2006 Toyota Corolla Steering Problems

I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IT HAD ALWAYS BEEN DEALER MAINTAINED THE CAR WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION THE CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED TWO MONTHS EARLIER A TIRE ROTATION AND OIL CHANGE THE CAR HAS 110K MILES DRIVING THE CAR ON A PAVED ROAD AT 35MPH THE TIE ROD SNAPPED RESULTING IN ACCIDENT THE GARAGE SAID IT LOOKED LIKE THE TIRE LUG NUTS WERE PUT ON TOO TIGHT MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR I THOUGHT THEY SHOULD FIX IT BECAUSE I WAS TOLD IT WAS THERE FAULT THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING THERE FOR A YEAR THE DEALERSHIP WON'T TALK TO ME IS THIS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAPPEN TO A WELL MAINTAINED AND WELL CARED FOR CAR A TOYOTA REP LOOKED AT THE CAR AND WOULD TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY PLEASE TELL ME IF THIS IS NORMAL TO HAPPEN THANK YOU [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CC

DRIVER WAS MAKING LEFT HAND TURN ON CITY STREET WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND STEERED TO THE RIGHT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A BLOCK WALL. DRIVER DOES NOT KNOW WHY VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, THERE WAS NO EXTRA INPUT ON THE ACCELERATOR.

I EXPERIENCED A NEAR DEATH EPISODE LAST MONTH WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS GOING AT THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC IN MARIN COUNTY IN THE INNER MOST LANE IN THE EARLY MORNING. SUDDENLY, MY STEERING COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL AND DID NOT FUNCTION. IT WOULD NOT STAY IN MY LANE AND KEPT ERRATICALLY MOVED AND SWERVED INTO THE NEXT LANE THEN BACK AND FORTH BEFORE MAKING MULTIPLE 360 SPINS BEFORE HITTING THE GUARD RAIL ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE HIGHWAY. MY CAR BRAKES WASN'T RESPONDING WHEN I BRAKED DURING THIS HORRENDOUS TRAUMA. THANK GOD NOBODY HIT ME DURING THIS CRAZY CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL. RECENTLY, I DECIDED TO GOOGLE TO SEE IF OTHER 2006 MATRIX HAD THE SAME SITUATION AND WAS STUNNED TO FIND THAT THERE ARE DRIVERS WITH THE SAME CAR MODELS WHO EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING ! I WAS EVEN MORE STUNNED TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE 2010 MATRIX THAT WERE IN CLASS ACTION SUITS. I AM INFURIATED AND DISGUSTED AT THE MANUFACTURER FOR NOT RECALLIGN THE VEHICLES!! THEY ONLY RECALLED THE 2010 AND BEYOND. WHAT ABOUT THE OLDER MODELS>??? I ALMOST DIED IN THAT ACCIDENT. THE COMPANY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSLVES

WAS DRIVING WHEN AIRBAG LIGHT ON DASH CAME ON, HAVE CHECKED FUSES, CLEANED ALL ELECTRICAL LEADS AND IT REMAINS ON, BEEN ON SIX MONTHS NOW. AIRBAG RECALL FIXED TODAY, TOLD DEALER TO LOOK AT LIGHT. ONCE FIXED DEALER SAID LIGHT STILL ON BECAUSE THE STEERING SPRING COIL IN THE STEERING COLUMN HAS CUT SOMETHING THAT TURNS THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON, COST TO FIX $500. I SAID LET THE LIGT STAY ON THEN, HE SAID IT COULD AFFECT AIRBAG, IT MIGHT NOT DEPLOY.

I NOTICED THAT MY STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN SO THAT "12" WOULD GO FARTHER RIGHT THAN "2" OR LEFT THAN "10". I FOUND THAT EVEN WITHIN THAT "10" TO "2" RANGE, THE CAR WAS NOT FOLLOWING MY STEERING FAST ENOUGH TO MAKE TURNS AND CURVES AS QUICKLY AS IT USUALLY DOES. I HAD TO SLOW DOWN SHARPLY TO STAY ON THE ROAD. TEN MINUTES LATER, I HAD TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE ROAD IN ORDER TO DIRECT THE WHEELS INTO MY DRIVEWAY. DURING ALL OF THIS, IT SEEMED THAT BOTH ACCELERATION AND BRAKES WERE LESS RESPONSIVE THAN USUAL. PRECEDING THE ENTIRE EVENT, THE ENGINE HAD MADE SOME CLACKING/CLANGING/BANGING NOISES AND THE HEAT BEGAN TO BLOW ONLY COLD AIR. *TR

MY WIFE WAS COMING BACK HOME AFTER DROPPING OUR 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AT THE SCHOOL. AT A SIGNAL, WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AFTER A RED LIGHT STOP, THE STEERING WHEEL GOT STUCK IN THE RIGHT-TURNED POSITION ITSELF. IT COULD NOT BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE STRAIGHT POSITION FROM THE RIGHT-TURNED POSITION. IN FACT, BRAKES ALSO DIDN'T WORK AT THE SAME TIME. AS CAR WAS VERY SLOW (AS IT HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER THE STOP FOR MAKING THE RIGHT TURN AT THE RED LIGHT SIGNAL), MY WIFE, EVEN THOUGH PANICKED, QUICKLY HIT HARD AT THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH RELEASED THE STEERING WHEEL FROM STUCK POSITION. AFTER THIS SHE WAS ABLE TO BRING THE STEERING WHEEL BACK TO STRAIGHT-WHEEL POSITION AND APPLY THE BRAKES TOO. WE ARE NOT SURE IF WE'D RUN INTO THIS SITUATION AGAIN SO HAVEN'T DRIVEN THE CAR SINCE THEN. *TR

OUR TOYOTA COROLLA 2006 HAD A SRS AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COME ON. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE DRIVER?S AIRBAG MODULE IS ATTACHED TO A SPIRAL CABLE ASSEMBLY WITH ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS THAT HAVE BECOME DAMAGED FROM TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DAMAGE TO THE SPINAL WIRE CAUSED THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP TO ILLUMINATE WHICH MEANS THAT THE AIR BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. THE SPINAL CORD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A SIMILAR ISSUE ON OTHER COROLLAS I BELIEVE THEY ARE YEARS 2009 AND 2010 AND SO I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO SINCE IT IS HAPPENING ON OUR VEHICLE. *TR

I WAS BACKING UP OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, STOPPED AND PUT CAR IN DRIVE POSITION, AND 2006 TOYOTA COROLLA ACCELERATED TO A HIGH SPEED, ENGINE ROARED. I PUT MY FOOT ON BRAKE IMMEDIATELY, SHUT OFF ENGINE AND PULLED EMERGENCY BRAKE. LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD WERE LIT, AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING. CAR BOLTED FORWARD AND HIT THE BACK OF A PARKED TRUCK WHICH STOPPED MY VEHICLE. MY DAUGHTER WAS IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AND EXPERIENCED THIS HORRIBLE EVENT. I WAS BRINGING HER HOME FROM AN OPERATION ON HER ARM. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE WERE BOTH TERRIFIED. HAD CAR TOWED TO THE TOYOTA GARAGE. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE COULDN'T TOUCH THE CAR DUE TO PROTOCOL, AND GAVE ME THE 800 # FOR TOYOTA. THAT WAS ON A MONDAY AND ON FRIDAY I HAD TO GET MY OWN RENTAL CAR AS I HAD NOT HEARD FROM TOYOTA IN REGARD TO A RENTAL CAR. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON FLORIDA'S TURNPIKE NB AT 70 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY, MY STEERING WHEEL FELT DISCONNECTED FROM THE TIRES. THE CAR STARTED TO FISHTAIL, AND I WAS UNABLE TO BRAKE. THE MECHANICAL ISSUE WAS LATER IDENTIFIED AS FAILED A TIE ROD. *TR

STEERING COLUMN YOKE IS LOOSE OR SLIPPING. I'M AFRAID IT WILL FAIL TOTALLY AND CAUSE ACCIDENT OR INJURY. LOCAL DEALER WANTS $370 TO FIX IT BUT EVEN THOUGH IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY I THINK THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT AND THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD LOOK INTO FORCING A RECALL IF NEEDED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,276. UPDATED 05/20/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. UPDATED EVOQ 05/27/10 THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED IN 2008 DUE TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATING. UPDATED 06/01/10. *JB UPDATED 09/29/10 THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE STEERING MECHANISM AND BRAKE FAILED ON THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 12/06/10 UPDATED 12/28/10.*JB

WIFE WAS DRIVING HER 2006 TOYOTA COROLLA AND WENT INTO WATER DURING A RAINY DAY IN FEBRUARY 2010 AND SHE SAID THAT THE STEERING LOCKED/ SHE COULDN'T TURN IT MORE THAN A QUARTER TURN. SHE JIGGLE THE STEERING WHEEL AND THEN IT WAS OK AGAIN. I LOOKED UNDER CAR THE CAR AND EVERYTHING LOOKS OK. *TR

DRIVING ON I-20 WEST IN GOOD WEATHER AND GOOD ROAD CONDITIONS, I SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND COULD NOT SLOW THE CAR DOWN, RESULTING IN THE CAR DRIVING OFF THE ROAD AND FLIPPING OVER SEVERAL TIMES. THE CAR WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *TR

AT SPEEDS ABOVE 65 MPH I FEEL LIKE I DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THE STEERING. THE CAR DRIFTS TO RIGHT AND LEFT. *TR

WHEN DRIVING OVER 60 MPH THE CAR WILL RANDOMLY PULL BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE LANE. IT WILL ONLY DO IT FOR SOME TIME AND THEN STOP. THIS MAKES IT HARD TO STEER THE CAR AND I MUST SLOW DOWN UNTIL IT STOPS. SOMETIMES I CAN BARELY MAINTAIN THE SPEED LIMIT ON FREEWAYS WHEN THIS OCCURS. I AM AFRAID THAT IT WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT ONE DAY. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A CONSISTENT PROBLEM THAT CAN BE SHOWN TO A MECHANIC. I HAVE EVEN HAD IT CHECKED OUT BY A MECHANIC BUT HE DIDN'T ENCOUNTER THE PROBLEM. THIS HAS RECENTLY BEEN BROUGHT TO LIGHT FOR TOYOTA CARS AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF HOW FAR THEY SHOULD LOOK BACK FOR THIS PROBLEM AS I HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS FOR 4 YEARS NOW. THANKFULLY I DO NOT DRIVE FREEWAYS THAT OFTEN BUT IT IS ALWAYS SOMETHING IN THE BACK OF MIND WHEN I DO. *TR

I HAVE A 2006 AND A 2010 TOYOTA COROLLA. BOTH OF THEM HAVE SIMILAR HANDLING ISSUES, SPECIFICALLY A TENDENCY TO UNPREDICTABLY DART TO THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT. IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE (YES, EVEN ON STRAIGHT ROADS!). I HAVE HAD THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED ON BOTH CARS, AND REPLACED TIRES. NEITHER OF THESE ACTIONS HAS HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE HANDLING. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS ON WET, SNOWY OR SLICK ROADS. BACK IN OCTOBER, 2009, A TOYOTA TECHNICIAN CHECKED OUT MY 2010 COROLLA, AND TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A HANDLING CHARACTERISTIC OF COROLLAS. HE SAID THAT TOYOTA WANTED TO MAKE THE CAR HANDLE QUICKER, SO THEY SET THE CAMBER (OR CASTER--I FORGET WHICH) AT THE FACTORY SO THAT IT HANDLES QUICKER IN TURNS BUT IT ALSO IS NOT AS STABLE WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICIAN, IT CAN'T BE ADJUSTED. I'M GOING TO GET RID OF THE 2006 COROLLA SHORTLY BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A DEATH TRAP AND I DON'T WANT MY FAMILY IN IT. IN SLICK ROADS IT HAS GOTTEN OUT OF CONTROL TWICE. LEST YOU THINK I'M NUTS, I'VE DRIVEN FRONT WHEEL CARS SINCE 1975 AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS KIND OF AN ISSUE UNTIL I GOT THESE CARS. SO DON'T TELL ME IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE LIGHT CARS--THAT'S BALONEY! I'VE HAD OTHER LIGHT CARS THAT DIDN'T ACT LIKE THESE DO. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE NE EXTENSION ON MY WAY TO MY SISTERS HOUSE, MY STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKY AND PULL TO THE LEFT. I GRABBED HOLD OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO TRY TO PUT US BACK IN THE LANE BUT IT DIDN'T WANT TO GO. EVENTUALLY I WAS ABLE TO JERK THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND WE THEN SPUN OUT INTO TWO 360 DEGREE TURNS BEFORE LANDING IN A DITCH ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I THEN NOTICED THAT BOTH OF MY REAR TIRES HAD PROBLEMS AS WELL, AND THESE TIRES WERE JUST RECENTLY PUT ON BY TEAM TOYOTA ON THURSDAY OCTOBER 30TH 2008. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DETERIORATING AND FOAM WAS LEAKING FROM INSIDE OF IT. THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE AND DIRECTED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT SOMEONE WOULD COME TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH ON A ROAD SURFACE COVERED WITH A QUARTER INCH OF SNOW; AND ENCOUNTERED A DIP IN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO PULL UNCONTROLLABLY TO THE LEFT DIRECTION INTO AN OPPOSING TRAVEL LANE, AND DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL INJURY. THE POLICE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE IN WHICH A REPORT WAS NOT FILED DUE TO NO OTHER INVOLVEMENT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITH NO PERSONAL INJURIES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON A NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE AXEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE CASTLE NUT ROD SPINDLE WAS MISSING. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE DEFECT ON A NEW VEHICLE WITH ONLY 176 MILES.*AK