If you are having the problems mentioned in the above post you need to take your car to the Toyota dealer and have them put in a new power steering rack! We had the same problem on one of the two 2010 Corolla's we bought, and after the dealer replaced the power steering rack it was perfect! This fixed our car, and the had the same problem with the Hybrid Camry! It is not an uncommon problem, however it can be corrected. If you are happy with the car other than the steering then get the steering fixed!
About my car's EPS, something happened that all of a sudden, I am ok with my Corolla again. It turns out, the problem was caused by it's tires..because after I (just) had it all replaced, it runs great again. I never noticed the problem with steering before because all I have been doing since I got the car was city driving. Then late last year I got transfered to another site and my work required me to do a lot of freeway driving (the problem is prominent at high speed only). My tires have always been 'well maintained', that's why I never thought it would be the cause of my steering problem. But then I saw the TSB about the EPS, and it included the tires in the checklist so I figured I would have them checked myself. Now that I have 4 new ones, it runs great on the freeway and I don't feel the steering problem anymore.
Got my S with a VIN production of 511XXX, made in October 2010 in Canada. So far I have not had any issues with the steering that others have posted about. Yes it does feel a little like golf cart steering, but that's what your trade off is for better gas mileage. Is the EPS as good as a traditional hydraulic rack and pinion? Of course not. In fact it's not even in the same league. I had a 99 civic that I could drive with one finger without a problem, you can't do that with this Corolla. While it does take some getting used to when you've previously had a traditional hydraulic rack, it's effective at operating the vehicle in a safe manor. After reading several posts on this website about steering issues, I knew what i was getting into when I bought this car. To be fair, I don't drive at highway speeds very often. When I have made highway trips I have not noticed any swerving, over-correcting, or any of the other problems that some people have mentioned. I purposely bought a high production VIN hoping that Toyota had cleared up what issues there might have been. So far so good.
One positive with this system is it is much cheaper and easier to replace then a traditional rack. To be honest, I don't mind trading some ease of steering for better gas mileage.
The bottom line is this, most compact cars are trying to become as fuel efficient as possible. With this system there is no power steering pump running off of a serpentine belt. It's just an electric motor bolted to the steering column that assists in your steering. This puts less drag on the engine allowing better gas mileage. If you want I quality steering system you're gonna have to pony up some more $$$$ because just about all of these compacts are switching to this EPS system. Oh, and of course these are cheaper for Toyota to install on a car than a traditional rack system.
It does not matter if you buy cheaper or more expensive car. All new cars come with EPS. I have 2011 Toyota Corolla S, and I love how my car drives and steer. I had to rent a Chevy Aveo, and after driving it, The Corolla steering was like driving a Lexus or MB, compared to Aveo's steering.....:)
I have a 2010 LE w/19K miles on it. The ABS kicks in when turning and braking at the same time under normal driving conditions. Seems to be worse on rough roads. Anyone else have this problem and what is the fix? When I first bought the car the brake pedal would go down almost to the floor at red lights. I complained said it felt like there was air in the lines or a leaky master cylinder. Dealer said there was nothing wrong but they were better "magically" after I complained. Now it's the ABS coming on as if I was going fast and braking hard but I'm just driving normal. I wouldn't be getting 31 mpg around town and 37 on hwy if I was racing or driving fast. Took me 6 months to get used to the steering and now it's the brakes. Plz help!!
I would suggest you go to the NHTSA website and read their report.
While they did not find an issue to to make it a safety recall they did also say that a defect may still be present that they did not/were unable at this time todetect.
Also, if I remember correctly, 2 out of 10 test drivers were able to tell the difference before and after. So, 20% of the test group without knowing the issue were able to notice it.
If you are experiencing the issue I would recommend you have the EPS replaced under TSB-1040. I did and it made a huge difference.
We have the same problem over in the Sentra forums (wobbly steering, off-center steering feel). I also had some crap replaced in my Sentra's steering system (not the EPS) with no improvement. Could you detail on TSB-1040? Is it related to Toyota only or is it some NHTSA document applicable to Nissan too?
If I was you I would not invest time into convincing terceltom about the EPS problem. Nothing will convince him that we have a problem: just read his posts allover the forums.
Sorry to hear about the Sentra but I can't think of any way, shape or form a Toyota TSB would impact Nissan. However, it is highly possible that both makers use the same 3rd party components so....that would be worth looking into. But again, TSB-1040 is toyota specific.
I suggest you and others start filing complaints w/ the NHTSA and ODI about the sentra and hope they look into it. I would encourage others on the forum board to file as well. That was how NHTSA got wind of the corolla and started their investigation. Bottom line is: If you and others do not get active in filing w/ NHTSA and their ODI and engage them nothing is really ever going to happen.
I will say this though - It was mentioned to me that another 'fix' was to pull the fuse for the EPS in the corolla. You'd lose the assist, but I was told that this also rectified the EPS wiggle. I never tried it, but it makes sense to me. I had toyota apply the TSB fix to my vehicle.
However, if anyone does pull the proper fuse they assume all responsibility and liability as I am not recommending this, but just passing along what I heard. But, perhaps a sentra owner would be willing to take the risk and see if that corrects the problem on the sentra. Hope that helps and good luck.
I just recently bought a 2010 Corolla and I love the car. Easy to park, comfortable, great mpgs, etc. However, I have a quick question regarding the steering. I don't have a problem with the EPS (I don't think) because I don't notice a need to over-correct the steering at high speeds at all with the car. However, at speeds under 15 mpg I hear the steering wheel a lot. There's no buzzing or clicking or anything. I just hear the steering wheel whirr whenever I turn it at under those speeds. I don't hear the steering wheel moving at all in my sister's '06 Civic or my mom's '10 Legacy. Is it just the electric power steering or something?
Is it a problem or normal? I don't have any problems with the EPS regarding drifting at high speeds and the need to over-correct on the highway like I was reading many others were having issues with.
I have a 2007 Corolla with the same problem. Driving in the highway is a stressful experience for I need to constantly adjust the steering to keep the car on the road(to go straight). Toyota should adress this problem else people will run away from it's products.
I have a 2011 Corolla S and it has the problem. I purchased the car in late March and it now has over 9k miles on it. I mainly drive on rural roads around 55 to 60 mph. The drifting is noticeable at times at those speeds. It is really bad if I get on the freeway and go over 70 mph. I have to pay way too much attention to just keep the car in my lane.
I rented a 2010 Corolla S a couple months ago and it did not have the problem.
I have replaced all four tires and had the front-end aligned and it made no difference. I replaced the tires because one of them was ruined due to running over a piece of metal. I didn't like the stock Bridgestone Turanza EL400 II tires at all, so I didn't want to buy one replacement for $187. Instead I bought four Michelin Primacy MXV tires. It handles a little better with the Michelins, but still wanders I have an appointment at the dealer on Saturday due to the problem and the 10k maintenance. I'd sell the car if I could do that without losing too much money.
I also own a 2005 Mazda RX-8 which also has EPS and it has no problems at any speed.
Just bought a new 2011 Toyota corolla and have the same problem and NHTSA says there has not been anyone other than myself that has complained about this problem. The car road walks above 70 MPH
That's because they are using the same EPS set-up from both the '09 and '10 models. It didn't change on the '11.
You may want to grab the TSB and see what the dealer can do. May have to press the dealer to get them to confirm it is the same EPS set-up on the '11 as previous models. But, it is. Otherwise you did the right thing by reporting it.
I have driven a 2010, and it felt great to me - no issues. I was aware of the potential issues from reading here and other internet sites, but no problem on the 2010 - drove very nice on the highway and city. I remember reading that they did replace the computer for the EPS on some of the 2009 and early 2010s. Should not be a problem on a 2011. How is the tire pressure?
I just bought 2011 S I test drove it on friday and I felt pulling to right then left I thought it was a windy day. I went back saturday december 3 to buy the car My husband drove the car saturday home and said this car has a steering problem. I have 50 miles on my car. I am looking up what is wrong with the steering and find out they had this problem since 2009. I am scared to drive my new 2011 car I am going to dealer Monday december 5 2011
The dealer will tell you there's nothing wrong with your car. That you have to get used to it. BS. I'm still have problems with my 2009. And tercel will tell you the same thing that there is nothing wrong with the EPS.
But, you may want to review the TSB. It contains a checklist of what the dealer is supposed to do to correct the problem.
If you have an '11 model then I'd report it to the NHTSA so they can at least keep track of it. Remember - they did not find a safety issue for the '09 and '10's so a recall isn't going to happen. However, toyota did re-tune the EPS module and is replacing the EPS under the above TSB for those that are having issues.
I had to take it from one dealer that didn't think it was an issue to another dealer that said no problem we will take the warranty/TSB work and did it without having to hassle with it. So, if one dealer is giving you a headache take it to another one IMO. They did take my car for a few days to go over it and then called and said - yes, it is doing it (after going thru the TSB checklist) and we will order the module for you. They are not going to have it in stock. Had my car back in 3 days and made a world of difference IMO.
I have seen nothing that says toyota used a 'new' EPS for the '11. I believe it is the same as the '09 and '10. In fact, when I called the NHTSA and talked to an engineer about it he said (at the time and this was months ago) that toyota would be using the same EPS module in the '11 models so.......
If you go onto the NHTSA safecar.gov site you can search for the documents and see the back and forth between the NHTSA and toyota. It is all public record. From there you can find names and numbers of the NHTSA people. It's not hard just gotta know where to look. Hope it helps.
I just wanted everyone who has had this problem that the tsb fix does work. I bought a used 2010 Corolla S for my daughter and it was so dangerous to drive that I contemplated getting rid of it after having it only a few weeks. I called the Toyota Dealer in Traverse City Michigan and they put in the new computer module without any hassles. The service manager had never heard of this problem but inspite of that he looked up the TSB and completed it without any complaints. It now drives normally. I can drive down the road with one hand without constantly swerving right and left even at 70mph. So if you are wondering if the TSB works. Yes it does. Just take it to a good dealer.
I have a 2011 Toyota Corolla and find the steering difficult to keep on center. The car seems to drift all over the place, especially with wind. IT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE DRIVING ON A BOWLING BALL.
A couple of weeks ago I got the lead tech at Toyota, who adjusted the alignment to have a little more toe (within tolerances). The car was set at ABSOLUTE ALIGNMENT??? This adjustment made driving the vehicle much more bearable, but NOT PERFECT. He also made my complaint known to Toyota to see if any adjustment were available.
I hope this information can help people feel a somewhat safer while driving
I just bought a 2013 Toyota Corolla S 3 days ago. I went on a 2 hour road trip and found out what power assisted steering is when going 80 miles per an hour. At 60-80 miles per an hour, I do not like how the steering becomes firm and hard to make minor degree changes. It's like not having power steering with further resistance.
Is there anything I can do to not have the power steering firm and resistant at high speeds? Is there an adjustment that can be made? Would I of had this issue if I bought a 2012 Camry? It creates great fatigue when driving on the highway.
Took delivery of a new 2013 Corolla S. I can barely keep the car centered in a lane at highway speeds. Tires at specified 32F/32R Will contact Toyota regarding TSB 014010
Toyota has researched this problem and has determined that it is the "tuning" of the electronic control is to blame. If you go to the dealer, they have circuit boards with changed parameters to fix this issue. There actually is a test done by Toyota that shows some people are more affected by the steering than others. Note that you must specifically request this fix as it has not been issued as a recall notice!
I have a 2014 Corolla S (which I keep in attached garage) with EPS and my steering wheel started to be stiff when I turned on the car and then loosen-up very shortly after. I few weeks of this and then my battery went out. replaced battery and steering wheel issue went away.
I rented a 2015 Kia Rio Sedan with EPS last weekend because my 2012 Corolla was involved in a fender bender.The steering feel in that Kia was tight and responsive compare to my Corolla. Obviously something need to be done here.
Comments
One positive with this system is it is much cheaper and easier to replace then a traditional rack. To be honest, I don't mind trading some ease of steering for better gas mileage.
The bottom line is this, most compact cars are trying to become as fuel efficient as possible. With this system there is no power steering pump running off of a serpentine belt. It's just an electric motor bolted to the steering column that assists in your steering. This puts less drag on the engine allowing better gas mileage. If you want I quality steering system you're gonna have to pony up some more $$$$ because just about all of these compacts are switching to this EPS system. Oh, and of course these are cheaper for Toyota to install on a car than a traditional rack system.
I had to rent a Chevy Aveo, and after driving it, The Corolla steering was like driving a Lexus or MB, compared to Aveo's steering.....:)
I would start by getting the wheel alignment checked.
http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1060392_nhtsa-clears-toyota-corolla-on-stee- ring-issues
While they did not find an issue to to make it a safety recall they did also say that a defect may still be present that they did not/were unable at this time todetect.
Also, if I remember correctly, 2 out of 10 test drivers were able to tell the difference before and after. So, 20% of the test group without knowing the issue were able to notice it.
If you are experiencing the issue I would recommend you have the EPS replaced under TSB-1040. I did and it made a huge difference.
We have the same problem over in the Sentra forums (wobbly steering, off-center steering feel). I also had some crap replaced in my Sentra's steering system (not the EPS) with no improvement.
Could you detail on TSB-1040? Is it related to Toyota only or is it some NHTSA document applicable to Nissan too?
If I was you I would not invest time into convincing terceltom about the EPS problem. Nothing will convince him that we have a problem: just read his posts allover the forums.
Thanks
Here is a link to the TSB-
http://www.toyotapart.com/Steering_Off_Center_Feel_TSB014010.pdf
Sorry to hear about the Sentra but I can't think of any way, shape or form a Toyota TSB would impact Nissan. However, it is highly possible that both makers use the same 3rd party components so....that would be worth looking into. But again, TSB-1040 is toyota specific.
I suggest you and others start filing complaints w/ the NHTSA and ODI about the sentra and hope they look into it. I would encourage others on the forum board to file as well. That was how NHTSA got wind of the corolla and started their investigation. Bottom line is: If you and others do not get active in filing w/ NHTSA and their ODI and engage them nothing is really ever going to happen.
I will say this though - It was mentioned to me that another 'fix' was to pull the fuse for the EPS in the corolla. You'd lose the assist, but I was told that this also rectified the EPS wiggle. I never tried it, but it makes sense to me. I had toyota apply the TSB fix to my vehicle.
However, if anyone does pull the proper fuse they assume all responsibility and liability as I am not recommending this, but just passing along what I heard. But, perhaps a sentra owner would be willing to take the risk and see if that corrects the problem on the sentra. Hope that helps and good luck.
I rented a 2010 Corolla S a couple months ago and it did not have the problem.
I have replaced all four tires and had the front-end aligned and it made no difference. I replaced the tires because one of them was ruined due to running over a piece of metal. I didn't like the stock Bridgestone Turanza EL400 II tires at all, so I didn't want to buy one replacement for $187. Instead I bought four Michelin Primacy MXV tires. It handles a little better with the Michelins, but still wanders I have an appointment at the dealer on Saturday due to the problem and the 10k maintenance. I'd sell the car if I could do that without losing too much money.
I also own a 2005 Mazda RX-8 which also has EPS and it has no problems at any speed.
You may want to grab the TSB and see what the dealer can do. May have to press the dealer to get them to confirm it is the same EPS set-up on the '11 as previous models. But, it is. Otherwise you did the right thing by reporting it.
link-
http://www.toyotapart.com/Steering_Off_Center_Feel_TSB014010.pdf
here's the link again-
http://www.toyotapart.com/Steering_Off_Center_Feel_TSB014010.pdf
But, you may want to review the TSB. It contains a checklist of what the dealer is supposed to do to correct the problem.
If you have an '11 model then I'd report it to the NHTSA so they can at least keep track of it. Remember - they did not find a safety issue for the '09 and '10's so a recall isn't going to happen. However, toyota did re-tune the EPS module and is replacing the EPS under the above TSB for those that are having issues.
I had to take it from one dealer that didn't think it was an issue to another dealer that said no problem we will take the warranty/TSB work and did it without having to hassle with it. So, if one dealer is giving you a headache take it to another one IMO. They did take my car for a few days to go over it and then called and said - yes, it is doing it (after going thru the TSB checklist) and we will order the module for you. They are not going to have it in stock. Had my car back in 3 days and made a world of difference IMO.
I have seen nothing that says toyota used a 'new' EPS for the '11. I believe it is the same as the '09 and '10. In fact, when I called the NHTSA and talked to an engineer about it he said (at the time and this was months ago) that toyota would be using the same EPS module in the '11 models so.......
If you go onto the NHTSA safecar.gov site you can search for the documents and see the back and forth between the NHTSA and toyota. It is all public record. From there you can find names and numbers of the NHTSA people. It's not hard just gotta know where to look. Hope it helps.
So if you are wondering if the TSB works. Yes it does. Just take it to a good dealer.
A couple of weeks ago I got the lead tech at Toyota, who adjusted the alignment to have a little more toe (within tolerances). The car was set at ABSOLUTE ALIGNMENT??? This adjustment made driving the vehicle much more bearable, but NOT PERFECT. He also made my complaint known to Toyota to see if any adjustment were available.
I hope this information can help people feel a somewhat safer while driving
Is there anything I can do to not have the power steering firm and resistant at high speeds? Is there an adjustment that can be made? Would I of had this issue if I bought a 2012 Camry? It creates great fatigue when driving on the highway.
I can barely keep the car centered in a lane at highway speeds.
Tires at specified 32F/32R
Will contact Toyota regarding TSB 014010