Steering complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 3 | 2% | 1,000 miles |
| 2018 | 1 | 2% | 9,000 miles |
| 2017 | 19 | 7% | 8,000 miles |
| 2016 | 5 | 5% | 1,000 miles |
| 2014 | 6 | 10% | 0 miles |
| 2013 | 3 | 4% | 1,000 miles |
| 2012 | 2 | 4% | 60,000 miles |
| 2011 | 2 | 2% | 16,000 miles |
| 2010 | 1 | 1% | 6,000 miles |
| 2009 | 5 | 3% | 30,000 miles |
| 2008 | 12 | 2% | 30,000 miles |
| 2007 | 22 | 6% | 38,000 miles |
| 2006 | 44 | 12% | 33,000 miles |
| 2005 | 76 | 14% | 46,000 miles |
| 2004 | 36 | 17% | 33,000 miles |
| 2003 | 32 | 38% | 35,000 miles |
| 2002 | 59 | 38% | 30,000 miles |
| 2001 | 88 | 43% | 37,000 miles |
| 2000 | 169 | 61% | 38,000 miles |
| 1999 | 194 | 63% | 43,000 miles |
| 1998 | 215 | 54% | 47,000 miles |
| 1997 | 95 | 62% | 41,000 miles |
| 1996 | 6 | 14% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I am the owner of a 2019 Corvette zr1. I was driving when I heard a loud rattle sound coming from the front bumper area. During this time the front end of my car became hard to control. I slowed down, parked the car and inspected the front end. Upon inspection I saw that my front splitter had nearly disconnected from my car. I tried to drive slowly and make it home but the splitter was scraping and I didn't feel that it was safe. I also didnt want to cause any more damage. Upon inspection from a shop it was found that the center support bracket that holds the front splitter on properly was never installed on my during pre-delivery inspection. After speaking with several other zr1 owners that this has happened to we now believe that some Chevy dealers are forgetting to put this center support bracket on during pre-delivery inspection which we believe creates a very dangerous situation. …
Vehicle makes a bumping , grinding metalic noise when turning slowly in either direction. Or in reverse. It has been seen by two dealers on three separate occasions. The last time I was given a bulletin (#14-03-10-001d) 3-2-17, from Chevrolet stating that this was typical of many corvettes due to "ackermann effect" causing tire chatter when turning slowly at a tight angle. My vehicle did not exhibit this problem until approx.1,000 miles and has progressively gotten worse and it now has over 4,000 miles on the odometer. I have driven this car in a driving rain with slick pavement, and the noise is even louder, so that if tire chatter were the problem, I would think that the noise would go away, or at least lessen somewhat. It did not. It is my opinion that at some point, this car's front suspension will break, possibly causing an accident.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH on a straight roadway, the power steering warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact drove the vehicle back to his residence and turned the vehicle off. When the contact restarted the vehicle, the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but had reoccurred several times. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V086000 (Steering). The failure mileage was 9,488.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that while making a right turn at a slow speed, the power steering assist failed. The contact stated that he was uncertain if any warning lights were illuminated during the failure. The contact restarted the vehicle however, the failure persisted. The contact was able to slowly drive the vehicle home. The dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V086000 (Steering) which he linked to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.
Experiencing sudden loss of power steering while driving - unsafe condition. Experiencing sudden loss of electric power steering assist while driving. Loss of power steering persists until ignition recycling (stop, put car in park, turn ignition off, turn ignition back on), which seems to clear it. Problem re-occurs intermittently on subsequent drives. Issue has been experienced at multiple MPH (0 to 65 MPH) across more than a month of time. I believe my vehicle is experiencing the recall noted earlier this year (N182182760 in 2025) for power steering unit failures in Corvettes manufactured in my car's timeframe. The recall is still expanding the list of cars associated due to its nascent nature, and I believe mine is one of them. My car was manufactured in 2016 and the manufacturing defect in the power steering unit circuitry was not corrected until 2017. …
I would be driving and get a notification in the panel that says power steering is out and to drive with care. It is extremely difficult to drive my vehicle, with no power steering. I would just be driving, and I would get the notification that power steering is out. The problem has been recently confirmed by a dealership. The mechanic at the dealership confirmed it was the same issue reported for the 2017 Chevrolet Corvette (N182182760). The first appearance of the issue was at 3800 miles on my 2016 Chevrolet Corvette. I was sitting at a red light, and the notification came on and said I didn't have power steering. The second time I was driving down the interstate at 70mph and it went out, not good. I was able to get it safely back to my sister's home and did not move it again until I took it straight to the dealership today, in which time it went out again. …
The electric power-steering assist is failing while my vehicle is in motion. I lose power steering and have to use significantly more effort and may lead to a crash, at any speeds. I was driving on the highway when this happened, although it has happened at slower, neighborhood speeds. When this happens, I see a warning message on the dashboard stating the power-steering assist failed and service power steering, drive with caution and the steering is all non-power steering. At times, when I stop the car, and turn the power off, and re-start the car, the power steering works again for a short period of time, and then fails again. This is extremely dangerous. I cannot find any recalls on my car VIN # for this issue for the 2014 Corvette, but see the exact symptoms for the 2017 Corvette (GM' number for this recall is N182182760). Help....please!
There are already a few reports on the skipping and hopping at low speeds when the wheels are locked all the way left or right while turning. I experienced this on delivery and have owned the car for 9 months. Since the cold weather has arrived the issue has gotten even more severe, like the front end is going to fall off. Chevrolet will not admit to this problem/issue but it is a generally know issue related to the "ackerman" effect. Motortrend identified it and resorted to saying the 2014 Corvette is no parking lot car. Chevrolet still has no comment. Had I known about this I personally would not have bought the vehicle. In my opinion Chevrolet has a fiduciary responsibility to make the buyer aware. Also, if you see some of the blogs on corvettes it is also acknowledged there. I have been to the dealer about it and they are clueless. …
Related recalls (6)
Steering › Electric power assist system
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, 2017-2018 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist may fail.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2025.
Steering › Electric power assist system
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, and 2017 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist system may fail.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 13, 2019. GM' number for this recall is N182182760.
Steering › Column
GM is recalling certain model year 2005 and 2006 Chevrolet corvette passenger cars manufactured between March 2004 and January 2006 equipped with a tilt and telescoping steering column (rpo n37). In rare cases, repeated movement of the steering column May cause a signal interruption within the column.
Remedy: GM will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on April 30, 2010. Owners May contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463 or at the owner center at…
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections
Certain passenger vehicles May have been built with a power steering hose that is not to specification. Under extreme steering maneuvers, such as turning the steering wheel fully to the left or right while braking, the hose May fracture and leak fluid.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the power steering hose(s) for two suspect date codes and replace them if required. The recall will begin on October 14, 2005.
Steering › Linkages
On certain passenger vehicles involved in this campaign, the lower control arm ball stud nut/washer assemblies with washers were made of the wrong material. The washers May fracture and become loose or fall away from the vehicle, reducing clamp load.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the ball stud joints and measure the torque of the nut for all front lower control arms in all models affected as well as the rear lower control arms on the xlr and corvette.
Show 1 more recall
Steering › Column locking › Anti-theft device
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with electronic column lock systems (ecl), when the ignition switch is turned to "lock," the ecl system prevents turning of the steering system. When the vehicle is started, the ecl unlocks the steering system.
Remedy: On vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, the dealer will disable the steering column lock by removing the column lock plate.
NHTSA investigations
Power rack and pinion steering failure
GM conducted a safety recall (NHTSA # 02V286) to address a steering defect pertaining to a lower pinion bearing (lpb) within the rack and pinion steering gear (r&p). The recall covered 1,159,156 model year 1997-1998 Pontiac grand prix vehicles built between March 1, 1996 and October 31, 1997, 1996-1998 Pontiac trans sport, Chevrolet lumina apv, Chevrolet venture, Oldsmobile silhouette minivans, and Chevrolet…
Steering column lockup
See resume in repository.
Steering column lockup
In 2001, general motors (GM) issued customer service campaigns 1044 and 1044a to address a condition where the steering column would fail to unlock during the initial key-in and start-up in certain my 1998-2000 corvette vehicles.however, odi continued to receive complaints concerning steering column lockup on corvette vehicles.as a result, pe02-054 was opened and later upgraded to ea02-031 for my 1997-2001 subject…
Steering column lock module
There is no summary currently available
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Corvette years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1998 (215), 1999 (194), 2000 (169), 1997 (95) and 2001 (88) model years. Steering complaints make up 54% of all complaints for the 1998.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Corvette steering problems?
Yes — 6 recalls, including 25V-175 (electric power assist system, Mar 20, 2025); 19V-086 (electric power assist system, Feb 7, 2019); 10V-172 (column, Apr 26, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Corvette steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 38,000 miles; 64% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the column locking › anti-theft device (324 mentions), followed by the steering wheel/handle bar (238).
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.