10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 45 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 27 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 18,417 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
My 2009 Toyota Corolla steering will drift the car off a straight line at highway speed of around 60 mph and cross over lanes. Constant effort is required to keep the car within the lane on highway. This problem exist after delivery of my new Corolla, complaint to deal on first service but was brushed off.
- Carrollton, TX, USA
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.
- North Attleboro, MA, USA
Since the first day I leased my Toyota Corolla it has had brake and steering problems. I have brought it back to the dealer within the first week and many times since. The car is all over the road and the brakes go to the floor sometimes. The last time I met with the manager in which he told me it was normal in Corollas. They checked alignment and everything was fine but they did replace 2 tires due to them being totally worn after 16K miles. My wife has to drive this car everyday to work. I think the car is unsafe and should be known to others.
- Schenectady, NY, USA
My 2009 Corolla at high speeds in excess of 55 to 60 on the highway feels like it is absolutely out of control. I feel as if it is almost driven by the wind, even on still days.
- Deltona, FL, USA
The electronic power steering in my 2009 Toyota Corolla is very light and too responsive. Since the vehicle was new, the steering requires constant slight corrections to maintain a straight line at highway speeds. Consumer reports also noted in their July 2008 issue in their review of the 2009 Corolla that "the steering is a bit light and rather vague on center."
- Lexington, OH, USA
2009 Corolla, high speed steering and wondering, had the alignment check, was told it was fine and was just me. Filing a complaint now because others have had the same experience and it isn't me.
- Toledo, WA, USA
I bought my car back in August of 2009 and like many others I have had problems with keeping the car straight down the road at higher speeds. I have always said I should not have to hold both hands on the steering wheel in order to go down the road. It gets even worse when the wind is strong. I was told that because it is a small car it will do this. But I have never had a small car act this way. My car is very well maintained and I know it is not the tires nor the front end alignment. If you do not pay attention to this problem it would take nothing for you to cause an accident.
- Plymouth, ME, USA
2009 Toyota Corolla S. steering input varies and sometimes is more difficult than others. Wanders at highway speeds occasionally.
- Birmingham, AL, USA
I purchased a new 2009 Toyota Corolla in August of 2009. Shortly after the purchase, I noticed that the vehicle drifts all over the road when traveling at highway speeds. It is very difficult to keep the vehicle in the lane that you are driving in and several times, I have come close to hitting the car that was in the lane next to me. I have taken the car to two different Toyota dealers and have been told that every thing is normal and that there is nothing that they could do about my concerns. At this point, I have elected to park the vehicle and drive another vehicle as I do not feel safe driving the Corolla. I recently heard that Toyota was aware of the issue, however they were not sure what action they were going to take as there were only about 100 complaints filed on the issue. I performed a web search (google) on this topic and received over 2.5 millions results so this is not a small issue. I have also read many consumer review sites and this issue is mentioned in almost all reviews of the car.
- Menomonee Falls, WI, USA
The vehicle is difficult to control (drifts) at speeds in excess of about 60 mph.
- Cypress, TX, USA
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.
- Dalton, MA, USA
I have a 2009 Toyota Corolla that is part of the gas pedal recall. I believe it may also have the steering issue as well. I have noticed that my steering is all over the place, it takes 2 hands to generally run smoothly. My husband complains about it more, I just love my car so I defended it but now that I have heard there may be a problem, I think it should be looked at alittle closer. My other issue is that when we called the dealership back in jaunary in regards to the gas pedal they very nicely informed us that they were repairing the more expensive vehicles first and then would schedule me an appointment. Is that allowed? no offense, but my life is just as valuable as a Camry, 4 runner, or other vehicle that they consider more expensive. I wanted a Toyota Corolla so bad and now I would do anything to get rid of it.
- Millsboro, DE, USA
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.
- Elmhurst , IL, USA
I own a 2009 Toyota Corolla. I have noticed many other complaints about the steering "wandering". when we purchased this vehicle we were told about the new electric power steering. I have not liked the steering since day one but I thought that's just the way it was. When driving the car the vehicle does "wander" from left to right. You have to constantly move the steering wheel back and forth to keep the car going straight.
- Warsaw, VA, USA
The car oversteered and fishtailed yesterday when I was making a left turn. As a result, I almost crashed into another car in the lane to my right. I was going about 25 mph or less on dry, normal asphalt pavement, in normal weather conditions, after freeway driving in los angeles ca. In a separate incident, I found the steering to be dangerously vague when I was driving around 70 mph downhill on a steep and curvy mountain highway (I-15 in Nevada, about 100 miles South of las vegas) in dark. The car was difficult to control, with the steering being extremely light and vague. I checked the wheel vs. Tire movement of my car. It doesn't appear to be an excessive freeplay issue -- in fact there was no freeplay. It appears that they made the steering way too light and, on top of it, very nonlinear -- that is very slow steering response at the center. Because of this the car doesn't immediately steer unless you turn the steering wheel about two inches. I'm sure Toyota did this with safety in mind -- so that the car can't be suddenly steered -- but the end result was unsafe steering instead. It's unsafe because the steering is so vague that people can unintentionally turn the steering wheel without not immediately changing the car's direction but then in a second or two car may veer out of control.
- Los Angeles, CA, USA
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota. He purchased the vehicle in 2008 and since then he noticed that the steering wheel pulled to the left and right. The vehicle acted as if it needed an alignment specifically while driving over 50 mph it became consistent. He took the vehicle to the dealer twice for the failure who stated that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. The manufacturer took a report and advised him that they did not have a remedy for the failure yet. The failure mileage was 10 and the current mileage was 31,000. Updated 3/30/2010
- Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
2009 Corolla power steering make noise and not smooth.
- Lanham, MD, USA
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that the steering wheel was very loose and had a lot of "play" in it. Also, he was advised that the vehicle should receive a mpg rating of 35 for the highway. However, the vehicle only received approximately 27 mpg. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer had not been notified concerning the issue. The failure mileage was 2,000 and the current mileage was 13,000.
- Longwood, FL, USA
The steering on this vehicle is hazardous. I have explained it to the dealer on at least 2 previous occasions as being "hyper-sensitive". while driving if you hit a bump in the road the slightest movement of the steering wheel is exaggerated and the car begins to veer left or right. Trying to compensate the veering only exacerbates the problem.
- Stafford, VA, USA
- Longwood, FL, USA