2000 Toyota Corolla Steering Problems

When you drive your 2000 Toyota Corolla faster than 65 mph, the car shakes noticeably and becomes harder to control. You're wondering if there's a recall for this year and model that may not have been completed on your vehicle. The issue likely involves worn suspension components, wheel balance, or alignment problems that develop at higher speeds.

Your steering wheel doesn't feel responsive, and the car drifts at higher speeds. When turning, the vehicle's response is unpredictable—sometimes it turns sharply, sometimes barely at all—making it hard to judge how far the wheel will turn, especially above 30-35 mph. You've already had tires replaced twice, rotors and brake pads replaced, and a wheel alignment done without resolving the issue. A mechanic will need to inspect the steering rack, tie rods, and other steering components to identify what's causing the inconsistent response.

SINGLE VEHICLE COLLISION INVOLVING YEAR 2000 TOYOTA COROLLA. OCCUPANT IN VEHICLE INDICATES DECEDENT DRIVER MADE STATEMENT THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO TURN STEERING WHEEL THUS CAUSING COLLISION. INDEPENDENT WITNESS FOLLOWING BEHIND THE VEHICLE INDICATES THAT VEHICLE DRIFTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR LONG PERIOD OF TIME IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO COLLISION CONSISTENT WITH A MOVEMENT WHICH WOULD BE CAUSED BY A LOCKING AND NON-FUNCTIONING STEERING WHEEL. WE UNDERSTAND OTHER YEAR 2000 TOYOTA VEHICLES ARE BEING RECALLED WITH A DEFECT INVOLVING A LOCKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL. COLLISION CAUSED ONE DEATH (DRIVER), TWO CHILDREN WERE SENT TO THE TRAUMA CENTER AT UC DAVIS HOSPITAL IN SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA, ONE ADULT FRONT PASSENGER REMAINS AT UC DAVIS HOSPITAL IN SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA IN SERIOUS CONDITION. CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS INFORMATION BUT APPEARS NOT TO BE TAKING ANY ACTION REGARDING INSPECTION OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE AND COMPONENT ARE PRESERVED INTACT NEAR SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *TR

FOR SIX YEARS THE STEERING WHEEL WOBBLED LOOSELY. THE AUTO HAD ONLY 15000 ON IT WHEN THE PROBLEM AROSE. WE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE AUTO. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP AFTER INITIAL 3 YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD , AND THEY ANNOUNCED THAT THE RACK AND PINION SYSTEM WAS WORN OUT, BUT WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA QUALITY IS AN URBAN MYTH. *AK

YEAR 2004: ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. $1,500 FOR REPAIR. YEAR 2007: ENGINE STOPPED. POWER STEERING PUMP MAKE NOISE. $2,000 FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE BOTH PARTS. *NM

VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON 7/1/05 AND SINCE THEN HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TO BE FIXED 4 DIFFERENT TIMES AND DUE TO GO BACK IN AGAIN ON 9/20/05 FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS...I TOOK THE CAR IN ON 28 JULY 05 AND TOLD SERVICE DEPT THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS THE RACK AND PINION STEERING AND THE CHECKED IT SAID IT WAS THE SWAY BAR LINKS AND WOULD ORDER.....WENT BACK IN ON THE 8 AUG 05 AND SWAY BAR LINKS PUT IN AND SERVICE DEPT SAID THERE WAS STILL A NOISE AND NEEDED IT BACK WHEN THEY HAD MORE TIME WITH IT SO IT WAS TAKEN BACK ON 16 AUG 05 AND AT THAT TIME CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON ALSO SO THEY SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED PLUGS AS THEY SAID IT WAS MISFIRING AND THEY CHECKED RACK AND PINION AND SAID THEY FOUND THAT IT NEEDED IT NEEDED STEERING RACK SO IT WAS ORDERED AND WENT BACK IN ON 24 AUG AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN ALSO AND THEY SAID IT WAS MISFIRING AGAIN....REPLACED PLUGS ONCE MORE AND SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED STEERING RACK BUT SINCE THEN I HAVE STILL NOTICED THE HANDLING OF CAR IS NOT RIGHT IN THE STEERING AS I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY FIGHT THE STEERING WHEEL..VERY HARD TO HANDLE ON UNEVEN AND GRAVEL ROADS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ONCE AGAIN AND I HAVE CALLED THEM AND THEY WILL LOOK AT IT AGAIN ON THE 20 SEPT 05...I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE...I HAVE ALL PAPERWORK INVOLVED WITH ALL THE DATES. *NM

THE STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME VERY HEAVY WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING. IT WOULD NOT TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. WE TOOK IT TO NEAREST GARAGE. THAT IS GOODYEAR TYRE SERVICE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS NOT WORKING AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED. I CALLED TOYOTA MOTOR AND LOGGED A COMPLAINT. CASE # 200507130358

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL UNEXPECTEDLY LOCKED ON ITS OWN. CONUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER INFORMED MECHANIC THAT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE WAS ALMOST KILLED AS A RESULT OF THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING AT A RATE OF 55 MPH. *TC

WHILE DRIVING 45-50 MPH ON FREEWAY VEHICLE BECAME ERRATIC. STEERING BECAME VERY LOOSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHEN DRIVING UNDER WINDY CONDITIONS VEHICLE BECOMES HARD TO STEER, IT BEGINS WEAVING LEFT AND RIGHT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

INSTALLED FLOOR MAT CAUSES THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO STICK AT FULL THROTTLE. THIS COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK