct the steering causes the need for constant input to correct the steering as the car wanders off of a straight line constantly. the steering input is not precise and the car seems to steer off of a straight line. if not corrected, the car pulls right. due to this condition, i checked tire pressure. from the dealer, the front tires were well over the prescribed 30 pounds and the rear tires were well under. it appears that there was an attempt to compensate for the steering issues and mask the problem. with correct tire pressure, the problem is worsened. *tr