2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 · symptom sheet
Power steering cuts out or goes heavy
- 47owner reports
- 58,900median miles
- $2,700median quote
- 2involved a crash
Newest report Aug 12, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
111 of the 799 complaints on this car are about the steering system. 47 of those describe power steering loss.
Tick what matches of 47 reports
Power steering loss on other Silverado 1500 years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Power steering loss is the steering wheel suddenly going heavy, usually with a warning on the dash. Nearly six in ten complaints in this group mention a warning light or message, and almost two thirds mention driving or highway speed rather than parking.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the steering rack (9 reports) and the EPS motor or module (4 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the steering system covers the 2016 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the steering system on the Silverado 1500
Steering gear/grame attaching bolts. Closed nov 27, 2001, led to recall 98V-242.
None of these investigations covers the 2016 model year.
What owners paid
6 of the 47 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $1,500 to $2,729.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 40,000 and 87,000 miles, from the 37 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 11 service bulletins or notices for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician with additional information on the functionality of Lane Keep Assist.
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to flush and bleed power steering system to correct a power steering noise or fluid leak concern that is caused during extremely low temperatures.
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to reprogram the power steering control module to correct a condition of Loss of Steering Assist due to a software abnormality.
This preliminary information bulletin provides information for diagnosing a power steering fluid leak at the fluid reservoir.
7 more on the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 page.
What owners wrote
“Power steering suddenly quit at highway speed. Found a loose negative battery Pole. Tighten it. Then two weeks later it did the same thing at highway speed. No steering at all. Very dangerous at 70 mph on curved roads. Took it to chev dealer truck repair shop. Said the negative cable was bad and an electric motor in the steering housing had an electric short. Able to fix it at $2729!”
Filed May 23, 2025
“I was turning at low speeds and my power steering kept going out temporarily causing my steering wheel to jerk abruptly. While this was happening the dash lights and radio all went blank, turning on and off. Huge safety concern.”
Filed Oct 30, 2023
“Driving down our road and the truck instantly lost power steering. Got home turned off the truck. Turned it backon and it worked. Each time I turn the vehicle off and turn it on the power steering works for a very brief time and then stops.”
Filed May 2, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 2 of 47 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 266 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 89 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 65 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 41 reports
- A/C blows warm or the compressor fails 33 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 31 reports
- Suspension noise, struts or alignment 30 reports
- Wheel bearing, tires or wheels 26 reports