Fault Code Lookup › Chassis codes › C0545

C0545 Chassis · generic range, no listed definition

C0545 fault code: what 39 owners reported

C0545 sits in the generic chassis range (chassis: brakes, ABS, stability control, steering and suspension), but its SAE definition is not in CarHooq's list, so this page shows only what owners reported. What it meant in practice is below, from 39 complaints owners filed with NHTSA. Updated November 9, 2026.

  • 39owner reports
  • 5car models
  • 0mention a crash
  • 0mention a fire
  • 2012–2020model years

Which cars get code C0545?

Every model whose owners mentioned C0545 in a complaint, most reports first. Each year opens that car's full problem report. Popular models collect more reports because more of them are on the road.

Where does C0545 show up?

By brand

  • Chevrolet28
  • GMC11

Component the owner filed it under

  1. Steering39 (100%)
  2. Electrical System5 (12.8%)
  3. Electronic Stability Control (ESC)4 (10.3%)
  4. Service Brakes4 (10.3%)
  5. Traction Control System1 (2.6%)
  6. Lane Departure1 (2.6%)

Is there a recall for C0545?

The others concern the component owners file this code under (Steering) on the same cars; they may or may not relate to the code. Recall repairs are free; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Steering: Electric Power Assist System General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, 2017-2018 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist may fail. NHTSA campaign 25V175000 · March 20, 2025 · Affected cars

2017 Chevrolet Camaro. Full risk and remedy on each car's report.

Steering: Electric Power Assist System General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles. The power steering assist may be lost due to a poor electrical connection within the steering gear assembly. NHTSA campaign 21V213000 · March 25, 2021 · Affected cars

2015 Chevrolet Colorado, 2015 GMC Canyon. Full risk and remedy on each car's report.

Steering: Electric Power Assist System General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, and 2017 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist system may fail. NHTSA campaign 19V086000 · February 7, 2019 · Affected cars

2017 Chevrolet Camaro. Full risk and remedy on each car's report.

Steering: Electric Power Assist System General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Colorado vehicles manufactured January 6, 2015, to March 17, 2015, and 2015 GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured January 6, 2015, to March 19, 2015. A poor electrical connection within the steering gear connector may cause a loss of… NHTSA campaign 16V054000 · February 1, 2016 · Affected cars

2015 Chevrolet Colorado, 2015 GMC Canyon. Full risk and remedy on each car's report.

Steering Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain replacement intermediate steering shafts sold under the Dorman, OE Solutions, and Solutions brand names, part numbers 425-167, 2425167, and 7-3074, for installation on 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6, and 2007-2009 Saturn Aura… NHTSA campaign 14E044000 · July 21, 2014 · Affected cars

2012 Chevrolet Malibu. Full risk and remedy on each car's report.

What happened when owners saw C0545?

10 of the 39 reports, spread across the models above, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.

EPS disable while driving, Service Stabilitrak message displayed, ESC/TCS disabled, EPS/TDM code C0545 [0x00] ABS/ESC/EBCM code U0420 [0x42]
2016 Chevrolet ColoradoSteeringNHTSA complaint 11774128 · Oct 28, 2026
After speaking with a GMC representative, they confirmed there isn’t any issues with the steering wheel sensor. Yet, I’m having trouble steering while driving. The code C0545 was mentioned as the source. No accidents have occurred but has come close. The police, insurance have been involved.
2015 GMC CanyonSteeringNHTSA complaint 11627538 · Nov 26, 2024
My 2020 Chevrolet Malibu experienced a sudden and severe electrical failure after driving through normal roadway water. Immediately afterward, the vehicle displayed multiple safety‑critical warnings including loss of power steering assist, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) faults, brake control faults, and reduced propulsion. A GM dealership inspected the vehicle, scanned the modules, and found more than a dozen network and chassis‑related diagnostic trouble codes, including: B3979, U0164, B1325, B3122, U0121, C0196, C0460, B1011, B097B, B3205, C056E, C056D, U0420, U1510, C0545, U0422. These codes indicate failures in the steering system, brake control module, stability control system, body…
2020 Chevrolet MalibuSteering, Electrical System, Service BrakesNHTSA complaint 11755071 · Aug 5, 2026
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE POWER STEERING WILL GO OUT AND I LOSE ALL POWER STEERING. THE STEERING WHEEL JERKS RAPIDLY WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD A MALFUNCTION CODE OF C0545, WHICH IS A STEERING WHEEL TORQUE SENSOR MALFUNCTION AND THAT THE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED.
2017 Chevrolet SilveradoSteeringNHTSA complaint 11339653 · Jul 16, 2020
STEERING WHEEL TORQUE SENSOR FAILED OPEN CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING. ERROR CODE C0545. THERE IS AN ACTIVE GM FACTORY RECALL FOR POWER STEERING FAILURE, RECALL NUMBER: N182182760 AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V086000. UNFORTUNATELY, MY VIN WAS NOT PART OF THAT RECALL. POWER STEERING FAILURE OCCURRED AT 27,280 MILES ON VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE IS A 2017 CHEVY CAMARO SS CONVERTIBLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT ON NAVAL STATION NORFOLK IN NORFOLK VA. A MESSAGE FLASHED ON THE CONSOLE READING SERVICE POWER STEERING, DRIVE WITH CARE. AT THAT POINT STEERING THE CAR AT LOW SPEED REQUIRED SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FORCE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. FORTUNATELY, THE FAILURE DID NOT…
2017 Chevrolet CamaroSteeringNHTSA complaint 11340902 · Jul 22, 2020
Intermittent total loss of power steering assistance while driving at speed, accompanied by the immediate illumination of the Traction Control and StabiliTrak warning indicators on the dashboard. The loss of power steering creates a sudden and severe handling hazard. This safety issue has occurred more than 15 times since this vehicle was purchase used in December of 2025. A diagnostic scan reveals specific diagnostic trouble codes: C0545-00 (Steering Wheel Torque Sensor Hardware Failure), C0460-5A (Steering Wheel Angle Sensor Plausibility), U0420-42 (Invalid Data Received from PSCM), and C0280-00. The power steering also intermittently returns to normal functionality after the vehicle sits…
2016 Chevrolet ColoradoSteering, Electrical System, Service BrakesNHTSA complaint 11764177 · Sep 14, 2026
I experienced the loss of power steering while driving. It was almost impossible to steer the vehicle while driving. I went on line and noticed a recall for my exact vehicle of the exact problem. The recall bulletin 15595A, was dated February 2016 and explained that the steering gear torque sensor cover assembly was to be replaced. However, apparently my VIN number was not listed. I went to the dealer and it was diagnosed with Code C0545(power steering problem). The dealer recommended the same repairs as the recall notice. The dealer showed no interest in contacting GM to see if this can be fixed by this recall. They claimed because of the year and mileage that they would not move forward…
2015 GMC CanyonSteeringNHTSA complaint 11589377 · May 17, 2024
As I was driving my vehicle last Sunday the "Power Steering and the Service ESC" warnings came on my dashboard as well as the "Traction Control light" I audible sound came on and I lost power steering. When I went to drive my car to my service station everything worked fine for a few blocks the problem came back. I drove it to my local service mechanic and his scan tool gave an error code of CO545. I did some research on this issue and found that GM put out a Special Coverage #15356 for the power steering sensor. This coverage expired in 2021 however my vehicle did not have this problem until last week. My car only has 60,000 miles on it. Yesterday I took my vehicle to the GM dealer that I…
2012 Chevrolet MalibuSteeringNHTSA complaint 11598891 · Jul 4, 2024
WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL RAPIDLY JERK AND THEN I LOSE ALL POWER STEERING. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION CODE OF C0545, WHICH IS A POWER STEERING TORQUE SENSOR MALFUNCTION AND THAT THE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED AND UPDATED.
2017 Chevrolet SilveradoSteeringNHTSA complaint 11339654 · Jul 16, 2020
Complete loss of electronic power steering capability while new teenage driver was traveling at high rate of speed. Loss of power steering and stabilitrak traction control warning indicators on dash. Issue that invoke a safety recall in previous year model vehicle (GM Recall #15595 & GM Special Coverage N182182190) but is being ignored by manufacturer for my 2016 model. ODB2 fault codes confirms U0420-42 and C0545 indicating exact same issues still occurring in 2016 vehicles despite recall due to this safety issue in 2015 models.
2016 Chevrolet ColoradoSteering, Service BrakesNHTSA complaint 11758971 · Aug 24, 2026

C0545: questions drivers ask

What does code C0545 mean?

C0545 sits in the generic chassis range (chassis: brakes, ABS, stability control, steering and suspension), but its SAE definition is not in CarHooq's list, so CarHooq shows only what owners reported. 39 owners reported it to NHTSA, most often for the Chevrolet Colorado (23), GMC Canyon (11), Chevrolet Malibu (2); their reports describe what happened.

Which cars get code C0545 most often?

In NHTSA owner complaints, C0545 is mentioned most for the Chevrolet Colorado (23), GMC Canyon (11), Chevrolet Malibu (2), across 5 models and model years 2012 to 2020. Popular models collect more reports because more of them are on the road.

Is there a recall for code C0545?

No NHTSA recall text names C0545 directly. 5 recalls on the cars that report this code concern the same component owners name most (Steering); they may or may not relate to the code. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What should I do if my car shows C0545?

Write down when the code appeared and what the car did (warning lights, loss of power, noises, speed, weather). Check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls, ask a dealer or independent workshop to read the stored freeze-frame data before anyone clears the code, and keep the repair order. If the car loses power in traffic, stop driving it. CarHooq does not diagnose: these are owner reports and official recall notices, not repair advice.

How this page was made

CarHooq read the text of every owner complaint filed with NHTSA for 19 US and European brands (model years 2012 onwards) and picked out the diagnostic trouble codes owners wrote down. This page lists every mention of C0545. The code is in a generic range but its standard definition is not in CarHooq's list, so CarHooq shows only what owners reported. Nothing here is a diagnosis. More answers: the fault code FAQ. Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain), retrieved November 9, 2026. How CarHooq reports are made.

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