There are 15 owner-reported steering complaints for the 1998 Toyota Corollain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY SEIZED AND THE DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SPEED INDEPENDENTLY INCREASED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A SECOND VEHICLE. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. UPDATED 8/21/15*CN UPDATED 12/4/2015*JS
WHILE DRIVING HER 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA WITH APPROXIMATELY 75,000 MILES ON IT, MY MOTHER EXPERIENCED STEERING PROBLEMS WITH HER CAR AND BEFORE SHE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STOP THE VEHICLE IT DROVE OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A TREE. SHE SAID THE CAR JERKED QUICKLY TO THE RIGHT THEN LEFT THEN RIGHT AGAIN BEFORE IT HIT THE TREE AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HER TO CONTROL IT. THE CAR WAS TOWED AND SCRAPPED BEFORE ANY FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE CAR'S ERRATIC BEHAVIOR COULD BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND REPLACED. THE CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND DRIVEN FREQUENTLY AND DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE ANY STEERING PROBLEMS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY VEERED TO THE LEFT, AS IF IT WERE SLIPPING ON ICE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A MEDIAN AFTER MOVING ACROSS FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC AND WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER A BACK, LEFT WRIST, HAND, BRUISES AND A CONCUSSION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT TO THE LEFT FROM TIME TO TIME. SHE HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER TO-DATE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 85,000.
WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS THE LEFT CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINEDTHAT THE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED WITHIN 15,000 MILES. THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
HAD TO REPLACE POWER STEERING PRESSURE LINE AND RACK AND PINION THANKS TO DEFECTIVE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT.*AK
ON AUGUST 26, 1999 OUTER TIE ROD NEEDED REPLACEMENT, AND LEFT CAM BOLT ALSO NEEDED REPLACMENT.DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
POWER STEERING PUMP ASSEMBLY FAILED. MJS
POWER STEERING UNIT FAILED. *YC
CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. WHENEVER CONSUMER MANEUVERS THE STEERING WHEEL, IT MAKES A VERY LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE DEALER COULDN'T FIND A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
POWER STEERING FAILED. YH
TRANSMISSION AND DOOR PROBLEM FIXED, STEERING WHEEL STILL NOISY (I GIVE UP). *AK
STEERING HOUSING COVER CRACKED/MAKES NOISE. (QCAW)
HIGH SPEEDS CAR HARD TO CONTROL, CORNERS HORRIBLY,PITCHING MOTION OVER BUMPS, CRUNCHING NOISE ON UNEVEN PAVEMENT
BUZZES, BEEPS, AND SECURITY SYSTEM ARE UNNECESSARILY LOUD.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026