The power steering locks up and message appears saying power steering enabled please drive carefully. When this happens the steering wheel becomes very hard to turn, sometimes making it impossible to turn right or left if it is a sharp turn. I then have to shut car off and start it again and move steering wheel in order for it to steer properly again. Sometimes I have to repeat this process over and over again while driving from point A to B. Then at other times I have no issue. As of today(4/27/2026) this has been happening on a daily basis for the past 2 weeks. Before then, it was occasionally beginning in November 2025. A friend told me there was a recall but there are none listed for this car on the dealership site. When I googled recalls, it stated there were 3 critical recalls 1 being this power steering issue.
Chevrolet Camaro steering lock-up problems
34 of the 2,968 owner complaints about the Chevrolet Camaro describe steering wheel locks up, most of them for the 2017 model year.
- owner complaints
- 34
- worst model year
- 2017
- typical mileage
- 41,235
By model year
Often reported together
Engine failure 13Stalling 4No deployment 3Jerking 2Ball joint 2Steering noise 1Shudder 1
What owners say
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Camaro. The contact stated when the vehicle was started, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with steering gear failure. The contact was informed that the steering gear needed to be replaced and reprogrammed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall repair; however, the VIN was not associated with the unknown recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 92,276.
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Camaro. The contact stated that while driving 37 MPH and approaching a curve in the road, the “Service Power Steering” warning light illuminated, and the steering wheel seized. The contact used an excessive amount of force to steer the vehicle and drove to a nearby parking lot. After the vehicle was parked for approximately 6 hours, the contact restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who refused to service the vehicle due to its age of the vehicle. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Camaro. The contact stated while attempting to reverse, the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was diagnosed with steering failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19V086000 (STEERING). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 71,000.
Every once in awhile, the ignition key will not turn off to the steering lock position. Leaving the key in Accessory position. This defect makes the key impossible to remove. The defect in the 2015 Camaro has been documented in many Automotive & Camaro forums, but GM denies that there is a problem. GM had a similar problem in 2.2 million cars; Models with a key-sticking issue, AN says, include the 2005-2010 Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevy HHR, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2005-2006 Pontiac G4/Pursuit, 2007-2010 Saturn Sky and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion.
Power steering locked up and would not allow me to turn
Our 2014 chevy camaro ss power steering would lock up on us when we were driving and would jerk and we wouldn't be able to steer the car and it was very scary especially when you were going the speed limit on the interstate going 65-70 MPH. My husband was coming home from court on 9/8/20 and it was also our 10 year anniversary and it locked up on him and the next thing he knew he was hit by a lady and he was on the side of the road and our car was totaled and he dont even have any recolition of what happened the impact of the lady hitting him knocked him out and he is lucky to be alive he suffered a broke arm and had to have surgery to have a plate and screws put in to repair it and we dont have a vehicle now. We had just purchased the car the end of may 2020. We seen a recall on the steering locking up and the chevy dealer said they couldn't replace it because the VIN number wasn't on recall. How can a vehicle that is doing the same exact thing as the same exact vehicle with a different letter in the VIN not be on recall for the same exact defect? My husband is lucky to be alive and now we are left with no vehicle. Can someone please tell me how this is possible id like to have my vehicle replaced due to this recall that was defective in my vehicle. We have a friend who had the same issue and they told him the same thing about his VIN so he traded his camaro in for a different vehicle. I would love to have my car replaced or repaired because of this issue/recall. Im uploading a picture of what my camaro looks like now.
Steering wheel locked up
Sometimes when I turnoff the car, the keys doesn't come out, I have to seat in the car for about 5mins for the ignition to release keys, sometimes it takes more than 5mins so I have to leave the car open and go back to check if keys are release. What happens is the key position doesn't allow me turn the key all the way to the point where the steering lock clicks and allow keys out, it only stays in the position of when you turn off your automatic transmission car when it's not on park.
I own a 2011 camaro ss, I had 2 incidents , both times at a lunch break. Whilie leaving work to go home for lunch , the first incident I went to make a left turn at approx. 15mph . As I began the left turn unknowingly my car shut off power steering locked up and I slammed into curb and ended up on the landscape. The second time the exact thing but at a higher speed aprox. 45mph.at the bottom of the vincent thomas bridge heading west as I approach to bear left to gaffey st my vehicle did the same exact thing, meaning that the engine shutdown and steering wheel locked sending me into a k rail., knocking me unconscious ,the vehicle stopped 150 ft after impact. My vehicle was totaled
Related recalls
Steering: electric power assist system
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, 2017-2018 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist may fail.
- Risk
- A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2025. Owners may contact Cadilac customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020. GM's number for this recall is N252497020.
Recall number 25V175000 · Recall details
Steering: electric power assist system
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, and 2017 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist system may fail.
- Risk
- Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 13, 2019. GM' number for this recall is N182182760.
Recall number 19V086000 · Recall details
Steering
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Regal, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro and Chevrolet Impala vehicles. Improperly torqued fasteners may cause the steering intermediate shaft and the steering gear and/or the lower control arm and the lower ball joint to separate.
- Risk
- If any of the components separate, the vehicle may have a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM began to notify owners on June 27, 2014, and dealers will inspect the fasteners for correct torque, correcting them as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1‑800‑521‑7300 (Buick), 1‑800‑458‑8006 (Cadillac) or 1‑800‑222‑1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14378.
Recall number 14V409000 · Recall details
Steering: gear box (other than rack and pinion)
- What is wrong
- The steering intermediate shaft could have been improperly assembled causing the shaft lower coupling to loosen and rotate on the steering gear input shaft.
- Risk
- This condition can result in a loss of steering control increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the intermediate steering shaft for the correct lower coupling and replace it as required.
Recall number 95V046000 · Recall details
Questions about the Chevrolet Camaro steering lock-up
Which Chevrolet Camaro years have steering wheel locks up problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2017 (8 complaints), 2013 (5 complaints) and 2011 (4 complaints).
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