NHTSA Complaint #10622063 — 2010 TOYOTA COROLLA

WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN OUT OF A PARKING LOT MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. I TURNED OFF THE CAR FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND WHEN I TURNED IT BACK ON EVERYTHING WAS FINE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT NO INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK THE CAR OVER TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. AT THIS POINT THE STEERING WAS FINE. THE DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME 99 DOLLARS AND DID A DIAGNOSTIC, WHICH TURNED UP NOTHING. ASSUMING THAT THE CAR WAS OK, AND THIS STEERING WHEEL LOCK WAS JUST A ONE TIME THING I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR AS NORMAL. A FEW DAYS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STILL COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THIS STEERING LOCK KEEPS HAPPENING TO ME. THE WHEEL LOCKS, I TURN OFF THE CAR, I TURN IT BACK ON AND EVERYTHING IS FINE. MY BIGGEST FEAR IS THAT THE WHEEL WILL LOCK IN A PLACE WHERE I DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND ON TO GET THE WHEEL UNLOCKED. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE I FOUND THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO SAID THE PROBLEM IS MOST LIKELY IN THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MOTOR. THE PART ALONE IS ABOUT 1400 DOLLARS. I KNOW THERE ARE SERVICE BULLETINS OUT TO DEALERS ABOUT THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS COVERED. I DON'T THINK ITS FAIR THAT I HAVE TO PAY FOR A REPAIR THAT IS TOYOTA'S FAULT. THERE ARE MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH TOYOTA'S AND FOR THAT MATTER ALMOST ALL CAR COMPANIES ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM. WHY ARE THESE SYSTEM STILL ALLOWED TO BE USED. THE ONLY ONE TO SUFFER IN THE CONSUMER. ANYWAY, MY CAR IS A 2010 TOYOTA COROLLA LE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IS THERE IS A RECALL OR A SERVICE BULLETIN TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR