Steering rack failure, does not return to center most of the time. Every once in a while it will. Loud clunking in steering, started right around 36k mile warranty expiration, but I didnt know what it was so did not report it right away.
2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV steering problems
17 complaints (27% of all complaints for this car).
- owner complaints
- 17
- of this car's complaints
- 27%
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Chevrolet Bolt EV steering problems in other years
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
What 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The steering has become harder to turn and will not return to center after turning a corner. When driving the steering wheel will stay in the position you have turned it to. I feel like this is dangerous and a safety risk especially at highway speeds. I have taken it to my local Chevrolet dealership and they said the rack and pinion steering is bad and needs to be replaced. $2365 parts and labor and realignment. The vehicle had 50058 miles on it when I noticed it. It now has approx. 52,500 miles on it. There were no warning lamps or safety messages.
I bought my 2023 Bolt EV new on Dec 2024. Around Jan 2025 I start hearing clicking behind the steering wheel when I turn to make parking maneuvers. By April 2025 the clicking is loud and a common occurrence. The steering no longer returns to center and it is noticeably hard to turn the steering wheel. I brought it to the dealership and was repaired under factory warranty for being a faulty part. The issue, which was a leak causing the steering rack to bind, was fixed. See the attached Chevrolet dealership documentation for further details. I have not noticed any further issues after driving for month after repairs were done.
The steering wheel does not return to center after turning while driving the car (unlike every other car). It has been reproduced by an independent service center. There are no error codes or warnings. This is a continuous problem that always happens and makes steering the vehicle more difficult.
The steering sticks when making turns and does not return to center. This causes the steering to drift on the highway and reduces the ability to steer in a straight line. I have not reproduced or confirmed it with the dealer. No inspection and no warning lamps. This issue occurs for a large number of Chevrolet Bolt owners.
Steering wheel does not return to center, requiring driver input to do so. Force needed to turn the steering wheel continued to increase throughout the past year, getting abnormally difficult and unlike any other vehicle. Had the steering rack replaced, which corrected the problem.
Steering, Rack and Pinion is failing after 44k miles, Steering gear is binding internally
Steering wheel fails to return to center after turns — potential steering gear defect 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV steering wheel fails to return to center after completing turns, particularly at low speeds. Steering requires manual input to re-center the vehicle after every turn. No warning lights or audible alerts. The issue is not attributable to alignment, tires, or tire pressure, as I have had new OEM-spec tires installed and an alignment performed without any improvement to the steering. I brought the vehicle to the dealership to address this safety concern. They stated unable to replicate the issue and sent me away without performing repair. The dealership charged me for an alignment but provided only post-alignment figures — no before measurements, making it impossible to determine whether any corrective action was actually taken or whether the alignment was a contributing factor. This is a safety concern as it requires constant driver correction after every turn, increasing risk of overcorrection, unintended lane departure, and delayed response in emergency situations. Condition is hazardous in low-speed environments such as parking lots, intersections, on/off ramps, and residential streets where frequent turns are made and rapid corrections may be necessary. Issue is not isolated to my vehicle or model year. Owners of 2017-2019, 2022, and 2023 Chevy Bolt EVs have reported identical symptoms across multiple owner forums, with hundreds of documented complaints. Community research and independent mechanic diagnoses consistently identify the steering gear (rack and pinion) as the root cause, with internal binding cited as the failure. GM's own service manual includes a diagnostic path for "Poor Return of Steering Wheel," confirming GM is aware this condition exists. No recall or service bulletin issued addressing this widespread concern despite years of owner complaints spanning all Bolt EV model years. Request that the federal safety agency investigate and consider issuing a recall.
Steering is failing at only 43,800 miles like many others. It is failing to return to center which makes it dangerous to drive, it doesn't come out of a turn. It is clicking and fails to return to center.
Clicking/Clunking under driver's feet
Questions about the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV steering
Does the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV have steering problems?
Owners have filed 17 complaints about the steering of the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 27% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV steering problems start?
Not enough complaints include the mileage to tell.
Was there a recall on the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV steering?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Chevrolet Bolt EV have bad steering?
The Chevrolet Bolt EV model years with the most steering complaints are 2017 (126 complaints), 2019 (47 complaints) and 2018 (38 complaints).
Other 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV problems
Electrical 18Brakes 8Fuel system 7Airbags 6Lights 6Driver assistance 5Engine 5Acceleration 3Suspension 3Transmission 3Visibility 2Body 1Seat belts 1Seats 1
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history