RoadVitals

2014 Chevrolet Sonic Steering Problems

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.
13
Latest Apr 30, 2026
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.
9%
of 149 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.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

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 2014 Chevrolet Sonic submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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 Apr 30, 2026

Power steering light came on while Driving and lost power steering assist control. Almost crashed while turning down the street.

NHTSA ID
11734965
Incident
Apr 19, 2026
Steering
Filed May 31, 2022

The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized and the vehicle then stalled. The contact pulled over at a gas station and parked the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.

NHTSA ID
11466713
Incident
May 31, 2022
Mileage
67,000 mi
Steering
Filed Apr 17, 2022

THE RELEASE BUTTON FOR THE GEAR SELECTOR FOR PARK THRU REVERSE ON THE CENTER CONSOLE BROKE APART INCLUDING A SPRING THAT IS A PART OF THE DESIGN UNDER NORMAL USE. THIS RENDERS THE CAR TO FAIL IN NUMEROUS UNPREDICTABLE/UNSAFE WAYS e.g. KEY IS STUCK AND CAN'T BE REMOVED/UNABLE TO MOVE GEAR SELECTOR/STUCK IN A CERTAIN GEAR INCLUDING NEUTRAL (POSSIBLE ROLL AWAY). ON THE INTERNET THIS IS REPORTED AS A PREVALENT DEFECT WITH THIS CHEVY CAR AND A $300 DEALER REPAIR. LOOKS AS IF YOU CHECKED WITH OWNERS OF THIS CAR THEY WOULD ALL REPORT THIS FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
11461051
Incident
Apr 11, 2022
Body & structureSteering
Filed Dec 8, 2020
Crash reported

THE BUTTON ON MY GEAR SHIFTER WAS STUCK FOR A FEW MONTHS AND THEN IT BROKE RESULTING IN ME CRASHING INTO A PARKED CAR BECAUSE I LOST CONTROL.

NHTSA ID
11378427
Incident
Dec 3, 2020
Mileage
90,000 mi
ElectricalFuel systemSteering
Filed Apr 16, 2019

A FEW YEARS AGO MY POWER STEERING WENT ON. IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET REPLACED RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN. CURRENTLY MY AC IS BROKEN AND I'VE SPENT A GOOD BIT OF MONEY TRYING TO FIX IT; YET IT STILL DOESN'T WORK. NOW MY CAR WON'T START. I'VE RELPALCED THE BATTERY A COUPLE YEARS AGO BECAUSE MY CAR KEPT DYING. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAN NEW AND IT HAD CAUSED ME NOTHING BUT FINANCIAL ISSUES. I TRIED CONTACTING CHEVY ABOUT HIS CAR A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. EXPLAINING THAT THESE ARE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF MY CAR IT'S NOT LIKE I'M COMPLAINING ABOUT CHANGING MY TIRES OR NEW BRAKES YOU NOW NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES WITH A NEW CAR. I KNOW IT'S 5 YEAS OLD NOW BUT THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS I STILL OWE $3800 ON MY CAR AND HAVE DEALT WITH DUMPING MONEY INTO A VEHICLE THAT SHOULDN'T OF HAD ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS IN THE FIRST PLACE. THIS HAS CAUSED UNESSASACRY STRESS IN MY LIFE. ALSO TWO OF MY WINDOWS DON'T WORK. SO MY AC IS BROKE AND I CAN'T EVEN ROLL DOWN TWO WINDOWS IT'S A DEATH SENTENCE. I'VE HAD A HEAT STROKE IN MY CAR BECAUSE OF IT. LEGITIMATELY SCARED ME.

NHTSA ID
11196751
Incident
Mar 20, 2015
Mileage
50,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jul 28, 2018

SHIFTER BUTTON STICKS AND CAN'T PULL KEY OUT OF IGNITION....JUST BOUGHT THIS SMH

NHTSA ID
11114339
Incident
Jul 28, 2018
Mileage
105,041 mi
Steering
Filed Apr 19, 2018

WHEN I CUT MY CAR OFF THE KEY WILL NOT COME OUT. IT TAKES A GOOD BIT OF MESSING WITH IT FOR IT TO COME OUT. I HAVE PUT CAR LUBE ON IT AND IT DIDN'T WORK. IT HAS BEEN GOING ON NOW FOR OVER A MONTH.

NHTSA ID
11089037
Incident
Mar 3, 2018
ElectricalSteering
Filed Mar 28, 2018

STEERING ISSUES: WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THEY HAD TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BECAUSE CAR WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING THE DAY AFTER I BROUGHT IT HOME FROM THE DEALER. THIS PROBLEM IS WITH MY STEERING. WHICH HAPPENED AFTER THEY SERVICE MY CARS AIRBAG IN MY STEERING WHEEL. IT WAS FIXED TWICE, AND NOW IT'S A PROBLEM AGAIN. I SHOULDN'T BE ON THE HOOK FOR PAYING FOR THIS.

NHTSA ID
11081794
Incident
Mar 19, 2018
AirbagsDriver assistanceSteering
Filed Mar 21, 2018
Crash reported

WENT TO PASS AN EIGHTEEN WHEELER ON AN INTERSTATE AND AS I ACCELLERATED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FISHTAIL, WHEN I RAN OVER A BUMPY PART IN THE ROAD DUE TO A BRIDGE THAT FELL , I LOST ALL STABILITY CONTROL AND CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. WE SLAMMED INTO THE CAB OF THE RITE ENTRANCE WHEELER ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE IN THE FRONT. NO AIR BAGS WERE RELEASED. WHEN WE HIT THE EITEEN WHEELER IT PUSHED OUR CAR TOWARDS THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE WIRE RAILING, THE BACK OF OUR VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HIT THE TRAILER. NO AIR BAGS RELEASED. WE THEN GRINNED ACROSS THE WIRE RAILING AND RAN OVER A FEW CONES ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. ON ALL THREE IMPACTS, NO AIR BAGS WERE RELEASED.

NHTSA ID
11080642
Incident
Feb 25, 2018
Mileage
55,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngineSteering
Filed Apr 26, 2017

TWICE IN ONE MONTH THE CAR ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING. POWER STEERING WAS ALSO LOST. MILEAGE APPROX. 31,000. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AFTER PUTTING IT IN PARK. THE FIRST TIME, I WAS TURNING, PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, SO I WAS ABLE TO DRIFT INTO A PARKING SPOT SAFELY. SECOND TIME I WAS IN SMALL TOWN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND STEPPED ON THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENED, SO I PUT IT IN PARK AND RESTARTED IT AND IT SEEMED FINE AFTER THAT. TOOK IT TO DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT IT, THEY DID NOTHING AS THE CAR WAS NOT THROWING ANY CODES AND NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ON. SECOND GARAGE I WENT TO ALSO COULD NOT FIND AN ISSUE SO THEY DID NOTHING. TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND THE CAR STALLED ON THEM AS THEY WERE PARKING IT, RIGHT AFTER I HAD DROPPED IT OFF. THEY KEPT IT FOR ALMOST A WEEK AND DROVE IT 61 MILES AND COULD NOT RECREATE THE STALLING. THEY CHECKED THE CAR THOROUGHLY AND NOTHING APPEARED TO BE WRONG WITH IT. THEY CHECKED ALL RECALLS AND BULLETINS, NOTHING MENTIONED IN THOSE. THE CAR WOULD ALSO "BOUNCE" UP AND DOWN WHEN I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. THAT WAS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY ONCE THE ENGINE TROUBLES STARTED. I GOT MY CAR BACK LAST NIGHT FROM THE OTHER DEALER AND DIDN'T NOTICE ANY "BOUNCING" SO MAYBE THEY FIXED SOMETHING WHEN THEY WERE CHECKING THE CAR, HOWEVER THE INVOICE STATED ALL THEY DID WAS A 27-POINT INSPECTION AND ALIGNMENT CHECK. NO CHARGE TO ME AS CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT WARRANTY RUNS OUT IN 5 MONTHS.

NHTSA ID
10980845
Incident
Mar 1, 2017
Mileage
31,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalSteering
Filed Aug 24, 2015

IT STARTED EARLIER WHEN I WENT INTO THE STORE. BEFORE I COULD MAKE IT BACK TO THE CAR TO TURN THE CAR ON OR EVEN UNLOCK THE DOORS WITH MY KEYS THE CAR WAS PLAYING MUSIC AND THE LIGHTS WHERE FLASHING ON AND OFF. I ACTUALLY KNEW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND THE CAR RETURNED BACK TO NORMAL. LATE ON TODAY I PARKED MY CAR TURNED THE WHEELS TOWARDS THE SIDEWALK BECAUSE THE CAR WAS ON A HILL GOING DOWNWARDS. I GOT OUT THE CAR LOCKED ALL OF THE DOORS WENT INTO THE COMMUNITY CENTER WHERE I REMAINED FOR ABOUT AN 1HR CAME OUT UNLOCKED THE CAR DOORS GET IN THE CAR WHERE THE RADIO AUTOMATICALLY COME ON THE LIGHTS IN THE CAR STARTED FLASHING ON AND OFF. THAT'S WAS PRETTY WEIRD I PUT THE CAR IN THE IGNITION AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN NOR WOULD THE STEERING COLUMN MOVE. I COULDN'T EVEN TURN THE WHEEL I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR CHEVY AND I WAS ADVISED THAT THEY NEEDED TO TOW MY CAR TO THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP

NHTSA ID
10759006
Incident
Aug 24, 2015
Mileage
14,326 mi
AirbagsSteering
Filed Apr 1, 2015
Crash reported2 injuries reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN MULTIPLE TIMES TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THREE MONTHS LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE REAR DRIVER SIDE PASSENGER DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES, BUT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.

NHTSA ID
10703066
Incident
Dec 6, 2014
Mileage
200 mi
BrakesSteering
Filed Feb 5, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET SONIC. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH. IN ADDITION, THE WHILE VEERING TO THE RIGHT, THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY VEERED TO THE LEFT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300. UPDATED 03/24/15*LJ UPDATED 12/09/15.*JB UPDATED 9/20/2017*CN

NHTSA ID
10681399
Incident
Mar 19, 2014
Mileage
4,200 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.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .