This preliminary informational (PI) bulletin provides information to dealership personnel that may be helpful when addressing underbody component corrosion with customers.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Chevrolet Impala steering problems
severe Owners of the 2013 Chevrolet Impala have filed 34 NHTSA complaints about the steering, typically surfacing around 55,000 miles at roughly $700 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
34
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
| Model year | steering complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 Impala | 57 |
| 2010 Impala | 42 |
| 2011 Impala | 35 |
| 2012 Impala | 49 |
| 2013 Impala (this page) | 34 |
| 2014 Impala | 137 |
| 2015 Impala | 44 |
| 2016 Impala | 16 |
| 2017 Impala | 10 |
1crash
2injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 34 steering complaints filed for the 2013 Chevrolet Impala, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 34 steering complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 8 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This service bulletin provides a procedure inspecting for excess grease or Sealant on the Exterior of the steering gear due to seeing grease or sealant on certain locations on the gear.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This informational bulletin explains Unscheduled Supplemental Services and the importance of GM Simplified Maintenance Schedules.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides a vibration analysis worksheet the technician can use in conjunction with the appropriate Vibration Analysis-Road testing procedure when diagnosing vibration concerns.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides technicians with updated information to help identify the differences between what is considered a fluid leak, and what is considered fluid seepage.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
2013 Impala steering complaints center on three interlocking problems. First, power steering fluid leaks from the gear or column appear across the fleet, starting as early as 20,000 miles. Owners notice grinding when turning and temporary relief after topping off fluid, but the leak returns. Repair costs run $1,300–$1,829.50, and one owner had the gear replaced twice within a year—a red flag for design or manufacturing defect.
Second, a grinding noise erupts during low-speed turns and acceleration from a stop, often accompanied by warning lights (Service Traction Control, Service Stabilitrak, ABS, Service Brake Assist) and momentary power loss. This symptom cluster is widespread and hard for dealers to reproduce. Some owners have replaced wheel hubs, ABS sensors, and done alignments without resolution. One dealership told an owner they would not explore the front end for a noise unless a "catastrophic event" occurred.
Third, several owners report steering lock-up, including one critical case where the steering wheel locked on a highway, causing the vehicle to strike a street sign and be totaled. One owner also reported an ignition-system lock when the wheel was turned—an immobilizing defect.
Electrical glitches involving loss of power steering and brakes (though temporary) and cascading warning-light failures round out the complaints. The pattern suggests a systemic issue that often emerges after warranty expiration.
Same Chevrolet Impala steering reports on nearby years: 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2014 · 2015
Failure modes owners describe
Steering gear/column leaks
Power steering fluid leaks from the steering gear or column. Dealers quote $1,300–$1,829.50 to replace. Owners report the leak can be temporarily masked by topping off fluid but returns; a grinding or scraping noise accompanies the symptom, especially when turning.
When: Reported from 20,000 miles to 60,000+ miles; often discovered during routine maintenance or dealership inspections.
Symptoms owners cite: Grinding or scraping noise when turning; Power steering fluid leak visible; Temporary relief after adding fluid; Squeaking from steering column
Repairs/costs cited: Steering gear replacement $1,300–$1,829.50; one owner reports gear replaced twice (at 20,080 and 33,393 miles) within the same year.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls mentioned; dealers indicate leak will eventually worsen and could lead to steering failure; one owner notes GM declined to pay dealer to explore the front end for a noise.
Grinding noise and loss of acceleration during turns (multi-system fault)
Owners report a grinding noise from the front end (often left side) when making turns or accelerating from a stop, frequently accompanied by warning lights (Service Traction Control, Service Stabilitrak, ABS, Service Brake Assist) and a loss of power/hesitation. The grinding is intermittent and often hard for dealers to reproduce. Some owners report replacing wheel hubs, ABS sensors, and alignment work without resolving the issue.
When: Reported across mileage range: 7,500 miles to 85,000+ miles; some owners report onset within weeks of purchase or after 3 weeks of symptom appearance.
Symptoms owners cite: Grinding noise from front end, especially during left turns or acceleration from stop; Hesitation or loss of power during turns; Service Traction Control light illuminates; Service Stabilitrak light illuminates; ABS light illuminates; Service Brake Assist light illuminates; Difficulty reproducing the fault at dealership; Steering wheel vibration at low speeds
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report replacing left wheel hub/bearing assembly, ABS sensors, TPMS sensors, alignment correction, transmission service. Multiple repair attempts often unsuccessful.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers unable to reproduce or diagnose the issue; one shop told owner without hearing the noise all the time they would have to wait for a 'catastrophic event'; owner noted online forums suggest many Impala owners have the same unresolved issue.
Steering wheel lock-up or stuck steering
Steering wheel becomes stuck or locks during operation, restricting turning. One critical report describes steering wheel locking on highway at speed, causing vehicle to swerve and strike a street sign, totaling the car. Another owner reports ignition key would not turn with wheel in locked position.
When: One incident on highway; ignition issue at unknown mileage.
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel locks during driving; Loss of steering control; Inability to turn ignition key when wheel locked
Repairs/costs cited: Highway incident resulted in vehicle totaled; ignition issue determined to require ignition switch replacement.
Clunking, popping, and backing-up grinding noises
Owner reports clunking at 25 mph, popping from front end, and grinding noise when backing up or pulling forward. Dealer diagnosis identified excessive play in both lower control arms and right front hub, torn engine/strut/transmission mounts, and leaking front timing cover and steering gear rack—all requiring replacement.
When: 60,302 miles; owner had purchased car used.
Symptoms owners cite: Clunking noise at 25 mph; Popping noise from front end; Grinding noise when backing up or pulling forward; Temporary steering lag during low-speed left turns (engine revving, no movement for seconds, then sudden forward lurch)
Repairs/costs cited: Lower control arms, right front hub, engine mounts (front and rear), strut mount, transmission mount, front timing cover, steering gear rack all identified as needing replacement. Dealership covered part of cost; owner's out-of-pocket: $2,000.
Steering wheel vibration and shimmy at highway speed
Steering wheel shakes or vibrates at 45–50 mph without pulling the vehicle. Accompanies uneven tire wear and floor vibration. Multiple attempts to fix (motor mount tightening and replacement, strut spacer installation) have not resolved the issue.
When: Early in ownership; car had 19,000 miles when purchased.
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel shakes at 45–50 mph; Vibration felt in floor under feet; Uneven tire wear (driver's side); Banging noise in front end when backing and turning
Repairs/costs cited: Repairs attempted: motor mount tightened, motor mount replaced (same one re-tightened two weeks prior), strut spacer installed (did not resolve noise).
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM declined to pay for further diagnostic exploration of front end; dealer advised waiting for catastrophic event to occur before further diagnosis.
Partial electrical system failure with power steering/brake loss
Brief but severe electrical malfunction caused loss of lights, radio, air conditioning, gauge lights, power steering, and power brakes for approximately five minutes while engine and transmission continued running. Vehicle exhibited cascading warning lights (Stabilitrak, airbag, tire pressure) as systems recovered. One related report: engine stalled at 35 mph, power steering and brakes failed, then vehicle restarted.
When: One incident described as happening after January purchase; second incident at 44,500 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of lights, radio, AC, gauge lights; Loss of power steering; Loss of power brakes; Service Stabilitrak warning light delayed recovery; Airbag warning light delayed recovery; Tire pressure warning light illuminated; Engine stall with power steering/brake failure (separate report)
Steering column/wheel lock when parked with wheel turned
Owner unable to turn ignition key to start vehicle when steering wheel was in locked (turned) position; vehicle could not be started until resolved.
When: Unknown mileage; occurred at startup after parking.
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel locked in turned position; Ignition key would not turn; Vehicle immobilized
Repairs/costs cited: Ignition switch replacement required.
ABS/stability system false activation on low-speed turns
ABS sensor or stability system triggers false warning lights and momentary wheel lockup or grinding noise during low-speed turns or acceleration from a dead stop, even on dry pavement with no traction loss. System releases after a few seconds and car resumes normal operation.
When: 1–5 mph turns and dead-stop acceleration.
Symptoms owners cite: ABS light illuminates at 1–5 mph during turns; ABS grinding sound; Wheel briefly locks or hesitates; System resolves within seconds
Synthesized from 34 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Stabilitrack and traction control will randomly fail while backing and driving. Especially with right hand steering input. Many times while driving and turing right, stanilitrack and traction control will alert failure and the input from the accelerator will cease causing slow tiring leading to near miss traffic collisions. Chevy can not find problem and numerous online reports of the same…
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet impala. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 MPH, the stability control warning light illuminated intermittently. In addition, the steering wheel vibrated causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. On another occasion, the vehicle could not be shifted out of gear and the service brake warning light illuminated. The vehicle was…
Had steering trouble with your 2013 Chevrolet Impala?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2013 Chevrolet Impala?
It's a meaningful issue. 34 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 27 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 34,770 and 85,000 miles, with the median around 55,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 34,770; a quarter make it past 85,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Chevrolet/Impala.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.