Your steering wheel clicks or clunks when you turn it, it feels loose in the middle, the tilt lever will not lock, or the power steering light came on.
All of these can come from the steering column, the shaft and housing between the wheel and the rest of the steering.
So how much does a steering column repair cost? With the carmakers’ own parts and job times at $132 an hour, the common fixes come to $106.53 to $382.44, from a rubber coupler on a Kia or Hyundai to a whole new column on a Subaru.
A whole new column at a dealer is another matter. Owners paid or were quoted $1,200 to $4,000 for one on Kia, Hyundai, Ford and Lincoln models.
In this guide I will show you what each repair comes to, what owners paid, the warranty extensions and recalls that pay for it, and how to tell which part is making the noise.
What the Carmakers’ Own Parts and Times Come To
These are the repairs the carmakers wrote bulletins for, with their own parts and job times and $132 an hour, Tekmetric’s US average from June 2026. The part prices come from the carmakers’ parts websites on October 15, 2026:
The Kia and Hyundai coupler is a small rubber coupling inside the electric power steering unit on the column.
Kia and Hyundai pay 0.8 hour to replace it on the 2011 to 2014 Optima, Sonata and 2011 to 2015 Elantra, and 1.7 hours on the 2007 to 2010 Elantra.
On 2015 to 2018 Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon and Escalade models with the power tilt column, GM fixes a click when turning with a new upper bearing kit, seat and spring.
On 2011 and 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokees, Jeep replaces the lower intermediate shaft for a clunk felt through the wheel.
Subaru fits a new steering column on some 2010 to 2017 Legacy and Outback models whose tilt lever does not lock properly. The column for 2015 to 2019 models is $290.04, and for 2010 to 2012 models it is $242.55.
What Owners Paid
Here is what owners told NHTSA, the US road safety agency, they paid or were quoted, with a link to each complaint:
- Shops wanted $480 to replace the steering coupler on a 2014 Kia Forte, filed in February 2024.
- A mechanic quoted $300 or more for the coupler on a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, a 2 to 3 hour job, filed in July 2024.
- A Hyundai dealer quoted $599 and about 2.5 hours for the coupler on a 2013 Elantra GT, filed in December 2022.
- A Kia dealer asked $688 to change the coupler on a 2013 Kia Soul, filed in January 2026.
- A Kia dealer replaced the steering shaft on a 2018 Kia Soul for $941.53, filed in March 2024.
- The coupler could not be swapped on its own on a 2018 Kia Optima, so it got a whole new column for over $1,200, filed in December 2025.
- A Toyota dealer replaced the steering column of a 2017 Camry that rattled over bumps: $135 to diagnose, $555 labor and $757 for the column, $1,447 in all, filed in May 2020.
- A Nissan dealer quoted $1,425 plus tax for the steering column lock on a 2009 Altima that would not start, filed in November 2023.
- A Ford dealer said a 2021 Lincoln Navigator whose power tilt column ground needed a whole new column for $1,700, filed in June 2024.
- The owner of a 2010 Ford Escape that lost power steering paid $2,000 for a new steering column, filed in November 2021.
- The electric power steering failed on a 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe, and the whole column cost $4,000, filed in October 2025.
So owners paid or were quoted $300 to $941.53 for a coupler or shaft, and $1,200 to $4,000 for a whole column or a column lock. Kia’s own price for the coupler is $0.93, with a list price of $1.35, so nearly all of that bill is labor.
Warranty Extensions and Recalls That Pay for It
Kia extended the warranty on the electric power steering unit to 15 years or 150,000 miles on 2016 and 2017 Sorento and Optima models and the 2017 Optima hybrids. That one is still running, so check it before you pay.
Older extensions have mostly run out. Hyundai covered the coupler for 10 years or 100,000 miles on 2007 to 2015 Elantras and 2011 to 2014 Sonatas, and Kia for 10 years on 2011 to 2014 Optimas and 2012 and 2013 Souls.
Volkswagen covered the steering column lock housing for 10 years or 100,000 miles on 2012 to 2015 Jetta and Beetle models. Ask a dealer, since a car first sold late can still have a few months left.
These steering column recalls are fixed free at a dealer, and NHTSA’s recall lookup shows them by VIN:
- Toyota 24V-878: cracked steering intermediate shafts on some 2023 and 2024 Corollas.
- Jeep 23V-352: an intermediate shaft that can come off the u-joint on some 2021 to 2023 Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L models.
- Kia 22V-304: a steering column bolt on some 2021 and 2022 Rio and Forte models.
- Jeep and Ram 19V-201: steering column shafts that may break on some 2019 Wrangler and Ram 1500 models, and 18V-343 for the intermediate shaft on some 2018 Wranglers.
- Subaru 16V-292: steering columns on some 2016 and 2017 Legacy and Outback models.
Which Part Is Making the Noise?
A click or a light thud when you turn the wheel, often loudest when the car is stopped, is how Kia and Hyundai describe a worn coupler. Hyundai writes that the worn coupler does not affect the ability to steer.
A clunk felt through the wheel over bumps or under braking can point to the intermediate shaft, as Jeep found on the Grand Cherokee.
Luxury Auto Works, a repair shop in Austin, Texas, notes that repetitive clicking while turning can come from the column or the intermediate shaft.
On cars whose electric power steering motor sits on the column, a steering warning light or heavy steering can mean the motor or its sensor. The Austin shop charges $700 to $1,400 for an EPS motor and $600 to $1,100 for a torque sensor.
Roda, a repair service near Washington, D.C., charges $100 to diagnose a steering or suspension concern, and waives it if you go ahead with the repair. I advise you to get that diagnosis before anyone orders a whole column.
Steering Column Questions People Ask
How much does it cost to repair a steering column?
With the carmakers’ parts and times at $132 an hour, the common fixes come to $106.53 to $382.44. Owners paid or were quoted $300 to $941.53 for a coupler or shaft and $1,200 to $4,000 for a whole new column.
How much does a steering coupler cost to replace?
Kia’s coupler is $0.93 and Kia and Hyundai pay 0.8 hour for the job, so it comes to $106.53 at $132 an hour. Owners were quoted $300 to $688 at shops and dealers.
Is it safe to drive with a clicking steering column?
Hyundai writes that a worn coupler does not affect steering, but a clunk, a loose wheel or a steering warning light should be checked soon, and some columns are under recall.
Can a steering column be repaired instead of replaced?
Often, yes. A coupler, an intermediate shaft or an upper bearing can be replaced on its own on many cars, though some, like the 2018 Optima above, need the whole column.
Is a steering column covered by warranty?
On some cars it is. Kia covers the power steering unit for 15 years or 150,000 miles on 2016 and 2017 Sorento and Optima models, and several columns are under recall.
Where These Prices Come From
- Kia bulletin CS1604 (2017) and warranty extension WTY023 (January 2022), Hyundai bulletin 17-ST-002 (February 2017), GM bulletin PIT5452C (February 2020), Jeep bulletin 19-003-14 (October 2014), Subaru bulletin 04-15-17 (May 2017) and Volkswagen VWP-18-02 (October 2019), on NHTSA’s website.
- Part prices, checked October 15, 2026: KiaPartsNow 56315-2K000FFF, GMPartsGiant 26001827, 15231641 and 26055299, MoparPartsGiant 5057539AD, and SubaruPartsDeal 34500AL02C and 34500AJ00D.
- Luxury Auto Works, Power Steering Repair in Austin, TX, February 2026. Roda, Diagnose Steering & Suspension Concern. Tekmetric, Average Auto Repair Labor Rates by State, June 30, 2026; and the NHTSA recalls and owner complaints linked above, read October 15, 2026.
I hope this helps you get the right part fixed before anyone sells you a whole column. If you have any questions, you can email me at costcheckr@gmail.com.
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