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 ↗2022 Chevrolet Colorado steering problems
moderate Owners of the 2022 Chevrolet Colorado have filed 11 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
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
| Model year | steering complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 Colorado | 18 |
| 2019 Colorado | 21 |
| 2020 Colorado | 9 |
| 2021 Colorado | 10 |
| 2022 Colorado (this page) | 11 |
| 2023 Colorado | 6 |
| 2024 Colorado | 6 |
What stands out
Steering accounts for 23% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 4 categories tracked.
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 provides a guide on how to diagnose and test for vibrations utilizing the PicoScope.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This informational bulletin explains Unscheduled Supplemental Services and the importance of GM Simplified Maintenance Schedules.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report four distinct steering-related problems on the 2022 Colorado. First, the steering wheel occasionally catches, grabs, or locks up during slow-speed maneuvers like parking and turning, accompanied by a loud noise. One owner's wheel locked completely during a highway exit turn, nearly causing a crash. Dealers and independent shops have inspected these vehicles but failed to diagnose the root cause in most cases. One dealer initially blamed a faulty steering gear, then backed away from the diagnosis.
Second, some owners experience squeaking noises when turning at various speeds. One vehicle went through three separate dealer visits for this issue—a steering column replacement, intermediate shaft replacement, and boot replacement—yet the squeaking returned after each repair.
Third, a few owners report the steering wheel becoming stiff and difficult to turn, sometimes with a notchy or sticky feel requiring constant wheel adjustment. One owner's truck also had a faulty rack and pinion replaced, but the stiffness returned afterward.
Fourth, and most common across the complaints, owners report their ignition keys getting stuck in the column after turning off the engine. Owners have had to restart the vehicle multiple times and shift between park and drive repeatedly—or even disconnect the battery—to get the key out. One owner notes the problem is getting progressively worse.
Same Chevrolet Colorado steering reports on nearby years: 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Steering wheel catching, grabbing, or sticking at low speeds
Steering wheel occasionally catches, grabs, or locks up during slow-speed maneuvers, particularly during parking or turning. The catch occurs intermittently and requires powering through the grab. A loud noise accompanies the event.
When: Starting November 2025 in complaint #1; complaint #7 reports notchy steering at 22,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel catches or grabs during slow-speed turns; Loud noise when steering is forced through the grab; Steering wheel locks up completely during turns (complaint #2); Notchy feeling requiring back-and-forth wheel balancing (complaint #7)
Repairs/costs cited: Complaint #1: No diagnosis after dealership and independent shop inspection. Complaint #2: Dealer identified faulty steering gear requiring replacement, but later retracted diagnosis and declined to perform repair due to inability to recreate issue and warranty denial concerns. Complaint #4: Rack and pinion replaced but failure recurred after repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Complaint #1: GM problem resolution team in Detroit closed ticket without resolution. Complaint #2: Dealer initially unable to diagnose, then claimed steering gear replacement needed, then backed off. No other manufacturer response documented.
Steering wheel squeaking noise during turns
Abnormal squeaking noise from steering wheel when turning right or left at various speeds without warning. Requires multiple dealer repairs addressing different steering components.
When: Complaint #3: At approximately 6,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Squeaking noise when turning right or left; Occurs at various speeds
Repairs/costs cited: First visit: GM SIR coil and entire steering column replaced. Second visit: Intermediate steering shaft replaced. Third visit at Sir Walter Chevrolet (8501 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27612): Intermediate shaft removed, boot ring detached from boot found, boot replaced. Failure returned soon after each repair.
Difficult steering and sticking
Steering wheel becomes difficult to turn in either direction with sticking sensation while turning. May be accompanied by clanking sound from rear suspension over bumps.
When: Complaint #4: At 20,000 miles; Complaint #5: At approximately 20,550 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel difficult to turn in either direction; Sticking sensation while turning; Clanking sound from rear over bumps (complaint #4)
Repairs/costs cited: Complaint #4: Rack and pinion replaced, but failure recurred. Sway bar diagnosed as faulty and replaced. Complaint #5: Vehicle taken to dealer but not diagnosed or repaired.
Ignition key stuck in column, will not release
Key becomes stuck in the ignition column after parking and turning off the engine. Requires multiple attempts involving gear shifting between park and drive, or multiple restarts, to release the key. May require disconnecting the negative battery terminal.
When: Complaint #8: No mileage stated; Complaint #9: No mileage stated; Complaint #10: No mileage stated; Complaint #11: No mileage stated (getting progressively harder)
Symptoms owners cite: Key will not release from ignition after turning off engine; Requires shifting gears between drive and park multiple times; Requires turning engine off and on multiple times; May require disconnecting negative battery terminal to release key; Problem gets progressively harder over time (complaint #11); Inability to lock vehicle (complaint #6); Steering wheel will not lock in park position, creating roll-away risk (complaint #6)
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 7 most recent
Beginning in Nov 2025 my steering wheel occasionally catches, grabs or gets stuck at slow speeds in forward or reverse as I turn the wheel like pulling into a parking space. A loud noise also occurs as I ease the wheel off a little then power through the grab, which then returns to normal steering. I've been able to overpower the grab by powering through it. I brought my truck to an auto…
The key will not come out after park and engine turn off. It getting harder and harder each time to get the key out.
Key will not come out. Have to put car in park and shift gears to try to get key unlocked. Something have to disconnect the negative side of the battery to get key out.
Having problems with the key not being released from the ignition I have to; > turn truck off /on several times > put the truck in neutral and back in park several times before the key is released
i am unable to remove the key from the ignition. i have to start the vehicle numerous times all while shifting the gear shifter back and forth between drive and park. after several attempts the key will finally release.
Failure of the steering column to release the ignition key. The common failure occurs without warning or advance notice and may be an intermittent issue. Safety Issues: Unable to remove key from the ignition column results in: Inability to lock vehicle, potentially placing passangers at peril. Inability to properly park car as the steering wheel will not lock position, which results in a…
While driving with my wife and granddaughter we were getting off the freeway making a left turn to head into Nashville and the steering wheel locked up and would not allow me to turn the wheels. The dash board flashed and had to force it over to the right side of the road. The steering wheel locked up while making teh turn almost caused me to fill the truck and crash into other vehicles making…
Had steering trouble with your 2022 Chevrolet Colorado?
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 2022 Chevrolet Colorado?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 11 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Based on the 11 complaints filed, steering issues most often appear around 15,517 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/2022/Chevrolet/Colorado.
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.