well. My 2013 volt power steering craped out at 71,000 miles+-. It happened at an intersection yesterday while I was turning left and a big ol truck was turning right across from me. it just stopped working, it jerked the wheel to the right... if that guy was not driving as quick as he was I would have nailed him right in the midsection. Got honked at by the person behind them, which if they did not brake they would have hit me. Got that Service Power Steering message. I called Chevy dealer immediately. they said that there is a service call to program that power steering. took it in this morning. got a call back about 3pm. They said that the reprogram did not work and that I need a new steering gear (which I believe is the whole rack). They said they can do for $1800 and would take 6 hours. I told them I could not do that. They said, ok that will $55; their service bulletin did not work so they charged me $55. the power steering in my 79 chevy truck still works fine. I did some searching on here: 2012 volts are to have their steering gear replaced under extended warranty, 2013 is to get a systems update for it..? I see they are the same model number. now my car will just sit there until I can replace it. I do not think the steering wheel and column are designed to take the forces needed to drive this car without power steering. If the steering column breaks under these conditions, guess who's fault that is going to be. I own two of these cars. I can get a rack from ebay for about $200 with 1 year warranty. I have no clue what it will take to replace that thing anyone have a how to or chevy manual for this thing.
2013 power steering...poof...it is gone
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The steering rack in the 2012 was replace by the rack in the 2013s. When the 2012s get their steering rack replaced it's the new design that went into the 2013s. Yours sounds like a flat out steering rack failure, which is more than just the software reflash.
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Makes me wonder whether the power steering mechanism should be part of the powertrain warranty. You can't drive the car without it. It's all connected to the engine. Though on the flip side, with other cars, brakes, water pumps, AC, alternators probably aren't covered under the powertrain warranty.
my '13 has some extended warranty for the steering for 10/150K, the same issue Loboc is referring to.
https://gm.oemdtc.com/3411/14232a-s...ring-stick-slip-2010-2014-buick-chevrolet-gmc
It doesn't sound like the same issue the OP is having however which seems to be a complete failure.
https://gm.oemdtc.com/3411/14232a-s...ring-stick-slip-2010-2014-buick-chevrolet-gmc
It doesn't sound like the same issue the OP is having however which seems to be a complete failure.
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here is an update.
got a working steering rack from ebay. had the appointment made in back in December to switch out. They would charge me about $1200 to switch out and program. They said it should not be an issue, just that they would not warrant the part just the work.
They called me after they switched the steering rack out and told be it was still not working. that the steering rack may be vin locked. it was throwing the same code for both racks. they said he switched out the motors first then the rack. Same code for both.
the tech said it might be the torque sensor, which is not serviceable. I asked then why would it be throwing the same for both racks. wouldn't one be some sort of compatibility code and the other for torque sensor. he just shrugged his shoulders. this was the jist of it. so I still have no power steering. can not get the car inspected (legally). so kinda stuck. I don't understand why they have all that computer equipment and can not get this thing to respond.
got a working steering rack from ebay. had the appointment made in back in December to switch out. They would charge me about $1200 to switch out and program. They said it should not be an issue, just that they would not warrant the part just the work.
They called me after they switched the steering rack out and told be it was still not working. that the steering rack may be vin locked. it was throwing the same code for both racks. they said he switched out the motors first then the rack. Same code for both.
the tech said it might be the torque sensor, which is not serviceable. I asked then why would it be throwing the same for both racks. wouldn't one be some sort of compatibility code and the other for torque sensor. he just shrugged his shoulders. this was the jist of it. so I still have no power steering. can not get the car inspected (legally). so kinda stuck. I don't understand why they have all that computer equipment and can not get this thing to respond.
I hate to say it, but you should not have bought your own rack and asked the dealership to install it. You created a situation where if anything goes wrong, the dealership just has to blame it on the part and the part seller just has to blame it on the installer. You are stuck in the middle with no recourse. This is especially dangerous with a Volt, which by all accounts is notoriously hard to repair, and dealerships often have to call for factory support.
Regardless of the costs you already have sunk into this problem, I think your only way out is to have the dealership do the repair again, but this time with their own part. That way, when it doesn't work, they have to figure it out at their expense.
Regardless of the costs you already have sunk into this problem, I think your only way out is to have the dealership do the repair again, but this time with their own part. That way, when it doesn't work, they have to figure it out at their expense.
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