Power steering suddenly fails on 2015 Colorados while driving at highway or city speeds, with no advance warning. The steering wheel becomes rock-hard, requiring extreme effort to turn. An on-screen warning saying "Service Power Steering—Drive with Care" or "Service Stabilitrak" appears, sometimes accompanied by warning chimes. Owners report the failure resets after turning the truck off and restarting, but the problem recurs intermittently or escalates to permanent loss of assist.
The failure points to a faulty torque sensor or a corroded electrical connection in the steering gear's torque sensor harness. Owners cite diagnostic code C0545 (steering torque sensor fault) or U0420 (torque sensor not properly learned). Dealers have diagnosed and replaced the entire steering gear assembly, steering column, electric rack and pinion system, and wiring harnesses—parts costing $1,500 to $2,800 per repair.
The recurring complaint centers on recall exclusion. GM issued recalls 16V054000 and 21V213000 for the identical power steering failure, but only for vehicles manufactured within specific date windows (e.g., January–March 2015). Many owners report their 2015 Colorados experience the exact same symptoms yet fall outside the recall window and receive no manufacturer assistance. Some owners even attempted the recall repair procedure out-of-pocket on vehicles not officially recalled, only to experience failure recurrence. Weather and electrical conditions (rain, low battery voltage) have been reported as triggers in some cases, suggesting moisture infiltration or connection sensitivity at the torque sensor.
Failure modes owners describe
Intermittent loss of power steering assist
Power steering suddenly fails during driving at various speeds, rendering the steering wheel difficult or extremely difficult to turn. Failure occurs without warning and resets after vehicle restart (off/on cycle), though it recurs intermittently or progresses to persistent failure.
When: Occurs at highway speeds (40-70 mph), city speeds (30 mph), and at rest; mileage range 22,000 to 138,000 miles; some reports as early as within first weeks/months of ownership, others after years of service
Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of power steering assist; Steering wheel becomes extremely stiff and difficult to turn; 'Service Power Steering, Drive with Care' dashboard message; 'Service Stabilitrak' warning light; Loss of traction control capability; Steering wheel locks or binds; Engine does not shut off; vehicle maintains power; Momentary engine hesitation reported in some cases
Codes mentioned: U0420/U0420-42 (Torque sensor not properly learned), C0545 (Steering torque sensor fault), DTC indicating poor electrical connection in torque sensor harness
Repairs/costs cited: Owners cite replacement of steering gear assembly ($1,700–$2,800), steering column ($1,800), electric rack and pinion system ($1,800), torque sensor cover, and programming/recalibration of power steering control module (PSCM). One owner reports parts were on national backorder. Costs typically $1,500–$2,800 out of pocket when not covered by warranty or recall.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recalls 15595/15595A (16V054000) and 21V213000 issued for similar symptoms, but many owners report their VINs excluded despite identical symptoms. Recall 16V054000 covers 2015 models manufactured January 6 – March 17, 2015. Owners outside the recall window were told by dealers and GM that vehicle not covered, but GM approved torque sensor cover replacement as recall repair in at least one case. GM offered partial cost coverage in some cases, denied assistance in others. Warranty expiration cited as reason to deny coverage.
Power steering system electrical faults (torque sensor/harness)
Defective torque sensor or poor electrical connections within the steering gear assembly and torque sensor harness cause intermittent loss of power assist. Sensor circuit exhibits erratic signals; wiring harness shows external shorts, failed connections, or corrosion.
When: First occurrence at various mileages; one case at 34,141 miles (Feb 2017), another at 42,000 miles, another at 80,000–138,000 miles. Some failures emerge after recall repair attempt.
Symptoms owners cite: Erratic torque sensor signals; Inability to immediately respond to steering input; Intermittent power steering loss followed by sudden re-engagement; No diagnostic codes stored after power-down; On-screen gauge anomalies (RPM and speedometer drop to zero in one report)
Codes mentioned: C0545, U0420/42, DTC U0420 (Torque sensor not properly learned)
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report replacement of torque sensor cover, steering gear assembly with integrated torque sensor ($1,500–$2,500), PSCM reprogramming/setup, and wiring harness repair. One case documented external short in sensor wiring requiring harness replacement and torque sensor reprogramming. Parts were on backorder in at least one case.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 16V054000 addresses torque sensor defect but excludes many 2015 models manufactured outside January–March 2015 window, despite identical failure signatures. Recall 21V213000 also issued but similarly restricted by VIN/manufacture date. Dealers instructed to perform PSCM calibration/setup as troubleshooting first step; some dealers unable or unwilling to diagnose intermittent failures.
Persistent power steering loss after recall repair
Vehicle continues to experience power steering loss and steering wheel lock even after dealership completion of recall repair (torque sensor cover replacement, steering gear replacement, PSCM recalibration). Failure mode identical to pre-repair condition.
When: Days to weeks after recall repair completion; one case documented steering lock 20+ times within days of initial recall repair (2/9/17–3/22/17); another case recurred after gear replacement at 110,372 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel locks or becomes extremely difficult to turn; Power steering assist warning light illuminates; Intermittent or persistent steering wheel stiffness during turns; Knocking sound from front suspension (reported in one case after recall repair, later attributed to loose fog light, but knocking persisted); Steering does not immediately respond when cornering
Codes mentioned: No DTC codes retrieved in some cases despite steering failure, C0545 in others
Repairs/costs cited: First repair: torque sensor cover replacement. Subsequent repairs included steering gear replacement, front end alignment, EPSCM setup. One case required two additional dealer visits; second case incurred another $2,000+ repair estimate for steering column replacement after original gear swap failed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers unable to reproduce issue on test drive or unable to locate diagnostic codes; denied warranty repair on return visit. In one case, vehicle was under recall (16V054000) and repair was performed, but failure recurred; manufacturer and dealer offered no resolution on subsequent complaint.
Steering failure related to electronic control system resets
Complex failure affecting multiple electronic systems (power steering, stability control, engine management) that requires manual reset: driver must turn off vehicle and wait 30–60 seconds before restarting; sometimes requires multiple key turns (up to 5) to restore function. Failure recurs sporadically.
When: Intermittent; one case occurring since October 2019 purchase, with 4 service visits over ~4 months (Oct 2019–Feb 2020) and one additional July 2020 visit. No single failure mileage cited; described as random.
Symptoms owners cite: Engine momentary hesitation; Service Stabilitrak error code and engine light; RPM gauge and speedometer drop to zero; Power steering system failure with 'Drive with Care' message; Complete power steering loss; Audible computer reset 'click' after key-off wait; Computer system requires 5-key turns to restart
Codes mentioned: Service Stabilitrak code, Service Engine light
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replaced steering gear; issue persisted. Vehicle held for ~4 months at dealership that sold the vehicle; two additional dealership visits inconclusive. No successful repair documented.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer response documented in this complaint. Driver notes steering gear has been recalled previously for same year/make/model but his vehicle does not fall under manufacture date window of that recall.
Power steering failure with stability/ABS system faults
Simultaneous loss of power steering and loss or degradation of stability control (stabilitrak) and/or anti-lock braking system. Suggests common electrical or module-level fault affecting multiple vehicle control systems.
When: Various speeds and conditions; some cases at 65+ mph, others at low speed or while parked. One case at 50 mph, another at 35 mph making turns.
Symptoms owners cite: Service Power Steering and Service Stabilitrak warnings simultaneously; Loss of power steering assist coincident with traction control warning; ABS system warnings (in at least one case); In one case: braking failure (brake pedal did not stop vehicle; collision resulted); Warning tone/chime alerts
Codes mentioned: C0545, Stabilitrak-related codes, ABS codes (in one case)
Repairs/costs cited: One case: dealer attributed braking failure to faulty brake booster and vacuum system (no power steering repair documented). Other cases: steering gear and module assembly replacement cited; one estimated at $2,000+.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One case (braking failure with collision) resulted in local dealer and manufacturer notification; cause stated as not yet determined. Another case noted GM bulletin PIT5437B from September 2015 identifying the problem; tech informed driver vehicle was unsafe to operate, yet GM declined recall coverage.
Steering failure dependent on weather/electrical conditions
Power steering loss or warning messages triggered or worsened by wet weather, rain, or low battery/electrical voltage conditions. Appears to correlate with moisture or electrical instability affecting torque sensor or steering module connections.
When: Particularly during rain; one case occurred 2/13/20 in rain, recurred 2/25–26/20 in rain, normal operation when dry. Another case mentioned odd battery voltage; one case involved battery replacement as first diagnostic attempt.
Symptoms owners cite: Service Power Steering and Stabilitrak warnings appear during or after rain; Warnings clear when weather is dry and vehicle is dry; Steering wheel jerks or regains power after brief loss; Intermittent nature correlates with weather pattern
Codes mentioned: No codes retrieved in dry condition, Warnings appear without stored DTC in some cases
Repairs/costs cited: One dealer recommended $1,800 electric rack and pinion replacement; GM offered to cover half cost (~$900). Another dealer diagnosed poor electrical connection in torque sensor harness and performed firmware flash ($200), which did not resolve issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM offered partial ($900) coverage in one rain-related case. Dealer and GM did not identify the root cause (likely moisture-sensitive connector/harness) and provided hardware replacement as fix. One dealer performed firmware update instead of diagnosing electrical connection issue.
Synthesized from 351 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.