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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
18,623 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 steering problems

steering problem

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2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Owner Comments

problem #16

Feb 182023

Silverado 1500

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

On two occasions the vehicle has been parked in our drive way and has rolled away approximately 15 ft until being stopping at a snowbank. There have been no warning lights that would indicate an issue prior to this happening. Searching open recalls, I found that although my specific VIN is not affected by a safety recall, there is a recall for this issue on other 2013 Chevrolet Silverado. I believe my vehicle should be included in this recall. If this were to have happened in another location, it could have resulted in a crash and major damage to bystanders or other vehicles.

- Chassell, MI, USA

problem #15

Dec 202022

Silverado 1500

  • miles
Service traction control system and service stabilitrak system comes on dashboard periodically after driving for 30 minutes then goes off.

- Owingsville, KY, USA

problem #14

Jul 252021

Silverado 1500

  • miles
bought this truck from Granger DCJR in Orange, tx on 7/20/21. upon further inspection of vehicle on 7/25/21 found that there are no bushings in the rear shocks and that when you steer the truck at low speeds from a stop sign the rack and pinion locks up and you can not steer the truck. the steering issue almost caused me to hit 3 cars and almost run in a ditch. dealer states that they have spent to much money on this truck and refuses to do the repairs. now im stuck with a truck that cant be driven. also this truck supposedly passed a 172 point inspection but i dont see how with these issues.

- Crosby, TX, USA

problem #13

Aug 012016

Silverado 1500

  • 56,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While driving in a parking lot at a very low speed, the power steering seized. When the rpms were high, the power steering worked normally. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer stated that there was no recall and the contact was advised to call NHTSA. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 56,000.

- Ashdown, AR, USA

problem #12

Aug 132018

Silverado 1500 8-cyl

  • 12,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While the contact was attempting to park the vehicle in reverse, the power steering seized without warning. The contact mentioned that the failure occurred periodically. The vehicle was taken to alexander Chevrolet Buick GMC (2211 tn-46, dickson, tn 37055, (615) 446-5141) and the contact was informed that the electrical power steering was designed to operate in that manner. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 12,000. The consumer was not parking in reverse, but backing out of a parking space. The steering has never seized; however, the vehicle has lost power assisted steering while parking or, leaving parking.

- Cumberland Furnace, TN, USA

problem #11

Feb 132018

Silverado 1500

  • 64,360 miles
While at low speeds, usually during a parking lot maneuver type condition... my truck's entire electrical system seems to shut down several times for like a second or two at a time. But it happens rapidly. Llke 4 to 5 times within 10 seconds. Due to the electronic steering not operating when it does this, it will bounce the steering sporadically when it cuts on/off and kind of scare you. At the same time the sad lights flicker and the door locks lock and unlock rapidly. Even as a veteran driver, it all happens so fast that you cannot regain control easily. When I stop, turn the truck off then restart it, it's been ok. This has only happened 3 times. But it clearly seems to be a problem with the ignition system shutting on/off really fast.

- Dade City, FL, USA

problem #10

Jan 082016

Silverado 1500

  • 78,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I bought this used 2013 truck in late Nov 2015. When making (usually) a right turn at low speed, especially from a stop like entering traffic from an inclined access driveway, occasionally (maybe 3 times per month) there is a sudden and total failure of power assist in steering, making the turn extremely difficult and unable to keep from drifting out of the intended lane of travel. Collisions were avoided several times by (thankfully) oncoming traffic veering out of the way. This sudden loss of steering control particularly at this unexpected time while accelerating to negotiate a traffic entry is extremely dangerous. This one-ton truck is not like a subcompact that is easy to turn 90 degrees without power steering, believe me. If my wife were driving, the truck would surely go completely across all lanes of oncoming traffic. After completing the turn, the power steering returns to normal, however the power assist steering on this 2013 truck has always been far less effective than my previous identical model, but 8 years older Chevy diesel one-ton truck.

- Salem, OR, USA

problem #9

Apr 012013

Silverado 1500

  • 300 miles
At parking speeds the steering gets like if power steering is dead. Took it to dealership who noticed problem and said it was "normal". parking can become a risky maneuver. Ps fluid and belt are normal.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #8

Aug 042014

Silverado 1500

  • 11,000 miles
Trying to turn in driveway at home, pickup truck surged ahead, causing head-on collision with fire hydrant, steering wheel locked up, seatbelt locked up, doors would not unlocked. My wife sustained numerous injuries. Complained to insurance company to no avail. GM showed up at my house for computer analysis, process still ongoing. Truck in shop for surging waiting on results. My wife will not operate truck anymore.

- Blooming Grove, TX, USA

problem #7

Jul 172014

Silverado 1500 8-cyl

  • 19,800 miles
We have many problems with our truck. I don't remember all the dates so I am starting with the most recent and will work back. On 7/17/14 I was driving down the highway when the steering wheel of my truck locked up on me and the truck would no longer accelerate. I could no longer steer. Had I not been trying to make a lane change when it happened, I would have been ran over by 2 semis who then had to scramble to avoid hitting me. One took the turn lane while the other almost ran a car off the road to get around me. Everything else on the truck was still working, lights, ac, radio, windows, everything, just not steering. One time I turned on my truck and could not switch through the gears so that I could drive and the dash had no information on it (no compass, temp reading, mileage). It would move through the gears but it wouldn't drive. I had to turn my truck on and off 3 times before I could drive. Our driver side window no longer auto rolls down, our bumper is falling apart and we have never been in an accident, the drivers door leaks when it rains, and our door locks will occasionally not disengage so when we go to shut the door it just bounces of the latch. This has caused one of our doors to come off the hinges and almost fall off our truck. We have had all 4 door locks replaced and they are still doing it.

- Bryan, TX, USA

problem #6

Aug 082013

Silverado 1500 4WD 4-cyl

  • 500 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The problem I have been having has been going on for almost a year. The steering wheel seems to have a "dead spot" in it when the steering wheel is turned 3/4 turn to 1 complete turn. You can feel the slack in the steering box when making a turn(left or right)the steering wheel will have up to 2 1/2 inches of "free play" when turning(there is no "free play" when driving straight) it has been doing this since the day I bought the pickup new off of the lot. I have had it looked at since then and been told by GM mechanics that it is the steering gear. If you tighten up the steering gear it will take the "free play" out, but the steering will be more sensitive when driving down the road. So tightening up the steering gear solves one problem but causes problems elsewhere"?" according to the federal motor carrier safety administration(fmcsa) section 393.209 steering wheel systems. That(depending on the size of steering wheel) the steering wheel lash shall not exceed 14 degrees angular rotation for manual steering or 30 degrees angular rotation for power steering systems at any given position of the steering wheel. With rules and regulations like that on commercial vehicles, how is my personal vehicle considered "safe" with 2 1/2 inches of "free play" in the steering wheel"?"

- North Bend, NE, USA

problem #5

May 082014

Silverado 1500

  • 19,988 miles
Traveling at 55 mph steering locked up and was unable to steer the vehicle. 15 minutes later did the same thing at 45 mph during busy traffic and again approximately 10 minutes later at 45 mph.

- Radcliff, KY, USA

problem #4

Apr 012014

Silverado 1500 8-cyl

  • 17,894 miles
I was traveling at 55 miles per hour on a 2 lane highway. Vehicle became unresponsive to steering and brakes were not working correctly. Peddle had to be pushed all the way to the floor. Got vehicle slowed down and turned off. Once restarting steering was very tight but functional. Similar incident in 2013 resulted in an accident. Several more steering issues since December of 2013. Has been taken in for service and nothing has ever been fixed.

- Radcliff, KY, USA

problem #3

Sep 042013

Silverado 1500 4WD 8-cyl

  • 9,744 miles
Traveling at about ten miles per hour. Vehicle became unresponsive to any attempt to steer and a loud ding noise played. Vehicle struck concrete light pole. Had been driving the vehicle for an hour and had just came off of the interstate. Pulled into a parking lot and that is when steering quit working.

- Sterling, IL, USA

problem #2

Feb 022013

Silverado 1500

  • 3,289 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that the power steering assist failed without warning and the steering wheel became hard to turn. The failure recurred intermittently. The dealer test drove the vehicle but was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 3,289 and current mileage was 11,500.

- Canoga Park , CA, USA

problem #1

Apr 192013

Silverado 1500 8-cyl

  • 5,100 miles
Traveling 70 mph on freeway, naturally veering left to right went to correct to the right and steering wheel locked up. I could turn to the left more but could not correct back to the right. Had to slow down to about 35 mph nearly causing someone to rear-end me, then it finally broke loose. The entire ordeal lasted aprox. 12 seconds before it was corrected.

- Springport, MI, USA

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