1998 Toyota Camry Steering Problems

Your car suddenly became unresponsive to steering inputs and continued straight instead of turning, causing you to lose control and crash into a fence and tree. The vehicle caught fire after the collision, and the airbags failed to deploy during impact. Your passenger suffered serious injuries including facial and chest trauma that required surgery. This issue involves both a complete loss of steering control and a failure of the airbag safety system.

Your steering wheel shakes and feels loose when making left or right turns, even at slow speeds like 5 mph. You can physically pull the steering wheel upward while driving or when parked. This issue persists even though the vehicle was serviced under a Toyota recall for steering problems.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 35 MPH AND HIGHER, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND BECOME EXTREMELY HARD TO CONTROL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FREQUENTLY AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE DEALER HOWEVER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED WITH HIS SAFETY WHILE DRIVING A VEHICLE HE POTENTIALLY COULD NOT CONTROL. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

PROBLEM WITH STICKY GAS PEDAL OFF AND ON FOR 1 YEAR. HAVE BEEN PRESSING HARD TO GET PEDAL TO WORK PROPERLY. SO FAR, NO PARTS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED OR REPLACED ON 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY. ALSO STEERING PROBLEMS IN 2008; TOOK TO DEALER WHO ADDED POWER STEERING FLUID. *TR

I BOUGHT 98 TOYOTA CAMRY 3MOS AGO, THE CAR PULLS ACROSS ROAD, I FIGURED NEEDED ALIGNMENT AND I KNEW IT NEEDED STRUTS,, I HAD STRUTS , AXLE REPLACED THEN NEW TIRES AND BROUGHT TO RUSTY WALLACE FOR ALIGNMENT. THEY DID ALIGNMENT, I LEFT CAR STILL PULLS I BROUGHT BACK AND THEY RECHECKED STILL PULLS SAID THERE NOTHING ELSE THEY CAN DO.. I HAVE ROTORS REPLACE AND BRAKES CHECKED AND NOTHING, I SEEN RECALL BOUT STEERING ON MY YEAR CAMRY BUT TOYOTA SAYS NOT MY CAR! I SEEN IT ON NHTSA WEB PAGE BUT THE 800 # TELLS ME THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO>? SOUNDS LIKE THE PROBLEM IM HAVING WHY WILL THE CAR NOT DRIVE STRAIGHT? *TR

STEERING IS LOOSE CAR WANDERS LEFT AND RIGHT. RACK AND PINION IS LEAKING. SEEMS TO BE TO MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE RACK AND PINION FAILURES AND THE COST OF REPAIR. TOYOTA YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS AND IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED. WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET YOUR ATTENTION? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE AS NOTED IN RECALL # 99V307000 (STEERING:WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR). THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, HE LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND FEARS THAT A CRASH MAY OCCUR IF HE DRIVES ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TWO REAR PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELTS FAIL TO RETRACT PROPERLY. HE IS UNABLE TO PULL THEM BACK INTO THEIR REGULAR POSITION OR PUSH THEM IN ANYMORE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 135,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

MY MOTHER JUST HAD AN ACCIDENT THIS MORNING AND FROM HER DESCRIBING THAT 98 TOYOTA CAMRY WAS OUT OF CONTROL AND BREAK SEEMED NOT WORKING AT ALL. SO I STARTED LOOKING FOR VEHICLE RECALLS AND DEFECTS THEN I REALIZED THIS ACCIDENT MY MOTHER HAD COULD BE CAUSED BY DEFECTS. IF YOU JUST LOOK, YOU COULD EASILY FIND MANY OTHERS COMPLAINTS. SHE WAS DRIVING AT 55 MPH AND TRYING TO CHANGE LANE THEN NEXT THING SHE KNOW WAS CAR STARTED TO SWERVING SO SHE TRIED TO REGAIN CONTROL THEN HIT THE BREAK WHICH DID NOT FUNCTION. I WILL HAVE TO LOOK FOR LEGAL ADVISE WITHIN NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AND SEE WHAT THEY SAY. BY THE WAY AIR BAGS WERE NOT ACTIVATED. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY LAWSUIT OR COMPENSATION FOR THIS KIND OF FATAL ACCIDENT. THANK YOU. *NM

CONSUMER MECHANIC FOUND A PROBLEM WITH THE COLUMN POST ABOUT TO COME LOOSE SO THAT THE DRIVER COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE. *TS THE MECHANIC ALSO DISCOVERED THAT BOTH AIR BAGS WERE NOT COMPLETELY ASSEMBLED. PARTS WERE ON TOP OF THE AIR BAG BUT NOT INSTALLED. *JB

DT: ON 7/7/05, THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED BY OWNER. SHE RECEIVED RECALL SSCXOC6 NOTICE, BUT DID NOT RECALL WHETHER SHE RECEIVED THE RECALL LETTER BEFORE OR AFTER REPAIRS WERE DONE. OWNER CALLED TOYOTA TO HAVE THEM CHECK RECALL LETTER TO SEE IF IT WAS RELATED TO THE WORK DONE. TOYOTA TOLD OWNER SHE HAS HAD THE RECALL WORK DONE. THE VEHICLE IWASREGULARLY SERVICED. THE LOCATION OF THE WORK WAS THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY.*AK

WHILE MAKING A SLIGHT TURN, THE STEERING CONTINUED TO TURN RIGHT AND THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND COLLIDED INTO A STONE WALL. THE DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE CONSUMERS SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED CHEST AND BACK PAIN DUE TO HITTING HER CHEST ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BECAUSE THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. THE RECALL LETTER WAS RECEIVED AFTER THE ACCIDENT FOR 40-4000046657. *JB

WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 TO 55 MPH CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A TREE. UPON IMPACT NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK THE DRIVER SUFFERED A FRACTURED LEFT SHOULDER, MINOR INJURIES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS HEAD AND BRUISING TO HIS LEFT HIP. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT AN ANTILOCK BRAKE FAILURE MAY HAVE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. *NM

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION. *MR TOYOTA OVER FILLED THE TRANSMISSION BY 1 1/2 QUARTS. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS OKAY. TRANSMISSION FLUID STARTED TO DRAIN. THE VEHICLE STARTED HAVING TROUBLES CLIMBING ON INCLINES. THERE WERE VIBRATIONS WHEN DRIVING 50 MPH AND OVER, AND CONSTANT FLATS AND BLOW OUTS OCCURRED. (DESTINY MICHELIN) THERE WERE ALSO PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING, STRUTS, AND THE ROTORS. *SCC *JB

I BOUGHT MY CAR NEW IN MAY 1998. I HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED AT LEAST 3 TIMES THE FIRST TIME BEING 11/8/99. I HAVE COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES OF FRONT END NOISE, CAR DRIFTING, AND STEERING VIBRATIONS. EACH TIME I WAS TOLD IT WAS EITHER INCORRECT TIRE PRESSURE, OUT OF BALANCE OR ALIGNMENT. MOST OF THE TIME I WAS TOLD THE NOISE IS NORMAL ROAD NOISE AND THE DRIFTING IS NORMAL DRIFTING. I THINK SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. MY CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I BOUGHT A NEW CAR TO AVOID HAVING TO PAY FOR ALL THESE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS AND BECAUSE I HAD A 7 MONTH OLD BABY. I NOW HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND SOMETIMES I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THEM IN MY CAR. MY CAR STILL MAKES THE NOISE, DRIFTS, STEERING WHEEL VIBRATIONS. I HAVE EVEN REPORTED CLUNKING NOISES FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR AND WAS TOLD IT NEEDED TO BE GREASED OR THE BOLTS TIGHTENED. IT SEEMS TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ALL ALONG AND DECIDED TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. TOYOTA SHOULD BE FORCED TO FIX ALL THE VEHICLES WITH THIS CONDITION. IT SHOULDN'T TAKE SOMEONE'S DEATH BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE. I AM A FIRST TOYOTA BUYER AND VERY DISAPPOINTED. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX A SUSPENSION SYSTEM THAT WAS DEFECTIVE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, NOR SHOULD I HAVE TO FOR A $20,000 CAR THAT IS BARELY 5 YEARS OLD WITH ONLY 53,000 MILES ON IT. I THOUGHT THE MECHANICS WERE RIGHT ABOUT NORMAL NOISE UNTIL I SAW ALL THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU. JB

I TRIED WORKING WITH TOYOTA TO RESOLVE THERE ISSUES, BUT BECASUE THE WARRANTY TIME IS EXPIRED THEY WON'T ASSIST IN FIXING THERE DEFECTS. I WAS TOLD IF I WANTED TO PAY THE $2,000.00 BILL THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO ORDER THE PARTS. THE HEAD LAMPS ARE SO DIM I HAVE NEARLY HIT DEERS IN THE ROAD ON 5 SEPERATE OCCASIONS I KNOW THESE CAN'T PASS FMVSS REQUIREMENT. THE DRIVERS SEAT IS LOOSE IN THE TRACK AND ROCKS WHEN ACCELERATING AND STOPPING. THE FRONT STRUTS MOUNTING BRACKETS RATTLE, SHAKE, VIBRATE AND BANG. THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES WHILE TURNING. THE REAR STUTS ARE TOO WEAK FOR THE VEHICLE SO PEOPLE CAN'T RIDE IN THE REAR OR THE CAR BOTTOMS OUT. THE CAR ALARM SOMTIMES WORKS AND SOMTIMES DOESN'T. THE BURLWOOD DASH IS SPLITTING,CRAKING, FADING AND PEELING. I WAS TOLD BY THE ASST. SERVICE MGR. AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF ALL THESE DEFECTS AND IT'S A RESULT OF POOR ENGINEERING AND VEHICLE TEST VALIDATION. I THEN HEARD HIM TELL A MECHANIC "WHAT PEOPLE THINK JUST BECAUSE IT'S A TOYOTA IT DOESN'T EVER BREAK" HE THEN LAUGHED AND SAID THESE CARS ARE THE WORST. I THINK WE NEED SOME HELP IN MAKING TOYOTA FIX THERE KNOWN DEFECTS BECAUSE THIS IS UNCALLED FOR.*AK

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 99V307000.... REGARDING SSC-X06 1995-1998 JAPAN BUILT TOYOTA CAMRY STEERING WHEEL SET NUT SAFETY RECALL - I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT THROUGH TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE (1-800-331-4331) FOR REPAIR ACCORDING TO THE AFOREMENTIONED NOTICE. I CALLED ON 28 JUNE'01 (TOYOTA SERVICE REFERENCE # 200106280784) AND TOYOTA SCHEDULED ME FOR SERVICE WITH MICHAELS' TOYOTA OF BELLEVUE, WA, 120 116TH AV. NE, BELLEVUE, WA 98004 (PH: 425-455-9500) IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. BUT I DIDN'T GET A CALL BACK FROM MICAHEL'S TOYOTA FOR THE SERVICE DATE. AS A FOLLOW-UP, I CALLED TOYOTA AGAIN AND THEY FLAGGED A SERVICE CALL FOR MICAHEL'S TOYOYTA TO SCHEDULE SERVICE WITHIN 24 HOURS. BUT TILL DATE, THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED. I HAVEN'T BEEN CALLED BY THEM FOR SCHEDULING A SERVICE. I TOOK THE CASE AGAIN WITH TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY HAVE AGAIN NOTIFIED MICHAELS' TOYOTA TO SCHEDULE THE SERVICE. I FEEL I'M JUST WASTING MY TIME CALLING THEM UP AND THOUGHT OF BRINGING THE ISSUE WITH NHTSA SO AS TO MAKE THEM AWARE THAT TOYOTA IS NOT TAKING THESE RECALLS SERIOUSLY AND NOT GIVING ENOUGH IMPORTANCE TO THIS ISSUE. I'M QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT MY AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY AND THE DEALERSHIP DOESN'T TAKE IT AS A PRIORITY - MAYBE BECAUSE IT'S A FREE SERVICE. THEY'RE NOT GETTING PAID FOR THIS AND MYBE CONSIDERING THIS AS A WASTE OF TIME. HOPE SOME MESAURES WILL BE TAKEN IN FUTURE SO THAT MANUFACTURERS AND DEALERS DO NOT TAKE PEOPLE FOR A RIDE AND FOLLOW NHTSA GUIDELINES. P.S. I BOUGHT MY CAR THRU' KEARNY MESA TOYOTA, SAN DIEGO AND MOVED TO BELLEVUE, WA IN MAY, THAT WAS THE TIME WHEN I GOT THIS RECALL NOTICE AND SCHEDULED THE SERVICE WHEN I SETTLED IN MY NEW APARTMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TO READ THIS MESSAGE AND TAKING ANY NECESSARY ACTIONS THAT MAY DEEM FIT. THANK YOU AGAIN - RAKESH KAPUR (PH: 425-922-9680).NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK

STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED WHEN DRIVING ON DRY, CLEAR, DAY. CAR PULLED TO THE LEFT, WENT RIGHT, THAN HEAD ON WITH ONCOMING VEHICLE. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON A STEERING PROBLEM. DEALER SAID THEY WERE GOING TO LOOK AT IT.*AK

STEERING COLUMN VIBRATES AFTER BEING REPAIRED IN RECALL. DEALER WILL NOT INSPECT IT AGAIN. *AK

ALARM--SILENCER SECURITY.

CAR DRIFTS TO LEFT AT ALL SPEEDS. REPORTED TO DEALER TWICE. 1ST TIME, ON 7/20/98 AT 3,300 MILES. DEALER CLAIMED STEERING WHEEL WAS OFF CENTER AND THEY REALIGNED IT. ALSO, DEALER STATED THAT AIR PRESSURE WAS UNEVEN IN ALL TIRES AND THEY CORRECTED THIS. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR, THEY HAD PUT 32 LBS IN THE LEFT FRONT TIRE, 30 LBS IN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE, AND 34 LBS IN THE TWO REAR TIRES. COMPLAINED IMMEDIATELY THAT THE CAR STILL DRIFTED TO THE LEFT. DEALER RESCHEDULED FOR 8/10/98 AND CAR WAS THEN SERVICED WITH 3,955 MILES. DEALER CLAIMED THEY CHECKED FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND THEN ROTATED TIRES TO CORRECT FOR A RADIAL PULL. THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE THE TIRES AND STATED THEY WOULD CORRECT THEMSELVES AFTER A FEW HUNDRED MILES WERE PUT ON WITH THE NEW ROTATION. TIRES WERE THEN ROTATED BY THE SAME DEALER AT 9,824 MILES ON 3/10/99, AND THE DRIFT TO THE LEFT IS AS BAD AS EVER. I BELIEVE SOMETHING OTHER THAN A RADIAL PULL IS WRONG.

NO SUMMARY

STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED WHEN DRIVING IN CLEAR, DRY, MIDDAY WEATHER ON I-695 IN BALTIMORE. CAR WOBBLED RIGHT THEN LEFT. DRIVER TRIED TO COMPENSATE, BUT CAR RADICALLY OVERSTEERED AT FIRST. THEN, ON ITS OWN, THE CAR SHARPLY VEERED LEFT ACROSS HIGHWAY INTO CONCRETE WALL. SKID MARKS SHOWED CAR TRAVELING IN DIRECTION OF WHEELS, I.E. NO LATERAL SKID MARKS, SO WHEELS WERE TURNED TO LEFT IN SPITE OF ATTEMPTS TO TURN RIGHT. WE ARE TEMPORARILY HOLDING THE CAR FOR YOUR POSSIBLE INVESTIGATION. PLEASE NOTIFY ASAP. *AK

SECURITY ALARM SYSTEM DID NOT WORK PROPERLY ALLOWING FOR VEHICLE BREAK IN, TRANSMITTER DESIGN (BIG BUTTON) IS ACCIDENTALLY TRIGGERED BY KEYS. MJS

THE BRAKES ON MY 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY WORE OUT AT 15000 MILES. THE SERVICE WRITER AT THE SERVICE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE 1997 AND 1998 CAMRY HAVE A DESIGN DEFECT THAT CAUSES MORE PRESSURE TO BE APPLIED TO THE FRONT BRAKES THAN TO THE BACK BRAKES, CAUSING THE FRONT BRAKES TO WEAR OUT PREMATURELY. MY POWER STEERING PUMP DEVELOPED A LEAK BEFORE IT WAS REPLACED BY THE SERVICING DEALER AT 19000 MILES, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE STEERING AND CONTROL PROBLEMS. *AK

DESIGN OF POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVIOR FAILED, CAUSING LEAKAGE, DUE TO SPLIT SEAM. *YC

POWER STEERING PUMP LEAK. YH

ANTI THEFT ALARM FAILED. YH

ALARM SYSTEM IS INCONSISTENT. YH

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MILES/HOUR OR ABOVE VEHICLE VERY QUICKLY CHANGES LANE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT

OWNER HAS ABS BRAKES, VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. DEALERS CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. ALSO POWER STEERING PUMP HAS FAILED, CAUSE UNKNOWN. IGNITION LOCK FAILURE.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOSES CONTROL AND CHANGES LANES FROM RIGHT

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE PERFORMS A LANE CHANGE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT IN 1/10 OF A MILE AT 65 MPH. *AK