Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Mar 12, 2016
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
13%
of 64 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1
What this page shows
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming steering
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Steering
Filed Mar 12, 2016
I BOUGHT THIS USED 2013 TRUCK IN LATE NOV 2015. WHEN MAKING (USUALLY) A RIGHT TURN AT LOW SPEED, ESPECIALLY FROM A STOP LIKE ENTERING TRAFFIC FROM AN INCLINED ACCESS DRIVEWAY, OCCASIONALLY (MAYBE 3 TIMES PER MONTH) THERE IS A SUDDEN AND TOTAL FAILURE OF POWER ASSIST IN STEERING, MAKING THE TURN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND UNABLE TO KEEP FROM DRIFTING OUT OF THE INTENDED LANE OF TRAVEL. COLLISIONS WERE AVOIDED SEVERAL TIMES BY (THANKFULLY) ONCOMING TRAFFIC VEERING OUT OF THE WAY. THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL PARTICULARLY AT THIS UNEXPECTED TIME WHILE ACCELERATING TO NEGOTIATE A TRAFFIC ENTRY IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THIS ONE-TON TRUCK IS NOT LIKE A SUBCOMPACT THAT IS EASY TO TURN 90 DEGREES WITHOUT POWER STEERING, BELIEVE ME. IF MY WIFE WERE DRIVING, THE TRUCK WOULD SURELY GO COMPLETELY ACROSS ALL LANES OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. AFTER COMPLETING THE TURN, THE POWER STEERING RETURNS TO NORMAL, HOWEVER THE POWER ASSIST STEERING ON THIS 2013 TRUCK HAS ALWAYS BEEN FAR LESS EFFECTIVE THAN MY PREVIOUS IDENTICAL MODEL, BUT 8 YEARS OLDER CHEVY DIESEL ONE-TON TRUCK.
NHTSA ID
10846250
Incident
Jan 8, 2016
Mileage
78,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jul 30, 2014
WE HAVE MANY PROBLEMS WITH OUR TRUCK. I DON'T REMEMBER ALL THE DATES SO I AM STARTING WITH THE MOST RECENT AND WILL WORK BACK. ON 7/17/14 I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL OF MY TRUCK LOCKED UP ON ME AND THE TRUCK WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE. I COULD NO LONGER STEER. HAD I NOT BEEN TRYING TO MAKE A LANE CHANGE WHEN IT HAPPENED, I WOULD HAVE BEEN RAN OVER BY 2 SEMIS WHO THEN HAD TO SCRAMBLE TO AVOID HITTING ME. ONE TOOK THE TURN LANE WHILE THE OTHER ALMOST RAN A CAR OFF THE ROAD TO GET AROUND ME. EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE TRUCK WAS STILL WORKING, LIGHTS, AC, RADIO, WINDOWS, EVERYTHING, JUST NOT STEERING. ONE TIME I TURNED ON MY TRUCK AND COULD NOT SWITCH THROUGH THE GEARS SO THAT I COULD DRIVE AND THE DASH HAD NO INFORMATION ON IT (NO COMPASS, TEMP READING, MILEAGE). IT WOULD MOVE THROUGH THE GEARS BUT IT WOULDN'T DRIVE. I HAD TO TURN MY TRUCK ON AND OFF 3 TIMES BEFORE I COULD DRIVE. OUR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW NO LONGER AUTO ROLLS DOWN, OUR BUMPER IS FALLING APART AND WE HAVE NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, THE DRIVERS DOOR LEAKS WHEN IT RAINS, AND OUR DOOR LOCKS WILL OCCASIONALLY NOT DISENGAGE SO WHEN WE GO TO SHUT THE DOOR IT JUST BOUNCES OF THE LATCH. THIS HAS CAUSED ONE OF OUR DOORS TO COME OFF THE HINGES AND ALMOST FALL OFF OUR TRUCK. WE HAVE HAD ALL 4 DOOR LOCKS REPLACED AND THEY ARE STILL DOING IT. *TR
NHTSA ID
10617751
Incident
Jul 17, 2014
Mileage
19,800 mi
Steering
Filed May 17, 2014
THE PROBLEM I HAVE BEEN HAVING HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ALMOST A YEAR. THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO HAVE A "DEAD SPOT" IN IT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED 3/4 TURN TO 1 COMPLETE TURN. YOU CAN FEEL THE SLACK IN THE STEERING BOX WHEN MAKING A TURN(LEFT OR RIGHT)THE STEERING WHEEL WILL HAVE UP TO 2 1/2 INCHES OF "FREE PLAY" WHEN TURNING(THERE IS NO "FREE PLAY" WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT) IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT THE PICKUP NEW OFF OF THE LOT. I HAVE HAD IT LOOKED AT SINCE THEN AND BEEN TOLD BY GM MECHANICS THAT IT IS THE STEERING GEAR. IF YOU TIGHTEN UP THE STEERING GEAR IT WILL TAKE THE "FREE PLAY" OUT, BUT THE STEERING WILL BE MORE SENSITIVE WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. SO TIGHTENING UP THE STEERING GEAR SOLVES ONE PROBLEM BUT CAUSES PROBLEMS ELSEWHERE??? ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION(FMCSA) SECTION 393.209 STEERING WHEEL SYSTEMS. THAT(DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF STEERING WHEEL) THE STEERING WHEEL LASH SHALL NOT EXCEED 14 DEGREES ANGULAR ROTATION FOR MANUAL STEERING OR 30 DEGREES ANGULAR ROTATION FOR POWER STEERING SYSTEMS AT ANY GIVEN POSITION OF THE STEERING WHEEL. WITH RULES AND REGULATIONS LIKE THAT ON COMMERCIAL VEHICLES, HOW IS MY PERSONAL VEHICLE CONSIDERED "SAFE" WITH 2 1/2 INCHES OF "FREE PLAY" IN THE STEERING WHEEL??? *JS
NHTSA ID
10592086
Incident
Aug 8, 2013
Mileage
500 mi
Steering
Filed May 8, 2014
TRAVELING AT 55 MPH STEERING LOCKED UP AND WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. 15 MINUTES LATER DID THE SAME THING AT 45 MPH DURING BUSY TRAFFIC AND AGAIN APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER AT 45 MPH. *TR
NHTSA ID
10587178
Incident
May 8, 2014
Mileage
19,988 mi
BrakesElectricalSteering
Filed Apr 1, 2014
I WAS TRAVELING AT 55 MILES PER HOUR ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY. VEHICLE BECAME UNRESPONSIVE TO STEERING AND BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. PEDDLE HAD TO BE PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. GOT VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND TURNED OFF. ONCE RESTARTING STEERING WAS VERY TIGHT BUT FUNCTIONAL. SIMILAR INCIDENT IN 2013 RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. SEVERAL MORE STEERING ISSUES SINCE DECEMBER OF 2013. HAS BEEN TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE AND NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN FIXED. *TR
NHTSA ID
10576242
Incident
Apr 1, 2014
Mileage
17,894 mi
Steering
Filed Sep 5, 2013
Crash reported1 injury reported
TRAVELING AT ABOUT TEN MILES PER HOUR. VEHICLE BECAME UNRESPONSIVE TO ANY ATTEMPT TO STEER AND A LOUD DING NOISE PLAYED. VEHICLE STRUCK CONCRETE LIGHT POLE. HAD BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR AN HOUR AND HAD JUST CAME OFF OF THE INTERSTATE. PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND THAT IS WHEN STEERING QUIT WORKING. *JB
NHTSA ID
10542033
Incident
Sep 4, 2013
Mileage
9,744 mi
Steering
Filed Aug 6, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,289 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,500.
NHTSA ID
10533870
Incident
Feb 2, 2013
Mileage
3,289 mi
Steering
Filed Apr 22, 2013
TRAVELING 70 MPH ON FREEWAY, NATURALLY VEERING LEFT TO RIGHT WENT TO CORRECT TO THE RIGHT AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. I COULD TURN TO THE LEFT MORE BUT COULD NOT CORRECT BACK TO THE RIGHT. HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT 35 MPH NEARLY CAUSING SOMEONE TO REAR-END ME, THEN IT FINALLY BROKE LOOSE. THE ENTIRE ORDEAL LASTED APROX. 12 SECONDS BEFORE IT WAS CORRECTED. *TR
NHTSA ID
10509134
Incident
Apr 19, 2013
Mileage
5,100 mi
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own