Steering complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
In June of 2023 I was driving my vehicle and suddenly the Traction Control, power steering and check engine light came on. I was able to get the vehicle safely home without the use of the power steering. Once I shut the vehicle off, it would not start again. I got the vehicle to my local dealership and they diagnosed it as one of the main wire harnesses was rubbing against a bolt near the battery, which is a known issue, and caused an electrical short in the system. It caused the ECU and electronic power steering to short out. They replaced the ECU, but have not been able to replace the eletronic power steering because it's no longer being manufactured. The vehicle at the time of incident was only 6 years old. I feel like this is a violation of the Magnuson-Moss Act. There are no third party vendors that make this part. It has only ever been available through GM directly.
steering wheel will lock up when you turn on car, we took it to Paradise Chevrolet, and they found power steering module has update available however need 12 Volt battery to be a higher CCA to reprogram p/s volt battery testing at 356 CCA recommend replacing battery and reprogramming P/S module. Of course, this was not covered under our Protection Plan and should be covered, I had to pay. $578.37 My car is only six years, and this should not be happing. 11/27/23 vehicle shuts off while driving this has happened three time to us. we cannot drive the car it is not safe. 12/19/23 had it tow to Paradise Chevrolet. This car is not safe to drive. We have a protection Plan its useless.
Tl* the contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Sonic. While driving 20 MPH, the steering wheel locked and the vehicle crashed into a ditch. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact stated that the power steering indicator illuminated before the crash occurred. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was previously repaired. In addition, smoke was seen coming from the steering wheel. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 36,000.
I was driving a 2015 Sonic dealership car because my car was in the shop for the weekend, a car was about to hit me and all did was I stepped on brakes and the steering wheel locked and ran me into a pole. I had just turned the corner, the weather was great, I was only going 15 miles.
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.
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.
Last week when I was driving my car on the street, and wanted to make a left the steering wheel was very hard to turn. And the next day It happened again , steering hard to turn and it's been intermittent but not driving my car right now, thanks for your attention
The indicatior light for low tire pressure comes on but no warning chime is heared. This can be very bad when driving on the interstate. The tire was loosing pressure without me knowing and I had no clue until the vehicle ran off the road due to not being able to control it. The chime never went off. Same with an over heating issue the light came on but I did not know it was over heating until it stated shaving and steaming and I looked at the dash to see the light on.
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Sonic years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2012 (14), 2013 (13), 2014 (13) and 2015 (6) model years. Steering complaints make up 4% of all complaints for the 2012.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Sonic steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for any Chevrolet Sonic model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Sonic steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 45,000 miles; 53% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the column (1 mentions).
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.