Chevrolet Bolt EV lane assist problems

Filed Aug 22, 2026 · Steering · CA

COMPONENT: Electric power steering (EPS) steering gear / rack and pinion assembly. WHAT HAPPENED: The steering gear binds internally. After a turn the wheel does not return to center and must be forced back to straight; steering feel is stiff and clunky. On at least one occasion the wheel felt stuck in place partway through a turn and I had to fight it to finish the maneuver. I nearly lost control of the vehicle. Exact date, location and speed of that incident: UNKNOWN. The condition is chronic and has worsened over time. I own two Bolt EVs (2017's); both have this defect and I am filing a separate complaint for each. Mileage on this vehicle: approx 96,000 but it's been bad since 80,000 (at the very least). SAFETY RISK: Binding steering requires manual correction after every turn, increasing risk of overcorrection, unintended lane departure and delayed emergency response. Worst at intersections, on/off ramps and parking lots. The driver cannot anticipate when the wheel will stick. WARNING LAMPS / PRIOR SYMPTOMS: [No warning lamps, messages or codes appeared] Earliest symptom: [stiff or notchy steering]. First noticed [right away when I bought the car used]. CONFIRMED BY DEALER OR SHOP: [not yet presented] INSPECTED BY MANUFACTURER, POLICE OR INSURANCE: No. AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION: Yes — vehicle and original steering gear assembly. This failure is widely reported across Bolt EV and EUV model years. GM service information contains a diagnostic procedure for poor return of the steering wheel, indicating the manufacturer is aware of it. No safety recall has been issued, and dealer repair runs $2,500-$3,500 because the subframe must be lowered to reach the rack. Videos of the repair are available online, which also include plenty of discussion about the symptoms and dangers: [XXX] and [XXX] I request that the federal safety agency open an investigation into the Bolt EV/EUV steering gear as this should 100% be a priority safety recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed May 9, 2026 · Airbags, Driver assistance · AZ

Issue: Total failure of Frontview Camera ADAS sensor, disabling Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Front Pedestrian Braking, and Lane Keep Assist. Technical Evidence: GDS2 telemetry confirms a "No Communication" status for the camera hardware. Core safety modules including the Electronic Brake Control (EBCM) and the Inflatable Restraint (Airbag) Sensing Module report active communication failures (DTC U026A/U216A). These safety-critical modules are currently unable to receive the sensor data required for crash avoidance and occupant protection. Forensic Timeline: Vehicle NVRAM reveals a manual "Clear Codes" event occurred at 46,838.3 miles—exactly 0.4 miles after the sale contract was signed. The fault reappeared with a 0 km offset (immediate return) and has been active for 162 ignition cycles, proving the defect existed throughout the dealership's possession. Dealer Response: The selling dealer delivered the vehicle with an unsigned 125-Point Inspection. Despite being presented with GDS2 telemetry proof of the braking and airbag communication blackout, management refused repair, mischaracterizing the disabled emergency braking system as a "luxury feature" and claiming the vehicle is "safe" to drive. Symptoms: "Service Front Camera" warning, intermittent loss of HVAC controls, and gear display (PRNDL) blackout due to systemic serial data bus interference caused by the hardware failure.

Filed Mar 13, 2026 · Steering · VA

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.

Filed Aug 12, 2025 · Steering · FL

The steering wheel fails to return to center after turns. This requires constant manual correction to re-center the vehicle, which increases the risk of overcorrection or unintended lane departure. There are no warning lights or noise, and the issue does not appear to be related to alignment, tires, or pressure. Many other Chevrolet Bolt owners are reporting the same behavior, pointing to a potential defect in the steering gear or rack. This is an very serious safety hazard that could result in loss of vehicle control and death. GM has not issued a recall or service bulletin, and repairs are extremely expensive.

Filed Jul 27, 2025 · Steering · IL

The steering wheel intermittently sticks and fails to return to center after turns or minor corrections, especially at low to moderate speeds. This requires constant manual correction to re-center the vehicle, which increases the risk of overcorrection or unintended lane departure. There are no warning lights or noise, and the issue does not appear to be related to alignment, tires, or pressure. Many other Chevy Bolt owners are reporting the same behavior, pointing to a potential defect in the steering gear or rack. This is a serious safety hazard that could result in loss of vehicle control. GM has not issued a recall or service bulletin, and repairs are expensive.

Filed May 20, 2025 · Steering · CA

The steering wheel intermittently sticks and fails to return to center after turns or minor corrections, especially at low to moderate speeds. This requires constant manual correction to re-center the vehicle, which increases the risk of overcorrection or unintended lane departure. There are no warning lights or noise, and the issue does not appear to be related to alignment, tires, or pressure. Many other Chevy Bolt owners are reporting the same behavior, pointing to a potential defect in the steering gear or rack. This is a serious safety hazard that could result in loss of vehicle control. GM has not issued a recall or service bulletin, and repairs are expensive. See community reports here: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed May 4, 2025 · Steering · FL

When corning the steering wheel intermittently sticks and fails to return to center after turns, at any speed but especially at low to moderate speeds. This requires me manually turn the wheel to re-center the vehicle, which increases the risk of overcorrection or unintended lane departure. There are no warning lights or noise, and the issue us not appear to be related to alignment, tires, or tire pressure. Many other Chevy Bolt owners are reporting the same behavior. This leads me to believe that this is a potential defect in the steering gear or rack. This is a safety hazard that could result in loss of vehicle control. GM has not issued a recall or service bulletin, and repairs are expensive.

Filed May 3, 2025 · Steering · NC

While driving, especially at lower speeds or during small steering inputs (such as switching lanes), the steering wheel does not return to center as expected. Instead, it sticks in the turned position, requiring extra effort to manually re-center the wheel. This issue is intermittent but persistent, and worsens over time. It appears to originate from the steering gear/rack, as there is no abnormal noise or warning lights. The car does not exhibit issues with alignment or tire wear, and tire pressure is within recommended specs. This behavior creates a safety hazard, as the driver must constantly correct the wheel back to center, especially after turns or curves. This introduces risk of overcorrection, lane departure, or delayed reaction in emergencies. Multiple other Bolt owners are reporting similar symptoms in this owner forum thread, suggesting a potential defect in the steering gear or electric steering system. GM has not issued a recall or service bulletin on this yet, and repair costs are substantial out-of-pocket. This issue could result in loss of control if it worsens. Please investigate.

Filed Sep 1, 2023 · Driver assistance, Electrical · CA

My vehicle, an a whole host of others according to other owners online, have an issue with defective sealing in the rear bumper and underbody of the vehicle which allows water to enter, flooding the trunk which fries the electrical harness and audio system. As a result, all warning systems including the Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Parking Collision Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Warning, turn signals, emergency lights, door ajar warning, and vehicle status warning systems are inaudible. This is not just a nuisance of not having an audio system but posses great danger to the driver, their passengers and others on the road as warning systems cannot be heard. In addition, the wiring harness affects other critical components on the car and considering this is an all electric vehicle, this is of great concern. Chevrolet is well aware of the issue but either instructs dealerships to not cover the issue under warranty or has not sufficiently informed their dealerships that this is a known manufacturing defect that should be covered.

Filed Apr 5, 2021 · Driver assistance · 50 miles · VA

Lane departure warning system does not audible alert or seat vibration as stated on page 212 of the owners manual or as described on the chevy website. The lights on the dash do work as described in the manual. Https://my.chevrolet.com/how-to-support/driving-performance/driving/lane-keep-assist-departure-warning