2016 Toyota Camry: pulls to one side

Filed Mar 1, 2024 · Steering · CA

Erratic steering issue related to weak car battery. I have a 2016 Toyota Camry XLE. The car began pulling to the left then to the right while driving down a straight and even road. The car would then resume normal steering for a minute or two, then the erratic steering behavior would resume for several minutes. In addition, the steering wheel would not return to center after making left or right turns. This steering issue would begin 1 - 5 minutes from the start of a trip a continue throughout the journey. This issue has been reported by many other Camry owners in several online automotive related repair sites with each person describing these same steering issues. They stated that the problem was resolved when they replaced their car battery. I decided to replace my 4-year-old True Start battery with a new DieHard Platinum battery from Advance Auto Parts and had them install it a week ago. Since then, the steering issue has not returned, and I consider this issue resolved.

Filed Jul 30, 2020 · Steering · NC

This complaint concerns steering issues related to a bad cell in battery. For the past year the car has randomly pulled right and left and veered while on the highway. Pulling was most pronounced when accelerating and stopping. The pulling could be extreme at times especially then turning, the car would pull the other way. The issue was erratic and could not be replicated for the car repair shop. I had the tires rotated twice and an alignment which did not solve the issue. Local dealership was not helpful. Came across internet car blog that linked faulty battery to unsafe steering for camry's then found multiple references for this issue online. Changed out the battery and the steering issue is resolved.

Filed Mar 17, 2020 · Steering · 45,625 miles · NC

Car suddenly pulled to right, wouldn't hold center. Really felt it driving in town. Steering felt like someone was grabbing and releasing the steering wheel. Read on a forum that it could be the battery. Replaced battery (which started the car just fine) ... And it does seem to have solved the problem. This sudden loss of steering control is going to be a problem and the average person will not realize a weakening battery could be the issue, resulting in a rip-off. Not normally a complainer, but this is really dangerous!

Filed Sep 26, 2019 · Driver assistance, Steering · 84,000 miles · NC

During both wet and dry conditions at times the car doesn't realign after making turns, grinds while turning, pulls to the right, pull and shake violently when having to come to or make an abrupt stop. With car in park, turned off, and keys out of the ignition the steering wheel shakes violently and tries to oscillate. Can provide video upon request.

Filed May 10, 2019 · Steering · 36,780 miles · TN

The steering started pulling left or right after the car was started and driven . Would stop after the the ignition was turned off and turned back on. I think the problem is when the battery is low on amps and you turn on the ignition the low amps messes up the elecyrical power assist or the steering sencer and locks the steering problem in when you start the car and then it"s running off the electrical alteranor. Because is you pull over and stop and restart the car some times it will fix the problem till you restart the car. I replaced the low amp battery and it fixed the problem for now. Took toyato tomato and they could not duplicate the problem. Problem could be fixed with a voltage regulator or wire change directly to the alt. Real dangers problem almost pulled me in to the other lane!!!!

Filed Dec 16, 2018 · Steering · 72,000 miles · IL

If steering wheel is turned to the right or left when I start the engine, while driving the wheel pulls in that direction while going down the street. If the steering wheel is straight when I turn on the engine and drive, the car goes straight down the street, no pull left or right. So I always straighten the wheel before I shut off the engine.

Filed Nov 27, 2018 · Steering · 67,000 miles · UT

My car is a 2016 toyota camry se 4-cylinder automatic with 67k miles. It is on it's second set of tires which have about 25k miles on them, and have been rotated one or two times since purchased new. Key point: there has been no work (incl. No tire rotations) done to the car recently... Everything was fine until last week when I noticed a strong pulling of the car to the left. The next time I drove the car I noticed a strong pull to the right, which seemed very strange since it was not the left as before. This pulling to one side or the other has happened a few times over the last week now. Through experimentation I have learned that turning the ignition off and restarting seems to clear the problem - if the front wheels are pointed straight forward. I believe having the front wheels pointing straight forward when I shut off / restart seems to correct the pulling problem. But if the wheels are pointed left or right when I restart the car, the car pulls that direction when restarted. I'm no automotive mechanic, but based on what I think I've learned, this problem seems to be an electronic one. Seeing others incidents being entered with the same problem on 2015 and 2016 camrys, please look into this asap.