Be careful, not only does a Toyota accelerate on its own, it also steers itself at will. About 80 complaints have been filed to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concerning the steering on 2009 and 2010 Toyota Corollas. Drivers claim the vehicle will stagger between lanes on its own.

 

Possible causes? Maybe "electric" has something to do with it, since the steering is electronically controlled. Usually, steering is handled with a metal shaft, a gearbox that transfers your steering input, and hydraulic power assist to make it easier to turn the car. With electric power steering, I wouldn't trust the software as far as I could throw it, and software isn't physical material in the first place.

 

Last year, 874,000 Corollas were sold in the U.S, deeming it the second-best selling car of 2009. Now, with steering problems, and all the other Toyota recalls, its not looking too bright for this years sales. The Corolla has already been recalled for the accelerator problem, and its sales were halted until a solution were found.

 

Of the 83 complaints about the Corolla's steering, 76 noted that the vehicle would sometimes turn left or right above 40 miles per hour. Sliding on black ice, being pushed around by winds on the highway, and hydroplaning are some of the conditions that this steering problem has been compared to.

 

"If you take your eye off the road for a second, the car will drift into another lane," stated a driver. Others say it was a horrifying experience.

 

theCD's take: Maybe Toyota's cars are learning to head for the ditch, since the companies sales have tanked by a considerable amount already.

 

Source:  USA Today