Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Toyota Corolla owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I bought the car new it had always been dealer maintained the car was in excellent condition the car had been serviced two months earlier a tire rotation and oil change the car has 110K miles driving the car on a paved road at 35mph the tie rod snapped resulting in accident the garage said it looked like the tire lug nuts were put on too tight my car has been sitting at the dealership from where I bought the car I thought they should fix it because I was told it was there fault the car has been sitting there for a year the dealership won't talk to me is this something that should happen to a well maintained and well cared for car a Toyota rep looked at the car and would take no responsibility please tell me if this is normal to happen thank you [redacted]
I was backing up out of a parking space, stopped and put car in drive position, and 2006 Toyota Corolla accelerated to a high speed, engine roared. I put my foot on brake immediately, shut off engine and pulled emergency brake. Lights on dashboard were lit, and I had no power steering. Car bolted forward and hit the back of a parked truck which stopped my vehicle. My daughter was in the passenger side and experienced this horrible event. I was bringing her home from an operation on her arm. Needless to say, we were both terrified. Had car towed to the Toyota garage. The service manager said he couldn't touch the car due to protocol, and gave me the 800 # for Toyota. That was on a Monday and on Friday I had to get my own rental car as I had not heard from Toyota in regard to a rental car.
Tl contact owns a 2006 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH the vehicle suddenly accelerated and crashed into another vehicle. The contact suffered minor injuries. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal became stuck and caused the vehicle to suddenly accelerate. The failure mileage was 59,276. Updated 05/20/10. The consumer also stated the air bags failed to deploy. Updated evoq 05/27/10 the consumer stated the engine control module was replaced in 2008 due to the check engine light illuminating. Updated 06/01/10. Updated 09/29/10 the consumer also stated the steering mechanism and brake failed on the vehicle. Updated 12/06/10 updated 12/28/10.
Tl contact owns a 2006 Toyota Corolla. The contact was driving approximately 5 MPH on a road surface covered with a quarter inch of snow; and encountered a dip in the road. The vehicle began to pull uncontrollably to the left direction into an opposing travel lane, and down an embankment. There was no personal injury. The police was called to the scene in which a report was not filed due to no other involvement of another vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was completely destroyed. The contact stated the failure occurred on two separate occasions with no personal injuries. The failure mileage was 36,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Was driving when airbag light on dash came on, have checked fuses, cleaned all electrical leads and it remains on, been on six months now. Airbag recall fixed today, told dealer to look at light. Once fixed dealer said light still on because the steering spring coil in the steering column has cut something that turns the airbag light on, cost to fix $500. I said let the ligt stay on then, he said it could affect airbag, it might not deploy.
Driving on I-20 west in good weather and good road conditions, I suddenly lost control of the steering wheel and could not slow the car down, resulting in the car driving off the road and flipping over several times. The car was totaled by the insurance company.
Driver was making left hand turn on city street when vehicle suddenly accelerated and steered to the right causing the vehicle to crash into a block wall. Driver does not know why vehicle suddenly accelerated, there was no extra input on the accelerator.
I was driving on florida's turnpike nb at 70 MPH when suddenly, my steering wheel felt disconnected from the tires. The car started to fishtail, and I was unable to brake. The mechanical issue was later identified as failed a tie rod.
I have a 2006 and a 2010 Toyota Corolla. Both of them have similar handling issues, specifically a tendency to unpredictably dart to the right or the left. In other words, it is very difficult to keep the vehicle driving in a straight line (yes, even on straight roads!). I have had the alignment checked on both cars, and replaced tires. Neither of these actions has had a positive impact on the handling. This is especially dangerous on wet, snowy or slick roads. Back in October, 2009, a Toyota technician checked out my 2010 Corolla, and told me that this was a handling characteristic of corollas. He said that Toyota wanted to make the car handle quicker, so they set the camber (or caster--I forget which) at the factory so that it handles quicker in turns but it also is not as stable when driving straight. According to the technician, it can't be adjusted. …
My wife was coming back home after dropping our 3 year old daughter at the school. At a signal, while making a right turn after a red light stop, the steering wheel got stuck in the right-turned position itself. It could not be brought back to the straight position from the right-turned position. In fact, brakes also didn't work at the same time. As car was very slow (as it happened right after the stop for making the right turn at the red light signal), my wife, even though panicked, quickly hit hard at the steering wheel which released the steering wheel from stuck position. After this she was able to bring the steering wheel back to straight-wheel position and apply the brakes too. We are not sure if we'd run into this situation again so haven't driven the car since then.
Steering complaints in other Corolla years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2006 Toyota Corolla?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the steering of the 2006 Toyota Corolla, 3% of the model year's 840 complaints. The component named most often is linkages › knuckle › spindle › arm (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Toyota Corolla steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2006 Toyota Corolla, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2006 Toyota Corolla steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 59,000 miles, and 22% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 crashes, 0 fires and 10 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.