Steering complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 7 | 17% | 40,000 miles |
| 2006 | 21 | 19% | 45,000 miles |
| 2005 | 2 | 2% | 30,000 miles |
| 2004 | 16 | 7% | 47,000 miles |
| 2003 | 3 | 2% | 124,000 miles |
| 2002 | 18 | 8% | 51,000 miles |
| 2001 | 38 | 14% | 60,000 miles |
| 2000 | 25 | 11% | 47,000 miles |
| 1999 | 5 | 4% | 54,000 miles |
| 1998 | 16 | 16% | 94,000 miles |
| 1997 | 30 | 18% | 118,000 miles |
| 1996 | 8 | 5% | 116,000 miles |
| 1995 | 9 | 5% | 113,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
July 7,2014 my mother ([redacted]) was crossing dixie hwy. In louisville, kentucky. Motorcycle hit her on the right side of the car. Motorcyclist died at the seen of accident. My mother has been suffering from post trauma. The car was taken to lmpd impound lot and was on lock down for a investigation to take place. I was allowed pick car up at impound approximately 9/30/2014. When I checked to see if it would start the ignition was not completely off the key was turned back enough to turn motor off but not enough to take keys out of the ignition. [redacted] says motorcylist was far enough away to stop if the car was still rolling. She not sure what happened for him to hit her that hard. Please reply to this claim asap. Sincerely, [redacted]
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and attempting to make a left turn, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. In addition, the contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle spun out of control. As a result, the contact crashed into a tree on the front driver side. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained head and back injuries that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact received NHTSA campaign number:14V355000(electrical system) and believed the failure was related to the failure. The approximate failure mileage was unknown.
I was driving down century boulevard my speed was approximately about 35 r 37 miles an hour,the speed limit is a 35 miles hour zone.when all of a sudden all the traffic suddenly stopped real fast, it was about three to four in front of me.so I try to brake that's when my steering wheel got hard to where I couldn't turn away in time so I can avoid a crush.in a result I hit a lady car from behind on her left side bumper and to my right side bumper.there where no injuries,no police report was file.we had just exchange information and insurance information.before this had took place my I could not turn off my ignition having problems with my power steering and if I brake too hard my steering columns with jurr or stiffen up making real difficult for me to turn.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle independently veered to the left and crashed into an embankment. The driver was killed. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and was not inspected to determine the cause of the steering failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 107,110. ..updated 10/28/14 ....updated 04/08/15 updated 11/4/2015
I took my car into Freeland Chevrolet for the recall my car was running great,when i picked it up it was idling rough and smoking on my way home it was stalling out at every stop causing me to loose control of power steering and braking creating a safty haszard called them the next day and told them about it which they already knew because the manager was outside when i started it up. They said it was thowing 11codes when i brought it in saying that was the problem,which i could not have drove it their in that condition and never would.got in touch with corp office. In the mean time I had it towed back to them on DEC1,,,.Because its undrivable. Then on Dec11 got a call from corporate say i had to pay 253.00 for a Diagnostic also they told them it was throwing 21 codes when i brought it in.whats the Truth? …
I was driving on the freeway and my steering was tighter at 75 MPH. My ABS light came on which has flashed on before about 6 times but quickly went off. I thought those time my car was just having a computer fluke. But this time the ABS light was lit with my steering tight. Traction control light came on and said it was off. My brakes started to lock on me as I tried to pull over which was a hassle considering I couldn't turn the wheel easily . Eventually I was able to pull over without a major accident although it was a close call. It took more than 1/2 a mile to get my car to stop. My car was towed. The wheel hub was so damaged that the repair shop said that they are surprised it didn't fall off. The sensors were just floating around . Thus my ABS and traction control warning lights turning on and off. …
January 11, 2015 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo - VIN: [redacted], mileage: approx 120,000 since October 2014, the car shuts off while driving. I loose the power steering and it's very scary if you are on the freeway. It's hard to bring to a stop and sometimes when I shift to park it makes a horrible grinding noise. It always restarts after I sit awhile and drives like nothing has happened. . It has happened numerous times and now it's happening more often. It could cause a bad accident. It's to the point I am very scared to drive it, because I never know when it's going to happen. Last wee it happened three times. I took it in for the recall where they modify the key. It did not help. My excellent mechanic said he has never had a situation like this where he can't figure out what's wrong. (incident information will not let me enter dates).
Owned since 2007, no recalls active, older recall replaced intermediate steering shaft, have same problem again! Also ABS/traction control/speed sensors issue: humming,grinding,trac off lights,ABS lights. Common issue with these cars yet no fix by g.m ??
Related recalls (1)
Steering › Rack and pinion
Certain passenger vehicles have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began on February 5, 2004.
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…
Power rack and pinion steering failure
GM's letter to NHTSA dated December 11, 2003, expands its original recall (NHTSA 02V286) to include certain w-body vehicles: 96-97 olds cutlass supreme; 98 olds intrigue; 97-98 olds cutlass; 97-98 Chevy lumina, monte carlo and malibu; 96 Pontiac grand prix; and 96-98 Buick regal.the number of vehicles recalled is 750,283.GM determined that failure of the rack and pinion is related to damage of the lower pinion…
Power steering fluid leaks - fires
General motors (GM) initiated a customer satisfaction campaign in October of 2006 to address a failure of the power steering hose and/or clamps that could occur when the engine is started in vehicles primarily operated in the following states that experience extremely cold temperatures:alaska, maine, minnesota, montana, new hampshire, north dakota, south dakota, vermont, wisconsin and wyoming.at the time this…
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Monte Carlo years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2001 (38), 1997 (30), 2000 (25), 2006 (21) and 2002 (18) model years. Steering complaints make up 14% of all complaints for the 2001.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Monte Carlo steering problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 03V-527 (rack and pinion, Dec 11, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Monte Carlo steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles; 45% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the rack and pinion (30 mentions), followed by the hydraulic power assist system (13).
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.