Hello, my 2010 Corolla has been driving normally until yesterday. Suddenly, when I started the car, the ABS, Steering, Brake and Tire Pressure lights all lit. I couldn’t shift my car out of park without having to resort to the override option. When I used the override option, I was able to back up for a little bit before the steering became even tighter.
The rest of the electric seems to be working correctly; the radio was working, all the brake lights were working.
This sounds like those times when my computer goes completely haywire. I turn it off, let it sit a few minutes, reboot, andit usually works ok.
I guess is this happened to my car, I’d disconnect the battery, let it sit for few hours, clean the battery connections, reconnect the battery, and see if that fixed it. But I don’t own this recent of a model, so there may be downsides to disconnecting the battery w/a 2010.
If that didn’t fix it, I’d suspect either something simple, like a blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker, or an ECM problem.
No, I don’t have a clue as to the source of the problem, but…
Is the car still under warranty?
If so, you need to have a Toyota dealer remedy the problem, as it is their responsibility to diagnose and fix the problem.
If the car is under warranty and you suggest a remedy to the dealer, you will be responsible for the cost of that fix if that remedy does not work.
If the car is not under warranty at this point, then perhaps someone else can hazard a guess, but…in the absence of any information regarding the presence of a Check Engine Light and the stored trouble codes related to that light, I believe that any speculation is…premature.
Is the Check Engine Light lit up?
If so, you need to have those trouble codes read, and then you can report them here, in this same thread, for further, more specific, advice.
Is the car still under one of its multiple warranties?
This could be anything from a loose gas cap to the failure of various electronic modules.
If it is still under warranty, you will not pay for diagnosis and repair–if you allow the dealer to do the diagnosis.
If it is not still under warranty, then you need to take it to the best independent (NOT a chain operation) mechanic in your area for diagnosis and repair.
Unfortunately, I was in an accident where the passenger headlight had to be replaced. I understand the warranty is nullified the second you are in an accident. I didn’t have the dealer repair it because it would be astronomically expensive, so there goes the warranty.
Yes, the engine starts. It sounds normal and doesn’t sound like anything is wrong with the engine itself.
It sounds like there’s a problem with the CAN (Contoller Area Network). The CAN allows all the computers/modules for all the systems you mention to communicate with each other.
You need to have someone connect a scanner with CAN communication capabilities to figure out what caused your dash to light up like a Christmas tree.
A warranty restriction should olny apply to the area that was damaged. Was your warranty canceled by Toyota?
If the car starts and drives and the only problem is with the steering I think you have a problem with the electric power steering system. You’ll have to get the system checked for fault codes.
From this discussion, I assume it is best to take it into the dealer and ask them to make a diagnosis…?
I called my original mechanic who fixed my vehicle. He said that the portion of the car that he fixed included connections to the ABS system, so that worries me. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a lot of experience dealing with this particular problem, so it will be a lot of guess work on his end to diagnose and fix the issue.
He recommends NOT taking it to the dealership since they will likely try to upsell, etc. But at this point, it seems like there is no other choice.
Are there any questions I should be asking the assigned mechanic at the dealership? I don’t want to be disrespectful to the mechanic, but the scope of this problem really worries me. And the potential cost, of course!
You might ask your mechanic for a recommendation of an inde mechanic in your area that specializes in Toyotas. This is such a common car – probably the best seller of all American cars – there should be plenty of experienced inde mechanics who can fix this. Be sure to tell the next mechanic that you were recommended to them by the first one. That gives you some leverage.
Just tell the mechanic what is wrong. There’s no special questions you need to ask, since he’s already been recommended by someone you trust. You could briefly jot down all the symptoms on a 3x5 card and give it to him if you like. Sometimes that is helpful to the mechanic.
I’m guessing from what you have said it’s simply an electrical connector put on wrong or has worked loose somewhere this will prove easy to fix. Best of luck.
I just spoke with a mechanic and he told me to take it to the dealer first. He said it is best to try for the warranty before going to another mechanic. I will call AAA and get it flatbed towed. I will report back later in case someone else experiences this issue.
Hello! Just an update on this issue in case anyone else comes across this in the future.
Shortly after I dropped off the vehicle at the dealership, the engine light came on. However, it turned out to be an electrical short under the driver’s dash panel in the junction block assembly. The short primarily affected the power steering, which then triggered a safety response by engaging the ABS and e-brake to prevent the car from being moved.
Thankfully, this was covered under the extended warranty I purchased. Otherwise, it would have cost $345 to diagnose and an additional $200 or so to fix at the dealership.
Thanks to everyone who helped! Your comments helped me navigate conversations regarding the diagnosis and warranty coverage, so thank you!
I would have it towed to a dealer on a flatbed. The steering issue makes driving it risky business. Could you post a picture of the car after the accident? Perhaps the damage was a little more extensive than you realized and the repairs were less than perfect…
I assume the “steering” light is a power steering system warning. That being the case, all of these lights could be attributable to a left front corner accident.
You have a wheel speed sensor, a tire pressure sensor, brake components, a steering link from the rack to the steeering arm, as well as ball joints etc.
You also have transmission linkage that may have been affected, as well as a lockout circuit. The lockout circuit does not allow you to shift out of park unless the brake pedal is depressed. The sensor is at the brake pedal, the lockout mechanicals are in the tranny, but the relay is, I believe, in the relay box behind the left front fender.
I think your accident damaged more than your headlight. I suspect you camaged some left front corner mechanical components including the speed sensor, the tire pressure sensor, and perhaps a power steering link or rack and maybe even a ball joint. I also suspect you damaged the lockout relay.
A qualified shop needs to look this over carefully. Consider this unsafe to drive until you’ve had it evaluated.
Oh, and that “override” is only for emergency situations. You can do damage by using it.
