91,197 complaints, 2,311 vehicles. Steering complaints break into two main camps: power steering loss (electric or hydraulic system fails, you suddenly need both arms to steer) and unintended steering movement (you're driving straight and the wheel pulls or the steering goes slack momentarily). The second category is the dangerous one. NHTSA classifies severity based on whether crashes or injuries are reported, which is why some steering problems appear under "critical" recalls while others sit as moderate complaints. Modern cars use electric power steering motors that can fail electronically without warning. When that happens at highway speed, it's a real safety issue. Several manufacturers have issued recalls over EPS module failures in the last decade. The vehicles on this list are where steering complaints dominate the pattern. Pay extra attention to the recall section for these — steering recalls tend to be the safety-critical kind that you get fixed immediately.
Steering problems
91,197 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 268 active recall campaigns.
Steering problems by manufacturer 31 makes with aggregated detail
Drill into a single manufacturer's steering record across all model years. Each page below carries data on the worst-affected year-models, active recalls, and editorial commentary from one of our contributors.
Worst-affected vehicles Top 25 by complaint volume
Most-recalled vehicles For steering components
Recent owner reports 12 most recent in this category
2024 Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD, VIN [XXX]. Steering defect appeared at approximately 12,000 miles (April 2025). Vehicle pulls significantly to the right, requiring constant steering correction. Driver must continuously hold left side of steering wheel to maintain straight path. If steering wheel released, vehicle immediately drifts right. Pull is…
Since I purchased this car new it has been problem after problem. Car now again is currently not running. It has been a nightmare and after further research there has been many complaints about this car. Please look into Land Rover it’s really a problem going on with them and their cars
In early October 2025, my 2021 RAM 1500 experienced a steering malfunction in which the vehicle attempted to steer on its own without driver input. This created a loss-of-control scenario and posed a serious safety risk to me and surrounding traffic. The vehicle was removed from service immediately and taken to an authorized RAM dealer.…
My Id 4 Pro S has this problem more going back almost 3 years with 8k miles when first reported to the dealership and [XXX] [XXX], [XXX],[XXX]. The correspondences are there as proof. Dealership never fixed this issue or diagnoses this properly since it only happens in wet weather or rainy mist or rain. The issues is the front tires in the front…
Steering column coupler went bad. Unable to swap out the coupler alone ($12 part) and had to get a whole new column (over $1200). Some of the Kia's around this one's make and model were recalled but not this one. Without this repair driving would have been dangerous.
The steering becomes stiff or seems to get stuck when between 10 or 11 o'clock position. It appears to be slowly deteriorating. It has not been reported yet and no warning lights showing. It does not yet stop the vehicle from being in control. It has been noticed over last year and not always as severe as other times.
I recently started to experience hard steering while in transit the power assist light came on and so does the advanced track warning light. I discovered there was a recall so I took it in to the Ford dealership, which was JC Lewis Ford in Savannah, Georgia, but the technician told me that there were too many miles and after 150,000 miles, the…
My electric power steering stopped working. Not safe to drive. This was fixed prior on recall. I did not own car then.
If you're shopping or owning a vehicle on this list, take the steering complaints seriously. Steering doesn't have a graceful failure mode.