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 ↗2020 Chevrolet Equinox steering problems
severe Owners of the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox have filed 13 NHTSA complaints about the steering at roughly $700 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See steering across all vehicles →
Complaints
13
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
| Model year | steering complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 Equinox | 7 |
| 2018 Equinox | 15 |
| 2019 Equinox | 9 |
| 2020 Equinox (this page) | 13 |
| 2021 Equinox | 4 |
| 2022 Equinox | 5 |
| 2023 Equinox | 6 |
2crashes
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 informational bulletin instructs the tech when fuel/fluid is needed to be tested and where it can be sent for analysis.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗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 information on No Heated Seats or Heated Steering Wheel During Remote Start.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe critical steering failures starting at low mileage. One reported total loss of power steering assistance at 60,800 miles, forcing the vehicle off-road; another experienced the same loss mid-drive and struck a guardrail. A third owner had the steering suddenly pull hard to the right at 25 mph, hitting a parked vehicle. These aren't minor annoyances—they're complete loss-of-control events.
Front half-shaft failures with excessive lateral runout cause severe steering-wheel vibration during acceleration starting around 4,000 miles. One owner had both shafts replaced at 12,836 miles under GM bulletin 20-NA-227, only to have the same problem recur by 21,500 miles. Steering-wheel wobble at 39 mph persists despite repeated tire rebalancing.
Sensor and electrical gremlins plague the system: Keep Lane Assist loses lane detection intermittently and re-enables itself every startup despite being disabled. Park Assist activates randomly. Check Engine lights come and go without stored codes. One owner hit with brake-module replacement twice and a shoulder-nut replacement—all for what turned out to be a battery issue.
Warranty coverage has been refused on multiple vehicles. Dealers and GM have declined to address known issues, leaving owners unsafe and stranded. Steering-system knocking appears on nearly-new vehicles with under 2,000 miles.
Same Chevrolet Equinox steering reports on nearby years: 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Power steering assist loss
Complete loss of power steering while driving, leaving only manual steering effort available. One owner lost steering assist on highway and went off-road; another lost it mid-drive and hit a guardrail. No warning indicators in some cases.
When: 60,800 miles (narrative #1); low mileage unspecified (narrative #7)
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering assist warning light illuminated; Steering wheel becomes stiff and heavy; Loss of power steering with no advance warning; Vehicle difficult to control after loss of assist
Codes mentioned: Power steering ESC sensor code
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report power steering motor issue related to traction control system (per AutoZone discussion in #1). Dealers declined repairs under warranty on used purchase (#1). One case replaced brake module twice and shoulder nut due to false sensor signals (#4).
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM refused to assist one owner and blamed collision damage (#7). Another dealer refused warranty coverage claiming pre-existing condition on used purchase (#1).
Steering pull to one side
Unintended and sudden steering pull to the right during normal driving at low speeds. Owner struck parked vehicle unable to correct steering before impact.
When: Recent purchase, low mileage (narrative #5)
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle steering pulled sharply to the right without driver input; Occurs on straight roads at low speed (25 mph); No tactile feedback or warning before failure
Repairs/costs cited: Owner suspects electric steering system fault. No repair documented; collision resulted.
Front half-shaft failure with excessive runout
Premature left and right front half-shaft failures due to excessive lateral runout, causing severe steering wheel vibration and shaking. Recurred after warranty repair using GM bulletin fix.
When: 12,836 miles (first failure); recurred by 21,500 miles (narrative #6)
Symptoms owners cite: Severe shaking and vibration in steering wheel; Shaking during acceleration, typically at 2-3 gear shift; Steering becomes difficult to control during shaking events; Initial sporadic occurrence starting around 4,000 miles
Codes mentioned: Excessive lateral runout (half-shaft)
Repairs/costs cited: Both left and right front half-shafts replaced at 12,836 miles. Parts replaced again under bulletin 20-NA-227.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Bulletin 20-NA-227 applied for half-shaft replacement per dealer.
Steering wheel knocking noise on turn and backup
Knocking sound originating from steering system when turning or during backup maneuvers. Present on nearly new vehicle with minimal mileage.
When: Less than 2,000 miles (narrative #8)
Symptoms owners cite: Knocking noise when turning steering wheel; Knocking noise during backup and U-turn execution
Steering wheel wobble and vibration at highway speeds
Steering wheel wobbles and shakes during acceleration at highway speeds. Dealer troubleshooting has been ineffective, repeatedly adding tire weights without resolving underlying issue.
When: Multiple service visits documented (narrative #9)
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel wobble at 39 mph during acceleration; Shaking in steering wheel; Vibration persists at highway speeds
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer repeatedly rebalanced and added weights to tires; problem persists. Root cause undiagnosed.
Keep Lane Assist system malfunction and design flaw
Lane-keeping assist loses lane detection intermittently and may steer vehicle across centerline or off road. System re-enables at each startup despite owner disabling it, and GM provides no permanent disable option unlike competitors.
When: Unspecified (narrative #3)
Symptoms owners cite: Lane detection disappears without warning on marked roads; Vehicle veers toward opposing lane or roadside; Keep Lane Assist re-enables automatically at vehicle restart; No manual disable switch provided
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Both dealership and GM declined to address the design flaw.
Park Assist intermittent activation with Check Engine Light
Park Assist system activates unexpectedly without driver input, often accompanied by illuminated Check Engine Light. Behavior is intermittent and produces no stored diagnostic codes, preventing diagnosis and repair.
When: Unspecified recurring (narrative #2)
Symptoms owners cite: Park Assist activates without manual trigger; Check Engine Light illuminates; Intermittent occurrence with no pattern; Warning lights disappear temporarily then return
Repairs/costs cited: Scans at O'Reilly Auto Parts and Tires Plus found no stored codes. Both locations declined repair due to lack of actionable fault codes.
Steer Assist reduced message with shifting and idling issues
Steering assist system shows reduced capability message. Occurs alongside transmission hard shifting and idle control problems, suggesting possible electrical or module communication fault.
When: Unspecified (narrative #10)
Symptoms owners cite: Steer Assist reduced warning message; Hard gear shifts; Rough or irregular idling; Gears sticking or hesitating
Synthesized from 13 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had steering trouble with your 2020 Chevrolet Equinox?
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 2020 Chevrolet Equinox?
It's a meaningful issue. 13 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Based on the 13 complaints filed, steering issues most often appear around 3,459 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
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/2020/Chevrolet/Equinox.
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.