2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV

Steering gear and torque sensor failure at 39,000 miles. Car is unsafe to drive and costs over $3500 to fix. The problem has been diagnosed at a dealership. No warning lights or codes apparent, problem is worsening and the car is becoming unsafe to drive. Steering gear or rack could be available for inspection.

Incident Mar 1, 2026

Vehicle steering wheel fails to return to center after sweeping turn. Found it’s a common issue and is incredibly dangerous and should be recalled!

Incident Mar 21, 2026

The steering on my car is sticking and failing. When I make a turn, the steering wheel does not go back to the center on its own. I have to physically pull it back, otherwise the car will keep turning. When driving straight, the steering wheel gets "stuck." I have to use extra force to make small adjustments, which makes the car jerk. The steering also makes clunking noises. This is extremely dangerous because it makes the car very hard to control, and I could easily drift into another lane, overcorrect, or crash.

Incident Mar 10, 2026

Water has infiltrated the lower trunk area and fried the sound amplifier. The result is no sounds can be heard from the speakers. This includes sounds and warnings from the safety systems. Seat belt, ADAS, BLIS, OnStar, Turn Signals, Radio. The rear hatch seals seem to be intact and it is unclear how water is entering this lower area as there is no evidence of water anywhere else in the rear cargo area. A google search reveals many other Bolt owners are experiencing the same issue

Incident Dec 2, 2025

As with other Chevy bolts, the rack and pinion steering completely broke no longer able to steer vehicle.

Incident Dec 16, 2025

Steering will not return to center. After going around a turn, or even a curve like an exit ramp, the steering will remain locked in position and not re- center. It requires close attention and considerable force to return it to center and continue along a straight road.

Incident Dec 10, 2025

Steering will not return to center. After going around a turn, or even a curve like an exit ramp, the steering will remain locked in position and not re- center. It requires close attention and considerable force to return it to center and continue along a straight road.

Incident Nov 3, 2025

The steering wheel does not return to center. This appears to be a common issue on Chevy Bolts based on various forums, for example https://www.chevybolt.org/threads/steering-wont-return-to-center-bad-steering-gear-steering-sticking-in-one-direction.42988/. One has to be very aware of the steering issue as it requires the driver to actively force the steering wheel to return to center. This can be an even bigger issue when having to react to avoid debris or sudden breaking. There are no warning lights. The manufactuer claims that this is not a prevalent issue.

Incident Oct 15, 2025

So I bought a used Bolt and the steering is sticking, at moderate speed (50mph) sweeping corners it lightly wants to pull harder into the corner and won't return to center if you let off the wheel, regardless of direction, you must always forcefully guide the steering wheel back to center. This is wrong, if your Bolt does this your steering rack is likely failing. This is a malfunction, in the GM service manual for the Bolt there is a diagnosis for "POOR RETURN OF STEERING WHEEL" which is described as "After completing a turn, extra steering input is required for the steering wheel to return to center."

Incident Jul 31, 2025

Steering rack is binding, not returning to center after completing a turn. Only 50,000 miles on it.

Incident Jun 5, 2025

Steering wheel does not return to center after making sharp turns. Steering wheel must be manually returned to center to avoid crashing.

Incident Jul 1, 2024

Power steering fails go return to center intermittently causing unexpected handling characteristics while turning that could cause to over/undershoot a turn. Haven't taken it to the dealer to check and there are no warnings or lights.

Incident May 15, 2025

I am filing this urgent safety complaint regarding a critical failure of the steering system in my 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV, which began experiencing problems at approximately 40,000 miles. This is not an isolated incident; numerous identical reports exist from other Bolt EV owners on public forums like Reddit ([XXX]) and [XXX], often occurring at similarly low mileage (typically 30,000-60,000 miles). The symptoms began with distinct clicking and knocking sounds when turning the steering wheel. This has progressed rapidly to increased steering effort (stiffness) and a failure of the steering wheel to return to center smoothly after a turn. This constitutes a severe and unacceptable degradation of a primary vehicle control system. When I had the vehicle inspected I was informed that the degradation would progress and risk my ability to safely steer the vehicle, and that the car should no longer be operated without performing a repair. A repair diagnosis indicated failure of the steering gear/rack assembly, with an initial repair quote of over $7000. This exorbitant cost is nearly prohibitive and approaches the residual value of the vehicle itself. It is deeply concerning and frankly unacceptable that a fundamental safety system like the steering is failing prematurely on these vehicles. Furthermore, the extremely high repair cost creates a dangerous secondary safety risk: owners may be forced to choose between a financially crippling repair or dangerously deferring maintenance, continuing to operate vehicles with compromised steering and risking catastrophic failure on the road. Steering integrity is paramount and should not be failing at such low mileage under any normal operating conditions. This pattern of premature steering failure reported by numerous owners indicates a potential design flaw, manufacturing defect, or component quality issue with the Chevrolet Bolt EV steering system that warrants immediate investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident Apr 1, 2025

Low mileage vehicle purchased preowned with only 32,166 miles, and steering wheel (steering rack & pinion) is stiff and will not return wheel to center after turning more than a quarter turn.

Incident Apr 1, 2025

Steering not returning to center when coming out of turns. Many have reported this issue with the steering rack. Concerned that steering will bind and cause an accident

Incident Apr 9, 2025

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated that the steering wheel failed to return to center after turning to the left or the right. The contact used excessive force to manually return the steering wheel to center. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the rack and pinion assembly had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 24,000.

Incident Jun 13, 2024

The steering wheel is very stiff; if you turn left or right, when you complete the turn, if you were to release the wheel, it does not counter-turn back towards the center. Put differently - in an open parking lot, you could turn the wheel all the way to one side, release the wheel, press the accelerator --- and you'd go in circles. This has been happening for some time, but just recently had it pointed out that it is not normal. I feel its a meaningful safety risk. I researched the issue online and it seems that it is common for this model but GM has been unresponsive.

Incident Sep 1, 2024

Steering wheel doesn't return to center after a turn, it must be turned back manually. If left unfixed this can cause the steering to lock up entirely when the steering gear fails.

Incident Aug 1, 2024

Steering doesn't return to center when driving around 40mph on turns. You must manually move it back.

Incident Jul 30, 2024

Around 46,000 miles this 5 yr old car began making popping sounds in the steering. Took into dealer and diagnosed steering rack failure and intermediate shaft. Cost to repair was close to $3,000. Looking into this, this is a common issue with Chevy Bolts due to poorly designed boots on the rack. This should be covered by a recall when failing so early. Happened to my previous 2018 Bolt too but the car was totaled in an accident prior to me undergoing the repair.

Incident Feb 28, 2024

Vehicle steering does not return to center when exiting a gradual turn. This occurs intermittently. On line research indicates that this problem is likely the result of a faulty steering rack and that many other owners have experienced this behavior; as this could result in a dangerous situation I am reporting. The vehicle has about 43,000 miles on it. I have not had it repaired as yet.

Incident Jun 6, 2024

This is concerning a 2019 Chevy Bolt purchased new on [XXX] from Stewart Chevrolet in Colma, CA. Around January 2024, we realized the vehicle's steering wheel was not returning to center on its own, and it took more force than usual to turn the wheel -- it would stick as you turned it. The vehicle had about 26,861 miles when we noticed this steering issue. When performing a turn (at low speeds and on the highway) the steering wheel would remain in the turned configuration until you manually moved it back to center. The dealer advised us that the steering gear would need to be replaced. We replaced the steering gear on [XXX] at Stewart Chevrolet in Colma, CA. However, though the steering was improved the problem was not totally fixed; the steering would still stick and the wheel took more force than expected to turn. We had the car re-evaluated and on [XXX] the Stewart Chevrolet again replaced the steering gear; this did not fix the issue. Finally, Stewart Chevrolet has recommended that we replace the steering column. We haven't done this yet because we are still trying to get GM to cover the cost of repairs. A vehicle with such low mileage should not need these repairs, and if you search online you will find many other Chevy Bolt owners across all models years having these issues. Please investigate and determine whether a recall is advised. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident Jan 1, 2024

The steering rack failed. It is currently at the dealership waiting for parts to come in so it can be replaced. The car started making noises when making sweeping turns. The noise got worse and the steering was not coming back to center coming out of turns. We had it inspected at our local mechanic and they told us it needed a new steering rack but they were not able to complete the repair because it was complicated to get into the part that needed to be replaced. We took it to the Chevrolet dealership and they confirmed it needs a new steering rack as well as other related parts. There were no warning lights or messages. The car first started making faint noises about a month ago when doing low speed turns in a parking lot. Noise has been getting louder and we started to notice the steering not responding correctly. Only have one invoice for diagnosis, have not yet received invoice for repair.

Incident Apr 1, 2024

The steering rack on my 2019 Chevy Bolt failed and had to be replaced. It was unsafe to drive the vehicle because the steering wheel would not return to center by itself. When making a turn, the driver had to force the steering wheel back to center. The dealer tried to fix this faulty condition last August by replacing the intermediate steering shaft. It marginally improved the condition but it was still not returning the steering wheel to center by itself. I reluctantly accepted this condition as normal because I thought the dealer tech thought it was normal. However, the steering got progressively more dangerous and required more and more effort to return the steering wheel to center. I took my vehicle into the dealer on March 3, 2024 and the dealer determined the steering rack was defective and needed to be replaced. I got my Bolt back today and now the steering works properly. I no longer fear that the steering will lock up and cause me to lose control of the vehicle. I see on the Chevy Bolt Forum that others have experienced my Bolt steering problem. I just wanted to report my problem so the NTSHA can add my problem to the list of complaints.

Incident Aug 22, 2023

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated while veering to the left or right, the steering wheel failed to return to center as expected and the vehicle was difficult to steer. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact researched the failure and linked the failure to the steering rack. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 29,000.

Incident Jan 15, 2024

The infotainment screen suddenly froze and blasted an extremely loud static noise that nearly caused an accident. It has a lot of problems with freezing

Incident Dec 28, 2023

Our 2019 Chevy Bolt experienced some of kind of steering issue where the car made a "clicking" type of noise when making slight or big turns to the left or the right. We brought the car to our Chevy dealer who diagnosed the issue as a faulty steering gear and tie rod with both parts needing to be replaced. The dealer told us that the Chevy Bolts are known to be "fragile" when it comes to this issue and that hitting a pot hole could cause this level of damage. We could have driven over a pot hole under normal driving conditions but did not have a specific incident in mind that could have caused this. There were no warning lamps or other messaging other than the sound we could hear during turns. While the parts are not that expensive, the labor is - the cost of the repair with the parts is $3,400

Incident Nov 1, 2023

Steering wheel does not return to center when turning right. Driver must manually turn wheel back to center.

Incident Oct 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Bolt. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and turning, the steering wheel failed to return to the center. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.

Incident Jul 10, 2023

While driving on the freeway at 65 mph during morning rush-hour, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated without warning and came to a stop. The vehicle was barely able to make it to the shoulder before losing all momentum. There is a high-risk of a fatal collision when a vehicle unexpectedly stops or drastically slows on a freeway with 65 - 70 mph traffic, which is compounded during peak travel times. This is a risk to not only the vehicle occupants, but other drivers and vehicles as well. Several error messages were displayed on the dashboard as the car was decelerating: Drivetrain malfunction: Stop and turn off engine; Service high voltage battery system; Service Vehicle Soon; Unable to shift. The battery range dropped from just under 50% (~115 mi) to 0 while attempting to pull over on the shoulder. After the vehicle was stopped, it was unable to be powered off for about an hour. It was not successful in shifting or moving and the battery range showed 0. An hour and a half (1.5 hours) after the incident, the vehicle would power on and show a battery range between 121 - 110, which would drop to 0 within 15 seconds with a message that it is unable to charge. At the time of the incident, OnStar sent an email stating that "A critical issue with the engine and transmission system in your 2019 Chevy Bolt has been detected. Please service your vehicle immediately." The battery had been replaced the week of February 5th, 2023 per several product safety recall notices . There was one issue on February 18th, 2023 that the battery range was not updating, but it corrected itself after being parked for 3 hours. There were no other previous issues or indications of a problem prior to vehicle malfunction. The vehicle is currently being diagnosed by a dealer. It is currently available for inspection. The electrical, propulsion, and powertrain (and possibly speed control) systems did not function properly.

Incident May 9, 2023

When making turns, the steering does not return to center. I must move the steering wheel to straighten the wheels to continue forward. I researched the issue and have found that this is a common complaint with the Bolt. From what I have read, this is due to a faulty steering gear. I called the dealer, and although there is a service advisory, this not a warranty or recall situation. I was quoted $3500 to repair this issue.

Incident Apr 8, 2023

Steering does not return to center. Must manually turn wheel back to center after turning.

Incident Apr 1, 2023

Steering gear (rack and pinion) has failed leading to steering wheel not returning to center after turns at mid speed or faster. Also noticed audible clicking sounds at low speeds when turning steering wheel.

Incident Jan 1, 2023

After driving the car for roughly 60-75 minutes while at highway speeds and within the posted speed limits: 65mph-75mph, the car will chime and the driver information panel will flash "Propulsion Reduced." At that point, the vehicle's electrical propulsion will gradually reduce to a maximum output power of roughly 20KW. The propulsion will stay capped at 20KW for a bit of time (15-20 minutes) and then gradually the cap will increase. Unfortunately, on I-25 in southern Colorado where this usually occurs, the speed limit is 75mph and and 20KW of propulsion results in the vehicle traveling on the interstate at roughly 45-55mph which results in very unsafe situations. That road has a minimum speed of 55mph. This happened on the first day that I purchased the car, I can reproduce it with my family in the car, but the dealer has been unable to reproduce it. I have had the Chevrolet dealership inspect it multiple times, but they can not find a fault. It has happened when ambient temperatures are as low as 28F and as high as 98F there does not appear to be a correlation there. I have had it happen when the battery has a SOC of 70% and as low as 25%, that also does not show a correlation. I have seen a correlation with passengers/weight in the vehicle as that requires more KW of output to propel the car. Likewise, consistent average speed has a correlation. If traveling at 75mph (posted speed limit) the propulsion reduction will occur sooner rather than traveling at 73mph.

Incident Apr 8, 2023

I was driving on a highway access road when my Chevy Bolt's automatic emergency braking system suddenly and unexpectedly applied the brakes. I have noticed that the proximity warning system is fairly sensitive - often beeping even when I am applying brakes to decelerate at a rate that feels comfortable and reasonable to me given the distance of the vehicle in front of me. In this instance, however, there was no beeping of the warning system. Additionally, I was not closing the distance between my vehicle and the one in front of me, nor were they braking. I was concerned that the unexpected and unnecessary emergency braking could have caused me to be rear-ended had a vehicle been behind me. It was very heavy braking - disproportionate to the distance and speed between myself and the vehicle in front of me.

Incident Feb 28, 2023

This is for the recall N222383791 (SEATBELT PRETENSIONER FIRE) that was issued on 12/15/2022. The Remedy has been identified as dealers installing metal foil on the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust. Certain vehicles will also need a pretensioner cover installed. It was said that a remedy would be available at dealerships around 1/30/2023. It is now 3/10/2033 nearly three months after the remedy was identified, and it's still not possible to get it repaired at dealerships. This complaint is that the manufacturer hasn't remedied this safety recall in a timely manner.

Incident Mar 9, 2023

Vehicle without warning stopped moving while making a left turn in an intersection at night. Power to dashboard was on but no propulsion, brakes or steering. Was unable to put car into gear to move forward or in reverse. Message was displayed, "Unable to Initalize Propulsion System" Extremely dangerous situation, I turned on flashers and left car in intersection. Called tow truck. When tow truck arrived, we pushed car to curb and he hauled it away. Cheverolet dealer diagnosed the problem as a defective wiring harness. He said there was a GM alert regarding this as a known issue that led him to the defective wiring harness. They charged $1567 to replace it which included $1200 in labor and recommended I contact GM to see if they would compensate me since it was a known issue and the car was only 2 months off warrantee. GM refused to compensate me for the faulty harness. The Bolt has 19K miles on it, is kept in a garage and has never been in an accident.

Incident Feb 13, 2023

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Steering rack and pinion; the pinion gear and housing broke free from the rack housing. I have the component available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The vehicle was barely controllable. Turned steering wheel up to 180 degrees back and forth to maintain straight travel. After making it into a parking lot the parts became separated and all steering control was lost. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? After towing in, rack and pinion assembly was replaced and old part returned to me. Also had to replace the airbag clockspring that was damaged as I tried to control the vehicle. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Component was only inspected by the repairing dealer. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? these was no warning lamp until after the break occurred. No previous indications of any problem.

Incident Jan 14, 2023

Steering won't return to center in a turn, steering rack/gear must be replaced, $3k repair https://www.chevybolt.org/threads/how-to-replace-a-faulty-steering-rack-in-your-bolt-how-to-fix-steering-wont-return-to-center.43056/

Incident Dec 15, 2022

2019 CHEVROLET BOLT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO NHTSA SAFETY RECALL 21V-560. THE CONSUMER IS DISSATISFIED WITH THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES TO PERFORM THE RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE.

Incident Jan 23, 2023