Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
This is a potential problem for a serious injury to a child , stroller, pet - or damage to front of truck and vehicle in front of truck. The hood of the truck is very high. And sitting in the drivers seat you are "driving blind. " It is impossible to see an object directly in front at bumper level. The only way to judge the distance to an object, or small person, is to get out of the truck and look. I had minor damage to the front of the truck by hitting my garage. But more seriously if there were a child or stroller- you literally cannot see it. This could be easily fixed with a forward looking camera - and the truck comes with a rear one- but Chevynfirs not offer any front camera/ park assist on any of its Silverado 1500's.!The manual says park assist is an option- but Chevy currently does not offer that option. This is dangerous..
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle failed to steer as needed. The service now message was displayed. The vehicle was restarted three times, but the steering remained inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where the system was reset. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired, but the failure recurred. While starting the vehicle, the power steering functionality was inoperable. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver and the rear wheels were intermittently inoperable with the transmission experiencing hard downshifting. The failure occurred on several occasions. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. The contact researched and was made aware of an undisclosed NHTSA Campaign; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
Driving the vehicle on October 10, 2021, with my fiancee and her mother in the vehicle. Upon exiting expressway I-75 a noise in the front end could be heard. It was a pinging/clinking noise that didn't change in frequency under braking nor under speed changes. It stayed at the same frequency of occurrence regardless of speed but wasn't present at vehicle stop or idle. It seems only to happen when vehicle is in motion. The noise became louder at lower speeds of driving. Vehicle was taken to a GM dealership on October 11, 2021, for repair. The dealer indicated that they could not repair the vehicle as GM issued a work instruction (PIP5653) stating no repair or resolution is available. …
I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding a persistent and unacceptable failure with my 2021 Chevrolet Silverado Trail Boss. The vehicle intermittently fails to start due to a recurring "Service Steering Column Lock" error. While the key fob still locks, unlocks, and remote starts the truck, the push-to-start system becomes entirely non-functional once inside the vehicle. This defect is not only frustrating - it's dangerous. My wife has already been stranded twice, once in below-freezing temperatures in January, and again in May, causing her to be late for work and left alone at night in unsafe conditions. A truck purchased for over $60,000, marketed as rugged and dependable, should not be experiencing a critical failure like this at just 48,000 miles. …
While driving approximately 30-40 mph through an uphill left-hand curve, the steering suddenly became extremely stiff and very difficult to turn. I do not recall seeing any warning before I noticed the steering becoming stiff. While trying to control the vehicle, I noticed "Service Power Steering" and "Service ESC" warnings approximately 1-2 seconds later. I cannot say exactly when the warnings first appeared because everything happened very quickly and I was focused on trying to control the vehicle. The vehicle left the roadway onto an adjacent lawn and traveled along a steep hillside beside the road. The driver-side mirror struck a curve sign and broke before the vehicle returned to the roadway. The vehicle also bounced while traveling off the road, and there is additional visible body damage. I do not yet know whether there is hidden steering, suspension, underbody, or other damage. …
After starting the truck and placing in reverse the service power steering warning come on as well as service ESC. The steering wheel would not move. If I were driving at a higher speed a crash would be imminent. On the Chevy forums there are several other owners that experienced the same problem and the loss of steering happens randomly. After parking the truck and returning several hours later the warnings did not reappear. I called the Chevrolet dealership and they informed me that they cannot diagnose the vehicle if no service lights are actively showing. Then I called Chevrolet to report the issue and they informed me that there are no recalls and nothing can be done unless the warnings are active and to contact another service center. If the vehicle does this while i'm driving I most likely will be in a accident. The Chevrolet case # 9-12940772786
So I have been having issues with my truck losing oil. My dealership told me that Walmart made an issue with the oil filter causing it to leak oil out. After the dealership corrected the issue. I was on my way to the store this morning it was damp so I was having a lot of traction issues. Got to the gas station checked tires, no issue with them. Temperature is above freezing. Just thought maybe it's in my head. Well I get about 2 miles from my house and low oil light comes on again. So this is an issue. It has happened 2 times to me. Had I not been cautious I could have slipped off the road or had a collision because the oil mixing with the water on the roadways. I will be reaching out to my dealership tomorrow to try and get them to correct this issue again. Seems there is a service bulletin on how to tighten the oil filter. Because of oil leaks.
Sudden loss of power steering, usually upon initial start. May return, may not return during drive. Began around 1 week ago. Sudden loss of power steering when turning either right or left has occurred causing a dangerous situation. Upon loss of power steering, 2 warnings appear. One for loss of power steering and the other for the trailer brake. Have never trailered anything with truck. Check engine light has come on at times, others it has not. Steering failure has occurred approximately 6 times. An internet search found some reference to my vehicle being informally added to the recall affecting other GM Vehicles. Vehicle has not been inspected yet.
Upon starting the vehicle got a alert on the dash DIC of, "Reduced Steering Assist, Service Steering System", or something similar to that. The vehicle was very hard to steer so I shut it off and restarted it seeing if it would reset since its electric steering, but it did not reset and was still difficult to steer. I was able to drive it home carefully since I was close to my home. After I got home I opened the hood to look but saw nothing wrong. I restarted vehicle again and the steering was back to normal and power steering was restored. I am very concerned because if this happens during busy traffic it could result in loss of control and a crash.
Steering complaints in other Silverado 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
NHTSA has 43 complaints about the steering of the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 5% of the model year's 847 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, though it has 8 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 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 27,000 miles, and 50% before 25,000 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.