YearToAvoid

2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Steering Problems

NHTSA lists 42 steering complaints for the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 8% of that year's 520 total complaints, with 3 crashes and no fires or injuries reported. There is no related recall listed for this steering issue on the 2018 model year.

Steering complaints
42
8% of 520
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
28,042 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical steering symptoms owners report

  • Owners report sudden loss of power steering assist, often with a dashboard warning, making the wheel extremely difficult or impossible to turn.
  • Several drivers describe the steering wheel seizing or locking up momentarily during turns, sometimes returning to normal after releasing the accelerator and braking.
  • Some owners report the truck wandering or drifting between lanes at highway speed even while holding the wheel straight.
  • A few complaints describe the steering suddenly becoming stiff or tight at highway speeds, in one case leading to a crash after the wheel locked up.
  • One owner reported intermittent electrical clicking tied to a voltage drop that caused the power steering to cut out mid-turn.
  • Some owners noted the problem recurring repeatedly over short trips, with dealers unable to duplicate or diagnose the cause.

When 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 steering complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 18, 2018, latest Sep 18, 2026.

2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 steering complaints: complaints filed per month2Feb 2018Oct 2019Oct 2020Nov 2021Oct 2022May 2023Apr 2024Sep 2026
42 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2018 to Sep 2026; peak Dec 2019 (2).

Steering recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Steering complaints by Silverado 1500 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201010 (2%)
  2. 201111 (2%)
  3. 20126 (2%)
  4. 201318 (5%)
  5. 2014427 (27%)
  6. 2015174 (15%)
  7. 2016111 (14%)
  8. 201766 (8%)
  9. 201842 (8%)
  10. 201976 (7%)
  11. 202074 (10%)
  12. 202141 (5%)
  13. 202213 (2%)
  14. 20237 (2%)
  15. 202411 (4%)
  16. 20254 (4%)

Frequently asked questions

How many steering complaints does NHTSA have for the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
NHTSA lists 42 steering complaints for the 2018 Silverado 1500, which is 8% of the 520 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a steering recall for the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
No related recall is listed in the data for this steering issue on the 2018 Silverado 1500.
Did the steering problems cause crashes?
NHTSA data tied to these steering complaints shows 3 crashes, with no fires and no injuries reported.
At what mileage do steering problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure among these complaints is 28,042 miles, though some owners reported issues at much lower mileage.
Is 2018 worse than other Silverado 1500 years for steering complaints?
2018's steering complaints made up 8% of that year's total, lower than 2014 (27%), 2015 (15%), and 2016 (14%), suggesting 2018 is relatively less affected than those years.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.