Reader asks about a ‘crooked’ steering wheel

Wheels:

Carl B. writes by email: “I am leasing a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck and I love it. Last week a passenger noticed that my steering wheel appeared to be crooked. When looking at it, I realized that he was right and that the steering column appears to be angled toward the driver’s door. I thought it was just the way the passenger was looking at it, but now I am truly convinced that it is indeed angled or crooked. If I look down at the front of the seat from above, the bottom of the steering wheel doesn’t line up straight. Is this the design, or do I need to get it back to the dealer and get it addressed?”

Halderman:

This is normal; you didn’t notice it yourself until someone pointed it out to you. This design has been used on Chevrolet and GMC pickup trucks for many years. It was designed this way to align the steering column with the steering gear. Being offset about 3 degrees also allows a little more room for a center passenger when the trucks were equipped with a bench seat. Most people, like you, do not notice this, but it has been corrected with the new 2019 trucks from General Motors. When your lease is up, consider updating to the new truck and you will find that the steering wheel is now in the straight-ahead position like most other vehicles.

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About the Author

James Halderman