NHTSA Complaint #10488775 — 2012 TOYOTA CAMRY

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