I have a 2010 Toyota Corolla, I bought it from a guy about 1 month ago. a couple days ago I noticed the steering was a little stiffer than usual. I thought nothing of it because it was only minor. This morning the steering became really stiff and noticeable. It’s still driveable but nowhere near as light as it used to be. I’ve read online on what the problem might be. Bad/corrosive battery, bad relays. What should I do?
That car has electric power steering. Load test your battery and alternator, check that cables and battery terminal clamps are OK as well as grounds. Check any fuses and relays used in the power steering system. You might also see if there are any relevant recalls or TSBs issued for your car. Other than that you're going to need a professional-grade scan tool for troubleshooting that system.
Note that steering problems are common on that model.
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/Corolla/2010/
