NHTSA Complaint #10311519 — 2009 TOYOTA CAMRY

THE CAR IS DIFFICULT TO STEER IN A STRAIGHT LINE AT HIGHER SPEEDS (ABOVE 50MPH). THE STEERING KEEPS PULLING TO THE LEFT EVEN WHEN THE ROAD IS BANKED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THIS HAS BEEN PRESENT SINCE NEW AND CURRENTLY CAR HAS 7000 MILES. THIS WAS POINTED OUT IN THE1000 MILE SERVICE AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS DONE BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO RECTIFY THE ISSUE. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM DOES NOT SEEM TO BE RELATED TO WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND IS PRESENT EVEN AFTER THE ALIGNMENT WORK. AT 70MPH, THE CAR IS DIFFICULT TO KEEP IN A STRAIGHT LINE USING BOTH HANDS ON THE STEERING, AND A CONSTANT CORRECTIVE EFFORT IS REQUIRED. THIS MAKES THE CAR GO IN A SLIGHT ZIG ZAG WITHIN THE LANE AND DOES NOT INSPIRE CONFIDENCE, AND NEEDLESS TO SAY SCARES OTHER TRAVELERS DRIVING IN THEIR OWN LANES. ANOTHER ISSUE IS VERY INCONSISTENT BRAKING. THIS IS A CAMRY HYBRID AND THE POINT OF SHIFT BETWEEN REGENERATIVE BRAKING AND FRICTION BRAKING IS VERY INCONSISTENT. THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING FEELS AND TO BE SLOW DOWN THE CAR AT A SLOWER PACE UNTIL FRICTION BRAKING COMES UP AND IMMEDIATELY SLOWS THE CAR DOWN. THE NET RESULT IS CAR DOES NOT SLOW DOWN AS IT SHOULD INITIALLY BUT THEN DOING SO VERY QUICKLY. THIS IS VERY EVIDENT IS SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC. PLUS, MY CAR SEEMS TO HAVE A LIGHT SCREECHING NOISE COMING FROM RIGHT BRAKE (NOT THE USUAL BRAKE NOISE). THIS HAPPENS ONLY WHEN CAR IS COLD, AND WHEN NOT BRAKING. WHEN BRAKING IT GOES AWAY. IT HAS BEEN PRESENT SINCE NEW AND TOYOTA HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE OR CORRECT IT. *TR