2010 Toyota Corolla: steering wheel locks up

Filed Nov 27, 2019 · Steering · 123,000 miles · GA

Steering wheel locked when I am backing up my car to do reverse parking. It happened only once. It stared working when I tried to move forward and came back to normal. I showed it to toyota authorized service center and they said they could not find anything wrong with steering.

Filed Sep 2, 2019 · Steering · 79,000 miles · VA · 1 injury

On 08/30/2019 I was driving down a suburban city street going 40mph and slowed down to make a left turn, but was unable to move the steering wheel because is hadu locked up and would not turn. I was terrified because I had to come to a complete in the middle of the street because the car kept moving straight ahead. I was afraid of being hit, because I could get the steering wheel to turn. Out of desperation and fear, I grabbed the left side of the steering wheel with both hands and tried to pull down to make the steering wheel turn...I was using extreme force, pulling numerous times before the steering wheel finally moved the wheels to the left so I could make the left hand turn. But when I tried to turn the steering wheel to the right to straighten the wheels and continue moving straight ahead, the same thing occurred....the steering wheel required excessive force, using two hands pulling down on the same side of the steering wheel repeated times to get the car in position to move forward. By the grace of god, no traffic came down the road in either direction. I continued traveling down the straight road for two miles, until I came to a stoplight where I had to make another left turn. When the light turned green, the same thing occurred...I had to repeated apply excessive force to get the steering wheel to turn, which seemed like an eternity. This time there was traffic behind me beeping their horns to get out of the way, but since the power steering was not working, it took about 1-2 minutes pull the steering wheel to turn the car. I turned on the flasher lights, drove 10mph and continued home. The car drove straight: steering wheel locked-up and required exessive force for next four right/left turns I had to make to get home. Afraid to drive car; injured rt rotor cup using such force to turn the steering wheel.taking to toyota dealer tomorrow for diagnosis.

Filed Jun 13, 2017 · Steering · 59,444 miles · NJ

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 toyota corolla. While driving 65 MPH, the steering wheel seized without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to diagnose the issue. The vehicle was not repaired and the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there were no recalls on the issue; however, there were other open recalls on the vehicle and assisted the contact with making a repair appointment. The approximate failure mileage was 59,444.

Filed Jul 14, 2016 · Steering · 70,000 miles · PA

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 toyota corolla. While driving 70 MPH, the steering wheel seized. As a result, the contact was unable to steer the vehicle. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but was unable to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Filed Oct 21, 2015 · Steering · 105,000 miles · MD

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 toyota corolla. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the steeling wheel locked up and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The power steering warning light illuminated. In addition, while parked, the steering wheel locked up. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 105,000.

Filed Jan 19, 2015 · Steering · 90,000 miles · MA

While my daughter was taking a left hand turn into supermarket entrance, her steering locked up on her. She has been driving this car since middle of june 2014 when car was purchased for her. I have owned toyotas in the past, and have known them to be reliable vehicles. This incidence has happened multiple times since this time, and toyota apparently knows of the problem. They even recognize it as being some form of electronic powering steering issue, whose cost is upwards of 1400.00 to repair. I am completely dumbfounded by this (clearly a safety issue), that is suppose to cost me, the consumer another 1400.00 to repair. I have read of this issue in previous logs, news reports, and complaints. Why has toyota or the federal safety agency not forced this issue. I believe now that this is unsafe for my daughter to drive, and do not have the funds to purchase another vehicle. If safety is not a concern here, I am not sure what merits that distinction. Signed, a very upset parent and once loyal toyota customer.

Filed Aug 13, 2014 · Steering · 63,000 miles · NY

When making a right turn out of a parking lot my steering wheel locked. I turned off the car for about 5 minutes and when I turned it back on everything was fine. It is important to note that no indicator lights came on. The next day I took the car over to the toyota dealership. At this point the steering was fine. The dealership charged me 99 dollars and did a diagnostic, which turned up nothing. Assuming that the car was ok, and this steering wheel lock was just a one time thing I continued to drive the car as normal. A few days later the same thing happened. I went back to the dealer and they still couldn't find anything wrong. This steering lock keeps happening to me. The wheel locks, I turn off the car, I turn it back on and everything is fine. My biggest fear is that the wheel will lock in a place where I don't have the ability to pull over and turn the car off and on to get the wheel unlocked. After doing some research online I found that there are hundreds of people with the same problem. I contacted a independent mechanic who said the problem is most likely in the electric power steering motor. The part alone is about 1400 dollars. I know there are service bulletins out to dealers about the electronic power steering but I don't know if this is covered. I don't think its fair that I have to pay for a repair that is toyota's fault. There are multiple problems with toyota's and for that matter almost all car companies electronic power steering system. Why are these system still allowed to be used. The only one to suffer in the consumer. Anyway, my car is a 2010 toyota corolla le. Please let me know is there is a recall or a service bulletin to fix this problem.

Filed Oct 18, 2011 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 101,623 miles · TX

At approximately 0600 on the above date I experienced a violent and near uncontrollable momentary disrupture of the ABS/ESC systems of my 2010 toyota corolla. Vehicle shook violently, steering locked and ABS and ESC control lights on dash lit up while I was making the transition from ih37 south to ih35 south in san antonio, tx. I was able to regain control by letting off of the brakes and throttle thus coasting through the left hand turn and barely missing the retaining wall. This is not the first time this has happened, the first was only days after purchase of car. Local dealer maintenance personnel stated "we can't find anything wrong with the car." during the warranty period the problem has been brought to the attention of mccollums toyota five other times all with the same "we can't find anything wrong" reply. Complaints of soft brake pedal brought a similar "that's normal" retort each time the vehicle was in for service. After the warranty expired, front rotors and pads were replaced because they were found to have worn/groved approximately 1/8" deep per side (not reported by dealer), not from metal to metal contact but just wear from pads friction material. Pads still had 1/2" of friction material on each. Replacement of rotors and pads from auto zone made things better until now. Request ABS/ESC software be checked on all 2008 to 2012 corolla/scion tc models along with check of materials used in pads and the rotors. Oem rotors taken off car will be available until 15 jan 2012. 36,000 miles on a set of rotors and pads are a little extreme when I have over 125,000 on my gm's rotors and 165,000 on my ford's rotors with pads needing replacement around 45 to 55 k.

Filed Sep 17, 2010 · Steering · 10,000 miles · FL · crash · 2 injuries

Tl* the contact owned a 2010 toyota corolla. The contact was driving 10 MPH and attempting a right turn when the steering wheel locked and the vehicle would not respond. The vehicle veered out of its lane and crashed head on into another vehicle. The contact was not injured however, her passenger sustained injuries to the chest and neck. The driver of the other vehicle was also injured. The police and fire department arrived to assist. The fire department found the vehicle locked in first gear when they attempted to remove it. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was available. The vehicle was in the possession of the contacts insurance company who would later investigate the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

Filed Aug 8, 2010 · Steering · 10,000 miles · NJ

When pulling into parking space the steering wheel tend to lock up and very hard to turn. Then at the stop sign, when proceeding to make a left turn, the steering wheel locked up and very hard to turn as if it was like a non-power steering.

Filed Mar 12, 2010 · Brakes, Steering · 12,000 miles · CT · crash · 2 injuries

I was going to work when my brakes stopped working, steering wheel locked, and car accelerated straight into a fence. Both my mother and I were injured. I got a toyota specialist to look at the car, it took them three and a half weeks after the accident to send that specialist to look at the car. He then said the car was safe to drive. After I got my car back from the body shop I took the car to the toyota dealership where I got it to get the brakes fixed and the accelerator pedal fixed. I have gone twice already and my brakes still aint fixed and giving me problem.