2012 Toyota Camry Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN STEERING ERRATICALLY AND PULLING TO THE LEFT PRIMARILY. IT FEELS AS THOUGH THE WIND IS BUFFETING THE VEHICLE AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN A STEADY COURSE. WHEN FAMILY HAVE DRIVEN BEHIND ME IT HAS BEEN NOTED THAT THE VEHICLE IS ALL OVER THE ROAD. I WAS TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CHECKED OUT THIS WEEK BUT I HAD AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR PULLED TO THE LEFT AND I STRUCK AN ONCOMING VEHICLE.THE DAY WAS CLOUDY BUT DRY. THERE WERE NO EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES. BOTH CARS WERE TOTALED. I STRUCK THE VEHICLE LEFT HEAD LIGHT TO MY LEFT HEAD LIGHT. THE OTHER DRIVER AND I WERE BOTH HOSPITALIZED FOR INJURIES. WE ARE FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE BEEN KILLED. I RECEIVED A TICKET FOR FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE AND WILL GO TO COURT IN JUNE.THIS IS A DANGEROUS VEHICLE AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING DONE BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. *TR

THIS IS THE 5TH CAMRY WE HAVE OWNED SINCE 1994 AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH EVERY ONE EXCEPT THIS ONE. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE DRIVING THIS CAR ON THE ROAD, BUT ESPECIALLY IN MINNESOTA WINTER DRIVING. MY FIRST IMPRESSION WAS THE FEELING OF DRIVING A REAR WHEEL DRIVE CAR ON ICE. THE CAR SQUIRMS LIKE IT IS ABOUT TO LOOSE CONTROL AND GO INTO A SPIN, OR LIKE THE REAR OF THE CAR WANTS TO MOVE SIDEWAYS. I AM A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER 59 YEARS OLD AND CONSIDER MYSELF AN EXCELLENT DRIVER IN ALL CONDITIONS AND HAVE BEEN DRIVING IN MINNESOTA WINTERS ALL MY LIFE. THIS CONDITION IS ALSO VERY NOTICEABLE ON DRY ROADS BECAUSE THE CAR NEEDS CONSTANT STEERING CORRECTIONS BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE IT WANDERS SIDE TO SIDE. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER, SUGGESTING TO THEM THAT THE ALIGNMENT MAY BE OFF. THEY CHECKED AND SAID IT WAS O.K. I WILL BE SELLING THIS CAR SOON IF I DO NOT GET THIS RESOLVED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL PULLED TO THE LEFT AND THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE SUSTAINED A CUT ON HIS LEG CAUSING IT TO BECOME INFECTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OTHER DRIVER SUSTAINED CUTS AND BRUISES TO HER ARMS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ACCIDENT AND THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE CAR CONSTANTLY WANDERS TO THE LEFT AND/OR RIGHT REQUIRING CONSTANT STEERING CORRECTIONS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE CAR DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE AT SPEED. INITIALLY I THOUGHT IT THE CAUSE WAS CROSS-WINDS BUT THE PROBLEM HAPPENS ALL THE TIME EVEN ON CALM DAYS WITH NO WIND. I HAVE ALSO DISCARDED ROAD SURFACE IMPERFECTIONS/ANGLE AS THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHILE DRIVING ON DIFFERENT ROADS. IT TAKES A LOT OF CONCENTRATION AND CONSTANT MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM CROSSING INTO ADJACENT LANES. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. THANKS. *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING 30 MPH, MY POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT WENT ON AND MY POWER STEERING FAILED. THANKFULLY THERE WAS NO ONE BEHIND ME SO I STOPPED MY CAR AND RESTARTED IT AGAIN. I WAS ABLE TO TURN RIGHT ONTO A SIDE STREET AND THEN IMMEDIATELY IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE AND PARKED MY CAR. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES, I STOPPED THE CAR AND STARTED IT AGAIN AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT BACK HOME (LESS THAN A MILE) WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE VERY RESPONSIVE TO MY CONCERN ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH WITH MY 4-YEAR OLD CHILD IN THE CAR. AFTER I DROPPED OFF MY CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY RAN AN INSPECTION AND FOUND A CODE C1554 POWER SUPPLY RELAY FAILURE AND REPLACED MY POWER STEERING ECU ASSY. ALTHOUGH I'M GLAD THIS FIX WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, I WILL ALWAYS HAVE ANXIETY ABOUT IT FAILING AGAIN ESPECIALLY SINCE I'VE READ OTHER REPORTS OF STEERING FAILURES IN 2012 TOYOTA CAMRYS. TOYOTA SAYS THAT THIS IS THE FIRST LINE OF CAMRYS WITH THEIR EPS (ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING) SYSTEM. WITH IT BEING A NEW SYSTEM FOR TOYOTA AND BASED ON THE COMPLAINTS I'VE READ ON 2012 TOYOTA CAMRY'S EPS, I URGE A MORE IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION ON THIS. *TR

BOUGHT A NEW 2012 CAMRY. FIRST TIME ON HIGHWAY NOTICED EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING DRIVING 50MPH. I WAS VERY SURPRISED ON HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO KEEP THE CAR DRIVING STRAIGHT AT HIGH SPEEDS. STEERING WHEEL IS VERY LOOSE AND ERRATIC. DRIVING NEXT TO A BIG RIG TRUCK I HAD TO FOCUS ALL MY EFFORT (MOVING MY STEERING WHEEL LEFT AND RIGHT) TO KEEP CAR CENTERED. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND THE STEERING FEELS UNSTABLE AT HIGH SPEEDS. I HOPE TOYOTA CAN UTILIZE A FIX FOR THIS ASAP. I WILL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH MY LOCAL DEALER ON MY CONCERNS. *TR

I RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS CAR AS A CERTIFIED TOYOTA USED CAR WITH 3675 MILES. AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH THE CAR CONSTANTLY WANDERS FROM RIGHT TO LEFT REQUIRING CONSTANT STEERING CORRECTION. THIS IS VERY TEDIOUS TO THE DRIVER AND CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN ATTEMPTING TO KEEP THE VEHICLE WITHIN THE DESIGNATED LANE OF TRAFFIC. ALL TIRES ARE INFLATED TO FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS AND THE CAR IS PROPERLY ALIGNED. THIS IS A NEW VEHICLE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON LINE RELATED TO THIS TOPIC AND VEHICLE. I CONTACTED BOTH A TOYOTA DEALER AND TOYOTA U.S.A. AND BOTH HAD NO RECORDS OF COMPLAINTS AND OR RECOMMENDED ACTIONS TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE. THE CAUSE OF THIS IS MOST LIKELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE EPS (ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING) WHICH TOYOTA STARTED TO INSTALL INTO THE CAMRY IN 2012. EPS HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED AS HAVING A NUMB FEELING AND IN SOME CASES WANDERING STEERING. UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS WHEN ACQUIRING THIS 2012 CAMRY. PREVIOUS TO THIS CAR I LEASED A 2011 CAMRY WHICH DID NOT HAVE EPS AND NO SUCH WANDERING STEERING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A "VERY UNSAFE" VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND ASK THAT THE NHTSA INVESTIGATE THIS COMPLAINT FURTHER. I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING THE PUBLIC TO POST SUCH ISSUES TO YOUR AGENCY.*JB

WHEN TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY ABOVE 60 MPH, THE CAR WANDERS AND IS DIFFICULT TO KEEP DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE TOYOTA DEALER CHECKED THE ALIGNMENT ONCE, AND SLIGHTLY ADJUSTED IT. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I AM HEARING MANY 2012 CAMRY OWNERS HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT, AND THEIR IS NO FIX. THIS IS DANGEROUS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE VEERED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT ALIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 761.

STEERING LACKS ON-CENTER FEEL AND THIS IS PARTICULARLY NOTICEABLE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. CAR WANDERS/DARTS LEFT AND RIGHT REQUIRING CONSTANT CORRECTIVE STEERING TO KEEP CAR ON COURSE. THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS BECAUSE EVEN MOMENTARY LACK OF ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEM CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO CHANGE DIRECTION SIGNIFICANTLY. *TR

THE CAR IS VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP IN A STRAIGHT LINE, PARTICULARLY AT 70 MPH AND WHEN DRIVING IN THE PASSING LANE ON THE OPEN HIGHWAY. I MUST CORRECT MY STEERING CONSTANTLY, TO KEEP THE CAR FROM TRYING TO GO LEFT. IF YOU LOOK AWAY FOR JUST A MOMENT, YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF BEARING LEFT WITHOUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT. MY DEALER HAS BEEN FULLY COOPERATING SO FAR, BUT THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY CORRECTION OF THE PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN TEST DRIVES WITH THEIR SERVICE PEOPLE, AND EVEN HAD THE TOYOTA FACTORY SERVICE REP DRIVE THE CAR WITH ME. HE ORDERED THE TOW IN TO BE ADJUSTED AND THE TIRES ROTATED. HAD THAT DONE A FEW DAYS AGO AND NOW THE CAR CONSTANTLY NEEDS PRESSURE ON THE WHEEL, TOWARD THE RIGHT, TO KEEP IT GOING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD. IT IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHILE YOU ARE IN THE PASSING LANE AT 70 MPH. YESTERDAY I MADE A TRIP TO A CITY ABOUT 90 MILES AWAY. COMING HOME I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE MOST OF THE TIME. I ENDED UP WITH A REALLY BAD CRAMP IN MY LEFT ARM FROM HOLDING CONSTANT RIGHT PRESSURE ON THE WHEEL FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. YOU DON'T DARE LOOK ANYWHERE BUT STRAIGHT AHEAD AS YOU MUST CONSTANTLY KEEP THE STEERING CORRECTED TO STAY IN YOUR LANE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUES AS YOUR TOTAL ATTENTION MUST BE GIVEN TO KEEPING THE CAR IN A STRAIGHT LINE. IF YOU ARE DISTRACTED, FOR EVEN A MOMENT, OR LOOK TO EITHER SIDE YOU END UP QUICKLY DRIVING OUT OF YOUR LANE. NOT A GOOD THING, PARTICULARLY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AT 70 MPH! IN THE MEAN TIME, THERE APPEAR TO BE MANY OF US OUT THERE HAVING THIS SAME DRIVE-ABILITY PROBLEM, AND THERE IS NOT YET ANY SOLUTION FROM TOYOTA THAT CAN BE APPLIED. I ENCOURAGE OTHER WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM TO KEEP PURSUING TOYOTA FOR A SOLUTION. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR FOR THEIR ELECTRIC STEERING ASSIST, AND IT REALLY DOES NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING DONE TO ALLEVIATE THIS VERY UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. *TR

MY 2012 TOYOTA CAMERY SE LIMITED EDITION WANDERS ALL OF THE TIME. THE CAR NEVER TRACKS STRAIGHT. ALSO NONE OF THE NOSE BODY LINES MATCH. I HAVE BROUGHT BACK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, TARBOX TOYOTA, RI, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS TEST DRIVEN. ALSO THAT THE CAR WAS IN SPEC. ALTHOUGH I WAS NEVER PRESENTED WITH ANY DOCUMENTED PAPERWORK. AS FOR THE BODYLINES I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WASN'T A BENTLY. THAT NONE OF THE BODYLINES ON ANY CAR MATCH. I FEEL AS THOUGH I WAS BRUSHED OFF. *TR

I AM UNABLE TO STAY IN CONTROL OF THE STEERING. IT SEEMS TO GO WHERE IT WANTS. CAR VEERS TO THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT AND I AM CONSTANTLY HAVING TO RE-ADJUST THE STEERING. PROBLEM MORE NOTICEABLE IN WINDY CONDITIONS. DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY HAVE HAD NO SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE CAMRY SE. THEY HAVE DONE 4 RE-ALIGNMENTS AND REPLACED THE TIRES AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. SEEMS REASONABLE THAT IF NOT CORRECTED, THE PROBLEM WILL ONLY GET WORSE TO THE POINT OF BEING EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IN WINTRY WEATHER. *TR

STEERING IS VAGUE AND NOT PREDICTABLE. NEVER HAD A CAR WITH ELEC. STEERING. CAR FOLLOWS ITS OWN COURSE. IT TAKES A LOT OF ATTENTIONS TO KEEP IT ON THE ROAD. I THINK ITS SOMETHING TO CHECK OUT. DID NOT GO TO THE DEALER YET. *TR DURING A TEST DRIVE AT THE DEALER, THEY DID CONFIRM THERE WAS A PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO REMEDY TO FIT IT. UPDATED 08/27/12