1996 Toyota Corolla Misalign Steering Wheel

There's two common things to consider but I'm not clear on the symptom. The common one is when you turn either way, then the steering wheel doesn't come back to centered on its own, AND the car keeps going in the direction the steering wheel is turned until you pull the wheel back to centered. That's called "memory steer".

The less-common symptom is when the car goes straight down the road after turning and letting go of the steering wheel, but the steering wheel is no longer in the same position. At first that might be the only symptom, but as the cause gets worse, something will shift even while you're driving straight and hitting normal small bumps in the road. That's called "steering wander" and makes for a really miserable car to drive.

What you described could apply to either of these conditions. Memory steer is caused by a binding upper strut mount or less often, a tight ball joint. If your steering wheel is in a different position after making a turn, it's usually because the rack and pinion steering gear is loose and is sliding back and forth on its mounts. That can be due to loose bolts or worn rubber isolators. You should hear and feel clunking associated with that too. Dangerously worn steering and suspension parts can cause a changing steering wheel position, but something would have broken long before it could get bad enough to cause the wheel to be off half a turn.

I don't know which part you're referring to. There's clamps and there's bushings in the steering system, but if any of those are worn, you should have additional symptoms including clunks or rattles.

What you might try is parking with one tire next to a curb so it can't turn, then, preferably with the engine running, try to turn the steering wheel about a half turn either way. If you can turn it without seeing the tires turn at the same time, the rack and pinion steering gear has to be loose and is shifting position. You'll hear it clunking too. If that is not real bad yet, it can be real hard for the alignment mechanic to spot. What I would do then is take the car back when the steering wheel is off-center. I always took great pride in giving my customers their cars back with perfectly straight steering wheels after the alignment. That's a sign of conscientious workmanship. I was very unhappy with myself if someone came back with a crooked steering wheel, but in your case, that will prove to the mechanic that something is shifting and he needs to look closer to identify that and fix it.