Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH and making either a left or right turn, the steering wheel failed to return to the center position. The contact stated that he manually steered the steering wheel to the center position. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where the failure could not be duplicated. The contact consulted with an independent mechanic who had previously repaired a vehicle of the same year, make and model. The mechanic informed the contact that the steering rack was likely failing and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
My vehicle for months failed to correct back to straight from right turns. Later on the vehicle started making creaking noises when turning, especially tight turns. The car started to frequently turn itself tighter in right turns, where I would have to force the wheel back to straight or even compensate left to maintain a consistent turn. My local trusted mechanic diagnosed that the steering rack/gear is failing and told me I would lose all steering control should the part fail and that it was unsafe for me to continue to drive my vehicle. I had the vehicle brought to a dealership to do the work. Through discussions with other Bolt owners, this is a common problem for Bolts and particularly the 2017s.
The steering gear is failing to return the wheels to center. When you steer into a curve and you complete the curve the steering does not return to center, you must physically turn it back out of the curve. The steering wheel is tight but operates. This could be a problem for me to perform and it is hard to keep within the lines of a lane. Billion Chevy in Iowa City Iowa has confirmed the malfunction. This is a $2100 repair. There are many complaints online of this problem. Why is this not a recall???? They got a batch of bad steering gears in 2017.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and attempting to complete a left or right turn, the steering wheel failed to return to center and was sticking. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the contact was informed that further diagnostic tests were required to determine the cause for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 35,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the steering wheel would not properly return to center. Additionally, the steering wheel was difficult to turn in either direction. The was taken to the local dealer who indicated that the steering failure was caused by faulty gears within the steering rack. The contact was informed that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 50,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated that while turning the vehicle to the left or right the steering wheel failed to return to center as expected. The contact had to use excessive force to maneuver the steering wheel back to the center while driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact researched the failure and linked the failure to the steering rack. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 35,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated while driving 40 mph, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed with needing a steering rack however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of failure and the contact was awaiting a response. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.
The steering wheel/vehicle will not return to the center position after a turn. It requires manual effort to turn the steering wheel/vehicle back to the center position. If not, the vehicle will continue turning, thus creating an unsafe environment.
The steering rack get rusted prematurely et now the direction doesn't work properly. the steering wheel doesn't come back straight after a turn and you don't feel the movement has you should be which makes the driving unsafe.
Bought a GM repurchased 2017 Chevy Bolt in July 2021 (the day of the total battery recall) and as with many, many others with this model year (per every Bolt group online and meetups), despite attempting an electronic fix twice ("relearn steering center") at both Allen Chevy, and Dave White Chevy, the issue of the steering getting stuck at about 45 degrees persists since purchase. I've contacted GM directly since purchase and taken 3 days off work, and now a 4th on Monday to get this "fixed." The problem is intermittent, so in my case, the steering gear is failing, and not completely binding yet. The intermittency has made getting this addressed impossible and quite frustrating. I have multiple videos I've sent to dealerships and GM. It's especially prominent on inclines, though I've not tried it on a decline. …
Steering complaints in other Bolt EV years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
NHTSA has 125 complaints about the steering of the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 36% of the model year's 349 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 44,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.