FaultScore

1998 Toyota Corolla steering problems

18 of the 278 complaints about the 1998 Toyota Corolla are about the steering — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 75,000 miles.

D

18

Complaints

3

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Steering 5 27.8%
Hydraulic Power Assist System 3 16.7%
Steering Wheel/Handle BAR 3 16.7%
TIE ROD Assembly 3 16.7%
Rack AND Pinion 2 11.1%
Pump 1 5.6%
Anti-Theft Device 1 5.6%

Steering across every Toyota Corolla year

1994 10 0.9%
1998 18 1.6%
2000 11 1.0%
2004 13 1.2%
2005 22 2.0%
2006 22 2.0%
2007 43 3.9%
2008 12 1.1%
2009 384 34.8%
2010 371 33.6%
2011 44 4.0%
2012 19 1.7%
2013 39 3.5%
2014 18 1.6%
2015 15 1.4%
2016 22 2.0%
2017 13 1.2%
2023 16 1.5%
2024 11 1.0%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 62,000 miles Burlington, MA Crash

STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY SEIZED AND THE DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SPEED INDEPENDENTLY INCREASED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A SECOND VEHICLE. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. UPDATED 8/21/15*CN UPDATED 12/4/2015

NHTSA complaint #10713050 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 75,000 miles Eastpointe, MI Crash

STEERING

WHILE DRIVING HER 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA WITH APPROXIMATELY 75,000 MILES ON IT, MY MOTHER EXPERIENCED STEERING PROBLEMS WITH HER CAR AND BEFORE SHE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STOP THE VEHICLE IT DROVE OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A TREE. SHE SAID THE CAR JERKED QUICKLY TO THE RIGHT THEN LEFT THEN RIGHT AGAIN BEFORE IT HIT THE TREE AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HER TO CONTROL IT. THE CAR WAS TOWED AND SCRAPPED BEFORE ANY FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE CAR'S ERRATIC BEHAVIOR COULD BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND REPLACED. THE CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND DRIVEN FREQUENTLY AND DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE ANY STEERING PROBLEMS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10317509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 85,000 miles RED Bank, NJ Crash 1 injured

STEERING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY VEERED TO THE LEFT, AS IF IT WERE SLIPPING ON ICE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A MEDIAN AFTER MOVING ACROSS FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC AND WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER A BACK, LEFT WRIST, HAND, BRUISES AND A CONCUSSION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT TO THE LEFT FROM TIME TO TIME. SHE HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER TO-DATE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 85,000.

NHTSA complaint #10311229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 84,000 miles Saint Paul, MN

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS THE LEFT CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINEDTHAT THE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10061215 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 36,250 miles NEW Rochelle, NY

STEERING:RACK AND PINION

RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED WITHIN 15,000 MILES. THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

NHTSA complaint #10048084 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Orleans, LA

STEERING:RACK AND PINION

HAD TO REPLACE POWER STEERING PRESSURE LINE AND RACK AND PINION THANKS TO DEFECTIVE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT.

NHTSA complaint #757877 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Orleans, LA

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

HAD TO REPLACE POWER STEERING PRESSURE LINE AND RACK AND PINION THANKS TO DEFECTIVE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT.

NHTSA complaint #757877 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Denton, TX

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

TIE ROD FAILED. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #558526 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tempo City, CA

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

ON AUGUST 26, 1999 OUTER TIE ROD NEEDED REPLACEMENT, AND LEFT CAM BOLT ALSO NEEDED REPLACMENT.DEALER NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #855669 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Santa Moni, CA

STEERING

STEERING IS NOISY. NLM

NHTSA complaint #606428 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lafayette, IN

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

TRANSMISSION AND DOOR PROBLEM FIXED, STEERING WHEEL STILL NOISY (I GIVE UP).

NHTSA complaint #713611 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Laurel, MD

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

HIGH SPEEDS CAR HARD TO CONTROL, CORNERS HORRIBLY,PITCHING MOTION OVER BUMPS, CRUNCHING NOISE ON UNEVEN PAVEMENT

NHTSA complaint #712862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Monterey P, CA

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

POWER STEERING FAILED. YH

NHTSA complaint #607402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Palm Springs, CA

STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE

BUZZES, BEEPS, AND SECURITY SYSTEM ARE UNNECESSARILY LOUD.

NHTSA complaint #609140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Arcadia, CA

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

POWER STEERING UNIT FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #607100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Claremont, CA

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

POWER STEERING PUMP ASSEMBLY FAILED. MJS

NHTSA complaint #608150 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Santa Anna, CA

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. WHENEVER CONSUMER MANEUVERS THE STEERING WHEEL, IT MAKES A VERY LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE DEALER COULDN'T FIND A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #829877 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Edgewater, NJ

STEERING

STEERING HOUSING COVER CRACKED/MAKES NOISE. (QCAW)

NHTSA complaint #540943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1998 Toyota Corolla problems

← Full 1998 Toyota Corolla report