Component
STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR
355 NHTSA complaints about steering:gear box:shaft sector issues across 24 makes and 117 models.
The steering:gear box:shaft sector is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 355 filings from 24 manufacturers and 117 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.
Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 31 crashes, 0 fires, 17 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the CHEVROLET SILVERADO with 27 filings, followed by CHEVROLET IMPALA and FORD F-150. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.
Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.
Most Affected Vehicles
| # | Vehicle | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHEVROLET SILVERADO | 27 |
| 2 | CHEVROLET IMPALA | 24 |
| 3 | FORD F-150 | 17 |
| 4 | CHEVROLET TAHOE | 15 |
| 5 | CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 | 12 |
| 6 | PONTIAC BONNEVILLE | 9 |
| 7 | GMC SIERRA | 9 |
| 8 | FORD F-250 | 9 |
| 9 | DODGE RAM 2500 | 8 |
| 10 | FORD WINDSTAR | 7 |
| 11 | DODGE RAM 1500 | 7 |
| 12 | DODGE RAM | 7 |
| 13 | DODGE DAKOTA | 7 |
| 14 | OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE | 6 |
| 15 | FORD RANGER | 6 |
| 16 | FORD EXPLORER | 6 |
| 17 | PONTIAC GRAND AM | 5 |
| 18 | HYUNDAI SONATA | 5 |
| 19 | FORD EXPEDITION | 5 |
| 20 | CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 | 5 |
| 21 | PONTIAC GRAND PRIX | 4 |
| 22 | OLDSMOBILE AURORA | 4 |
| 23 | JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE | 4 |
| 24 | GMC SIERRA 1500 | 4 |
| 25 | FORD F-550 SD | 4 |
| 26 | FORD F-350 | 4 |
| 27 | FORD F-250 SD | 4 |
| 28 | DODGE CARAVAN | 4 |
| 29 | CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO | 4 |
| 30 | TOYOTA HIGHLANDER | 3 |
Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 35 mph, an abnormally loud popping sound was heard inside the vehicle and the steering wheel was shaking and vibrating while dr
MY SERVICE SHIFTER LIGHT HAS CAME UP 3 SEPARATE TIMES. THE LAST TIME IT CAME ON, MY JEEP TOOK ITSELF FROM DRIVE TO PARK WHILE I WAS IN MOTION, LOCKING UP MY TIRES AND STEERING WHEEL. I COULD NOT GET M
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.
THERE WAS AN INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE STEERING GEAR BOX. THE SHAFT PIN SHREDDED OFF ALLOWING THE STEERING WHEEL TO SPIN FREELY WITH NO MOVEMENT TO THE WHEELS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 4 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT WAS SEPARATED
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON A STATE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE STEERING WHEEL/CAR SUDDENLY STARTING SHAKING EXTREMELY VIOLENTLY AND IT WAS ALL I COULD DO TO MAINTAIN CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE SAFELY. WHILE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN HE MADE A LEFT TURN, HE FELT THE VEHICLE SCRAPED CURB. HE BACKED UP AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE HOME. THE NEXT DAY, HE NOTICED THE STEERIN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN ALTHOUGH THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. THE VEHICLE CO
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE IN THE STEERING FOR A WHILE. ON JULY 24, 2010 WHILE REVERSING INTO A PARKING SPACE, AND THEN MOVING FORWARD TO P
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD WINDSTAR. THE VEHICLE HAD FAILURES REGARDING THE STEERING CONTROL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO LOCATE A RECALL IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 97V1650
AS I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE HIGHWAY THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND STARTED SHAKING FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AS IF IT WERE POSSESSED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO PULL OVER BECAUSE OF THE STRENGTH OF T
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING AT 2 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE GEAR BOX SHAFT HAD SHATTERED UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED BUT THE CONTAC
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THE DRIVER LOSS STEERING CONTROL. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO AN UTILITY POLE, BOULDER AND FE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET SILVERADO K1500. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT'S WIFE HEARD A CLUNKING SOUND AND NOTICED A DIFFERENCE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT TOOK T
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN MAKING A NOISE WHEN TURNED TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY
I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL ON 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT PROBLEM. I NOTICE IT HAS A NHTSA ITEM NUMBER 10019873. WHEN MY CAR WAS GETTING A STATE INSPECTION, THE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F250 HD. THE STEERING MECHANISM BECOMES LOOSE AND MAKES RANDOM NOISES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING LINKAGE WAS COMING AP
2007 EDGE THAT WAS PURCHASED 6 MONTHS AGO FROM GALPIN FORD, NO MATTER IF THEY ARE REPAIRED, PARTS WERE REPLACED OR NOT, THE PROBLEMS ARE ON-GOING, THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BROKE,THE ROLLERS ON THE WIN
THE RACK AND PINION STEERING AND THE STEERING GEAR ARE GOING OUT ON OUR 2005 DODGE CARAVAN. THE PARTS ARE ON BACKORDER. THERE ARE SEVEN (7) VANS AHEAD OF OURS WITH OUR DEALER. I SPOKE TO CHRYSLER AND
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Data Sources
Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.
Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.
Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.