Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH and making a right turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, requiring extra effort while turning the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle then stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact shifted into park(P), removed the key from the ignition, and then reinserted the key and was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The contact stated that the failure had been intermittent but recently became constant. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V586000 (Steering). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. …
The contact owned a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became stiff and then loosened. The steering started turning independently and was uncontrollable. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. The power steering warning light and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic, who declined to repair it due to the vehicle having an active recall. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer who also declined to perform the recall repair because the vehicle had a salvage title. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the steering and brake systems warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the warning lights were cleared; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V761000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Service Brakes, Electronic Stability Control (ESC). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle made a beeping sound and then intermittently experienced a loss of power steering assist. The Power Steering message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V586000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while coming to a stop and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle started to lose motive power. The vehicle lost motive power and the steering wheel seized. The contact stated that after several seconds the vehicle regained motive power. The failure recurred approximately 5-6 times. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who was unable to identify the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while making left and right turns, the steering wheel started to jerk, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle took approximately five minutes to restart. The stabili-trak warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the ground and live battery cable in the steering wheel needed to be replaced due to low voltage. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 mph, the message "power steering fault drive careful" suddenly displayed and the steering wheel became firm and was more difficult to turn in either direction. After restarting the vehicle, the failure was remedied but recurred moments later. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer who diagnosed that the steering rack was faulty and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the steering wheel became firm intermittently making it difficult to maneuver the vehicle. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. The VIN provided was invalid.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving approximately 25-30 MPH, the power steering became inoperable. The steering wheel was difficult to turn. The power steering fault message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the contact was informed that the part to repair the vehicle was on backorder. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the message "Service Stabilizer" was displayed and the power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle lost its power steering function, and the vehicle was difficult to steer. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,805.
Steering complaints in other Silverado 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
NHTSA has 110 complaints about the steering of the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 14% of the model year's 797 complaints. The component named most often is rack and pinion (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, though it has 12 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 44,000 miles, and 23% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 10 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.