2016 Chevrolet Colorado steering problems

STEERING

For about two months my 2016 Chevy Colorado has been having a random power steering and stabilitrak issue message popping up. There’s no clear reason why this happens as I can drive my truck for days/weeks and it was suddenly lose power steering. When this happens it is a serious safety issue as I can be on the highway driving fine and my power steering will just suddenly stop working. Normally, I pull over and turn my truck off for 30 seconds to 1 minute and turn it back on and the issue will go away. I had two separate scans performed on the truck and both scans showed no “current” errors but pulled up past error codes of problems with ABS system and “low voltage.” I do not drive my truck roughly and most miles are simple roads or straight highways. No rough roads or heavy water/snow/mud. I have looked online and multiple threads from other drivers of GMC Canyons around 2015/2016 and trucks like mine who have had similar issues and the Canyon has recalls concerning this but I currently have none for the Chevy Colorado so I wanted to report this issue, especially for the safety reason. I believe if my wife was driving my truck on the highway and this happened she may not be strong enough to pull off and/or turn the truck if she had needed to since it is very difficult to turn the wheel when this error occurs.

NHTSA complaint #11758817 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

While driving 40-45 mph on a curvy mountain highway, the power steering suddenly stopped working. There was no warning message prior. Once the power steering ceased, a warning message displayed, "Service Stabilitrak". I was left in a situation which was challenging to steer the vehicle, and much more difficult to maneuver at slower speeds and turns. Soon after, I parked the vehicle and shut it off overnight. The next morning the vehicle started with the same warning message "Service Stabilitrak", but the power steering worked fine. I brought the vehicle into Chevrolet dealership service for inspection and diagnosis. Results are attached. The vehicle has not yet been repaired, and is available for inspection. Thank you.

NHTSA complaint #11749265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

**Vehicle Safety Complaint** I am experiencing a serious safety issue with my 2016 Chevrolet vehicle involving the power steering system. On a somewhat regular basis, I receive dashboard warnings including "StabiliTrak Not Working," and "Service Power Steering." Shortly after these warnings appear, the power steering fails while I am driving. When this occurs, I must use significant force to turn the steering wheel in order to maintain control of the vehicle and make turns. When I pull over, turn off engine and wait a few minutes, the restart the engine, it  appears to be resolved and works fine. This creates an extremely dangerous driving condition. I am concerned that I may not be able to turn quickly or forcefully enough to avoid an accident, potentially resulting in a collision, injury, or death. I am aware that certain 2015 model year vehicles were recalled for similar power steering issues. However, despite experiencing what appears to be the same defect in my 2016 vehicle, no recall has been issued. The issue remains uncorrected and continues to pose a significant safety risk. GM Customer Care (1-800-462-8782) states I am not eligible for any cost assistance because it is a 2016 model and not 2015. Given the serious safety implications of sudden power steering loss while driving, I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue and determine whether a recall is warranted for affected 2016 vehicles. The sudden loss of power steering while the vehicle is in motion presents a substantial safety hazard and should be addressed before it leads to serious accidents or injuries.

NHTSA complaint #11744770 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

Driving 65mph down highway and power steering lost power and Error message "Stabilitrak" "Power steering drive with care" This is a busy highway and I was scared I was going to crash into another vehicle or run off the road. I have taken this vehicle immediately to my Chevy dealer and was told it was my rack and pinion needed to be fully replaced. I checked the recall list and my vehicle was not listed , however GM recall N202325410 for the 2015 Colorado has the same components and parts was involved in a recall.

NHTSA complaint #11743914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

was driving my vehicle on heavily traveled road June 3rd , 2026 when suddenly TC light and "service power steering drive with care "came on . Steering wheel became very stiff and hard to turn. Luckily I was able to pull into a parking lot and avoided an accident. I then turned off the vehicle and steering wheel became free. This happened again later that day and the next day. Each time I shut off the vehicle and it reset the steering wheel. However, due to safety issue I have not driven the vehicle since Thursday June 4th. We are a two care family and down to one car now. I need my vehicle so I made an appointment for service on June 8th. I will forward a copy of the bill. I noticed there was a recall on the 2015 Chevy Colorado however not on the 2016 model. I wanted to bring this to your attention.

NHTSA complaint #11742547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The power steering has failed 4 times. This is the same problem that the 2015 Colorado's had. There was recall on the 2015 models. There has not been a recall on the 2016 models. but the problem still exists.

NHTSA complaint #11741604 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

Complete failure of power steering while driving vehicle. Luckily I was almost home, had just exited the highway and was on a side road at low speed. High likely hood i would have crashed on the highway or at speeds greater than I was travelling. Numerous (at least 436 on one site) reports exist of this happening in the 2016 model. A recall exists on the 2015 model for this problem, but did not include my VIN. The stabilitrak icon flashed and I received a Power steering failure message on the dash. Stopping the vehicle and restarting apparently rebooted the electronic steering system and I was able to park it. The repair cost over $3000 at an independent mechanic. He replaced the rack and pinion component and said the wiring harness showed no wear, damage, or issues. Why isn't a recall issued for this safety problem on this model year? Especially given the number of complaints on the carcomplaints.com webpage and others.

NHTSA complaint #11741043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The power steering randomly turns off. This is a known Chevrolet recall from the prior year model (2015) and it was recalled. I have just over 100k miles on my truck and I cannot have family members drive it because they are not strong enough to turn the wheel. If it went out on a turn the truck would plow right into oncoming traffic. It is not safe! The repair parts are $1000 with a total cost of closer to $4000. A person will trade it in before that happens. It is frustrating because we have a truck to pull and move things as needed, and we have to think about what we are doing and work around the steering issue.

NHTSA complaint #11737506 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The power steering randomly goes out while driving then resumes working fine after turning off and back on. Sometimes minutes apart it reoccurs other times its days apart. Issue seems same as the recall for 2015 models.

NHTSA complaint #11732658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

For the past couple years, the electronic power steering system shuts off while driving. Turning off and on the car would usually reset it. These past couple months, that trick doesn't work anymore. Using an OBD two-way scanner, the codes popping up are PSCM not calibrated and it shuts off the braking system as well. This seems incredibly dangerous and am surprised it's not included in the recall. I am shocked the dealership is recommending the entire power steering assembly needs to be replaced at a cost of thousands of dollars. Reading the recall notice (RCSB-21V213-4201), the replacement solution is a $20 cover and repacking of an easily accessible component. This really needs to be escalated to include other model years as well.

NHTSA complaint #11730522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The Power Steering and Stabilitrak went out on my vehicle. Within a 2 week period the service lights started coming on and then it finally went out. I could not steer the vehicle due to it being so hard to turn. Brought vehicle to dealer and they had the same issue with it. They had to replace the Steering Gear box. Cost me $2100.00. Noticed on line many people have had this same issue on many different year vehicles. 2015 vehicles were recalled, but other years had the exact same issue.

NHTSA complaint #11728979 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

I was driving home and and out of no where my power steering went out, good thing I was driving slow and that no other cars was heading toward me, it was very difficult to keep my truck in my lane. I did get a warning light stating no power steering, I stop the truck when I got home and restarted it and the problem went away? (So did the warning light) I looked into this issue online and there was a recall for 2015 models, my truck is a 2016 which has the same issues. (And other consumers complaints) I'm making a appointment today to have it check out. I hope I can make there without any issues.

NHTSA complaint #11727911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

Driving down the road and had Stabiltrak disable and power steering go out, causing great difficulty to maintain control of steering the vehicle. My teenage son’s first vehicle and he was driving with myself and younger son as passengers. This could have been a very horrible situation. Apparently this is a pretty widely discussed and common issue with this vehicle make (a quick google search proves this), and actually was recalled in the previous year model for this exact issue (reference NHTSA #21V213). The issue was evidently not sufficiently corrected in the 2016 year models. This is obviously a safety issue that could lead to severe injury or death and should be taken seriously by the manufacturer.

NHTSA complaint #11726574 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

My 2016 Colorado is experiencing the same loss of power steering issue that the 2015 models have which was recalled. The 2016 models need to be included. It started 2 years ago and will randomly cut in and out. I was unaware of the recall when it first occurred and I took it to the dealer and after inspection they said my battery was low and would fix it. It didn’t fix it. I also have a hard time believing they were unaware of this issue with other colorados.

NHTSA complaint #11725662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, or while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel locked up, and excessive force was needed while steering the vehicle. The "Stabili-trak - Caution When Driving" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the failure started intermittently but became more frequent. Recently, upon starting the vehicle, the steering wheel was pulling to the left, making it increasingly difficult to operate the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted, and the contact left a voice message. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V213000 (Steering); but the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

NHTSA complaint #11724051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

I am consistently having the power steering shut off while driving . I have read that this was an issue with the 2015 model year that had a recall issued , but there is no recall for the exact same problem on a 2016 model year . When this happens it puts me at risk of controlling vehicle , not only at slow speeds but also at freeway driving .

NHTSA complaint #11723135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

While driving the dash will show power steering alert and then stabilitrack alert and the power steering then fails. This always happens while in motion and never when parked\idling. It has happened while turning which proves dangerous as the car then starts to straighten out. Had the truck serviced at the dealership to be told that it is a low voltage issue. The car is running so the alternator is running which should be providing a charge. After paying for updates to the car (software) it happened again. Then I was told it was the phone charger being plugged in and that has to be unplugged every time I stop to get out now. This has been reported by many 2016 owners and 2015 had a recal for an issue that was similar (torque sensor). Dealership says that the sensor in my truck is good.

NHTSA complaint #11717857 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel locked. The message "Stabili-trak - Caution When Driving" was displayed. The contact stated that during the failure, the contact had to pull over to the side of the road almost every month. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that there would be a charge for a diagnostic test. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

NHTSA complaint #11716818 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

Hello, I have already submitted a steering complaint for this 2016 Chev Colorado. It has intermittently have had this issue for some time. I have checked to see how many complaints there were with this same issue, and it was 422 complaints. I am just wondering how long it takes to get a recall. I am not feeling very safe and hope this gets taken care of soon. I have also checked and found that the 2015 Colorado's were recalled for the same issue. Please let me know on this matter. Thank You, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11713782 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

We were driving on a busy freeway and the power steering quit working making it hard to steer and maneuver in traffic. We went directly to a GM dealer and the code CO545 Steering Wheel Torgue Sensor came up. This is a sensor inside the sealed steering gear that cannot be replaced without being completely removing and replaced. The cost is over $2000 and not covered under warranty. We will not be purchasing GM products any longer.

NHTSA complaint #11709114 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

When driving normally on wet paved city roads (it had recently rained but not currently raining), my truck suddenly lost power steering and the warning messages came on to service power steering and stabilitrak systems. Traction control lights also came on. The next morning, I tried starting the truck again, and the power steering came back temporarily before losing it again and service messages came back on. I've read many others in online forums have had this same electrical connection issue, and it was a recall on the 2015 model year of this same truck.

NHTSA complaint #11708637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

I currently have a 2016 Chev Colorado with a intermittent power steering issue. It stops sometimes without warning in which it makes it very difficult to drive especially if you have no warning to this issue. I am sure this is a extra unsafe condition to deal with. I have seen that the 2015 was recalled for the same issue. I have seen many complaints while researching this issue with exactly the same problem. Could someone please look at this issue because I am not feeling safe while driving. Thank You, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11708514 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

My 2016 Chevrolet Colorado lost all power steering while driving down the road. My young daughter was in the vehicle with me on a busy highway when I lost my ability to safely steer the vehicle. The stabilitrak light came on and that is when the power steering failed and I had to force my vehicle off the roadway manually to avoid getting into a collision. Had I needed to quickly steer to avoid another vehicle, obstacle, or maneuver a sharp turn at those speeds that could have been fatal for me, my daughter, and potentially other drivers or pedestrians. The vehicle was diagnosed and the issue was reproduced and confirmee at an independent service center as described. It was determined this was a known issue with similar make and model Chevrolet Colorados that were already on recall however my VIN was not included. It was determined to be a defective steering wheel torque sensor (code C0545) and required a complete steering rack replacement. They inspected the wiring harness had not chafed causing any damage, and that it was the sensor. There were no warning lights prior to the failure and it was abrupt while driving. The stabilitrak light came on simultaneously to the power steering failing.

NHTSA complaint #11707692 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to steer in the intended direction. In addition, the “Service Stabili-trak” message was displayed, and the “Power Steering Failure” warning light was illuminated. The contact held the steering wheel tightly and pulled on the steering wheel, preventing the vehicle from crashing into a wall. The vehicle was driven to the intended destination. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was driven very slowly, and the contact used added force to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall for the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado with a similar description of a failure; however, the VIN was not under recall. The contact stated that an online forum advised the contact to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA complaint #11704048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The electric power steering system on my vehicle intermittently fails while I am driving. When the failure occurs, the steering suddenly becomes extremely heavy and difficult to control, creating an immediate safety risk to me and to others on the road. The loss of power steering has happened multiple times with no advance warning. Each time, the only way to temporarily restore normal steering is to pull over, turn the vehicle off, and restart it. The problem occurs randomly and without a pattern. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The issue has been evaluated by the dealer’s service center. They were not able to reproduce the failure during their inspection, but they did confirm that the vehicle had stored a diagnostic trouble code indicating a power steering failure. The service center reported that the code was too generic to determine the root cause, and no repair was performed. They acknowledged that the steering failure had occurred based on the stored code, but could not identify why it was happening. During the failures, the vehicle displays warning messages stating that both Stabilitrak and Power Steering have failed. These messages appear only at the moment of failure, with no prior warning lights or symptoms. This intermittent loss of power steering severely compromises safe operation of the vehicle, especially when turning at low speeds, entering or exiting parking lots, or navigating intersections. It puts me, my passengers, and the surrounding drivers and pedestrians at risk because the vehicle cannot be steered normally when the failure occurs.

NHTSA complaint #11704062 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

POWER STEERING AND STABILITAK UNABLE TO STEER . CHECKED OWNERS MANULE IT SAYS TURN TRUCK OFF THEN START AGAIN. iT ALSO STATES IT IS STILL SAFE TO DRIVE I don't think so!!! it comes with no warning and you have to pull over and shut the truck off let it sit just a short while then it will steer just fine ....again for a while . the warning lamps and chimes worked just fine. at the same time the system is failing. 202

NHTSA complaint #11700459 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

Steering of the truck. No, it has not been reproduced by a dealer No has not been inspected Does not do it all the time, does in over period of times cannot specify any specific time you be driving and all sudden the wheels seem to lock and hard to steer and turning is very hard.

NHTSA complaint #11699725 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

My steering failed. I was driving under 30 mph and my steering locked up and I was presented with a Service notification "Stabilitrak". I can not turn my wheel and was not able to go down my driveway.

NHTSA complaint #11699991 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The stabiltrack and power steering fail while driving.

NHTSA complaint #11698287 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving at various undisclosed speeds, the stabili-trak activated independently, and the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. In addition, the message “Service Power Steering” was displayed. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while reversing out of the driveway, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The contact used force to steer the vehicle. The stabili-trak feature was activated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the dealer replaced the rack and pinion assembly. The vehicle was retrieved, and the contact was informed that a leak was found. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle vibrated abnormally. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the oil pan was leaking. The dealer performed a tune-up and a fuel injection service. The timing cover gasket was replaced, the engine front cover was resealed, and the oil pan assembly was resealed. The contact arrived to pick up the vehicle, and there was a puddle of fluid on the ground underneath the vehicle. The dealer inspected the vehicle and diagnosed that the water pump had failed. The vehicle remained at the dealer pending the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA complaint #11697743 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.