The Lemon IndexAnother computer in the car received data from the power steering control module that did not make sense. Full U0420 page
10 owner complaints · the #2 code Chevrolet Colorado owners name · 14% of Chevrolet Colorado complaints that name a code (every car: 0.2%)
Middle of 50,000 miles · most between 29,000 and 88,000 (5 owners gave it)
Chevrolet Colorado owners named U0420 in 10 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2016 and 2015 model years, at a middle of 50,000 miles. The part they name most is the power steering part (2 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Chevrolet Colorado model years that report U0420
Owner complaints naming U0420, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
Mileage when it happened
50,000 miles is the middle of what 5 owners entered. Half were between 29,000 and 88,000 miles.
The mileage on the complaint form, when the owner gave one.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the power steering part, in 2 of the 10 complaints (20%). 1 of those mention it being replaced or repaired.
- Power steering part2 complaints1 mentions a repair or replacement
5 complaints mention a recall.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with U0420
- Loses power or goes into limp mode30%3 of 10 complaints
- Brakes or ABS act up20%2 of 10 complaints
- Warning lights and electrical faults20%2 of 10 complaints
Share of the complaints naming U0420 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
C0545 5
Other codes named in the same Chevrolet Colorado complaints, and in how many.
Recalls on these Chevrolet Colorado years
- Steering · 2015 · issued 2021
The power steering assist may be lost due to a poor electrical connection within the steering gear assembly. NHTSA 21V213000 - Steering · 2015 · issued 2016
A poor electrical connection within the steering gear connector may cause a loss of power steering assist. NHTSA 16V054000
2 recalls for the same systems (steering) on the Chevrolet Colorado model years above. A recall for the same system isn't proof it's behind U0420. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- U0420: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Chevrolet Colorado reliability by year
- 2016 Chevrolet Colorado problems and recalls
Other codes Chevrolet Colorado owners report
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What U0420 means
Another computer in the car received data from the power steering control module that did not make sense.
Get it fixed soon. A few more days of normal driving is usually OK, but waiting can turn a small repair into a bigger one or a breakdown.
- A fault inside the power steering control module
- Network wiring problem
- Needs a software update
- Weak battery
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11774128, 11764177, 11758971, 11665250, 11555162, 11366940, 11228434, 11202545, 11091278, 11082248.
Quick answers
What does U0420 mean on a Chevrolet Colorado?
Invalid Data Received From Power Steering Control Module. Another computer in the car received data from the power steering control module that did not make sense.
Which Chevrolet Colorado years have the most U0420 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2016 (6), 2015 (4) Chevrolet Colorado named U0420 most (10 complaints in all, 2015–2016). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes U0420 on a Chevrolet Colorado?
Owners most often name the power steering part (2 of 10 complaints). That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
At what mileage does U0420 show up on a Chevrolet Colorado?
Owners who gave their mileage reported a middle of 50,000 miles; half were between 29,000 and 88,000 (5 owners).
Can I drive my Chevrolet Colorado with U0420?
Get it fixed soon. A few more days of normal driving is usually OK, but waiting can turn a small repair into a bigger one or a breakdown.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name U0420 on the Chevrolet Colorado, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.