NHTSA Complaint #10459193 — 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA

I TEST DROVE A NEW 2012 TOYOTA COROLLA LE TODAY AND WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THAT, AT FREEWAY SPEEDS (65 MPH), THE STEERING DID NOT TRACK WELL (LIKES TO DRIFT SIDEWAYS, BUT ONLY SLIGHTLY) AND MY CONSTANT STEERING CORRECTIONS SEEMED TO JERK THE VEHICLE (AND DRIVER) SIDE TO SIDE SLIGHTLY. THE SLIGHTEST STEERING CORRECTIONS CAUSED MY BODY TO JERK SLIGHTLY WITH THE CAR (MAYBE IT'S CAUSED BY A TIGHT SUSPENSION COMBINED WITH TIGHT STEERING). THIS JERKING WAS NOT A COMFORTABLE FEELING. YOU NEED TO BE "VERY" STEADY ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO AVOID WHAT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THE CAR'S OVERCORRECTIVE STEERING. I TRIED TO BE AS STEADY AS I POSSIBLY COULD AND KEPT IT UNDER REASONABLE CONTROL AND WAS REASONABLY COMFORTABLE, BUT IN MY OPINION, THIS CAR HAS SOME STEERING "PROBLEMS" (STEERING IS TOO RESPONSIVE AND POSSIBLY OVERCORRECTS). WHEN I GOT TO A TOLL BOOTH OFF RAMP, I WAS LEANING OVER AND REACHING FOR MY WALLET WHEN I OVERCORRECTED THE STEERING AND IT SCARED ME "A LOT." THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE. AT LOWER SPEEDS THE COROLLA SEEMED TO STEER OK. I OWN A 99 BUICK AND HAVE NEVER FELT THIS JERKY/OVERCORRECTIVE STEERING. I ALSO TEST DROVE A 2012 HONDA CIVIC AND DID NOT NOTICE ANY KIND OF STEERING PROBLEM LIKE THE COROLLA'S, ALTHOUGH EVEN THE CIVIC HAD FASTER STEERING RESPONSE THAN MY 99 BUICK AND I HAD TO GET USED TO IT. I AM NOT AFFILIATED WITH EITHER COMPANY AND MY COMMENTS HERE ARE FACT. ONE CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS WHEN THE ROAD IS ICY OR COVERED WITH SNOW, I WOULD WORRY THAT THE JERKING COULD BREAK THE TIRES FREE FROM A SLIPPERY SURFACE AND CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL. *TT