Steering complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 3% | — |
| 2025 | 3 | 2% | — |
| 2024 | 7 | 2% | 20,000 miles |
| 2023 | 13 | 3% | 83,000 miles |
| 2022 | 13 | 2% | 63,000 miles |
| 2021 | 34 | 6% | 80,000 miles |
| 2020 | 37 | 8% | 10,000 miles |
| 2019 | 42 | 6% | 10,000 miles |
| 2018 | 30 | 10% | 17,000 miles |
| 2017 | 25 | 7% | 27,000 miles |
| 2016 | 38 | 11% | 56,000 miles |
| 2015 | 81 | 11% | 55,000 miles |
| 2014 | 156 | 21% | 66,000 miles |
| 2012 | 3 | 3% | 55,000 miles |
| 2011 | 10 | 4% | 15,000 miles |
| 2010 | 3 | 2% | — |
| 2009 | 2 | 1% | 140,000 miles |
| 2008 | 1 | 0% | 1,000 miles |
| 2007 | 7 | 3% | 50,000 miles |
| 2006 | 6 | 4% | 68,000 miles |
| 2005 | 18 | 10% | 57,000 miles |
| 2004 | 21 | 10% | 36,000 miles |
| 2003 | 15 | 8% | 40,000 miles |
| 2002 | 7 | 4% | 57,000 miles |
| 2001 | 2 | 1% | 152,000 miles |
| 2000 | 1 | 1% | 184,000 miles |
| 1999 | 4 | 3% | 130,000 miles |
| 1998 | 6 | 10% | 55,000 miles |
| 1997 | 25 | 30% | 60,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I stopped at a red light in the middle of a 50 mph intersection when the light turned green The engine completely shut off, and it didn't want to turn back on. I was stuck in the middle of the intersection in a very high risk area, putting myself and other drivers at risk. OnStar diagnostics didn't report any issues with the truck. According to their diagnostics, everything should have been running perfectly fine. The motor shut down completely and we weren't able to shift the truck into neutral in order to try to move out of harms way. There was no warning lights or anything before this happened. The first tow truck driver that came by was told that he was there "in order to do a jumpstart" He ran a diagnostic on both of the batteries and said that they were perfectly fine. Another tow truck had to be dispatched since the first wasn't equipped to take the truck. …
I had this truck as brand new for approximately 24 hours when it had a major failure. It had 450 miles on it at time of purchase, but was sold as new. While driving at 45MPH it had a check engine light, service power steering message, lost power steering, lane departure system failure, and reduced power amongst several other lights on the dash. I limped the truck into a gas station parking lot. After turning the truck off, it would not restart. I unhooked the battery for a minute and hooked it back up. The truck did restart with no messages or check engine light. I was able to safely get it to the dealership. As a result of this issue, I forced the dealership to cancel the trade.
While on the freeway at 65mph the truck experience a hard gear shift, loss of acceleration, went into shut down, lost steering assist, and brakes became hard, lights came on the dash for transmission issue massage, as well as Check engine light. Safety became a major concern with loss of power in the mids of a flow off traffic at freeway speeds. Vehicle had to be towed.
Heated steering wheel gets so hot it almost burns to touch it. IR Thermometer readings at the 10 and 2 o'clock positions read between 119 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Bottom of the steering wheel is 127-130 degrees. Have made an appointment to have the dealer check for issues.
The contact owns a 2024 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the low fuel warning light, the forward collision avoidance warning light, the check engine warning light and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The message "Steering Assist Reduced" was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed, but the dealer could not determine the cause of the failure. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was being diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE25001(Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) and NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000(Engine and Engine Cooling). …
The contact owns a 2024 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while idling in the driveway, the steering wheel became inoperable. Additionally, the contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power steering control module(PSCM) needed to be replaced and reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred while driving away from the dealer. The contact stated that the steering assist warning light was illuminated, and the message "Stop Driving" was displayed. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer, where it was determined that the steering rack and pinion needed to be replaced; however, the parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. …
I just left the gas station from getting a beverage, I got onto the interstate and had gone roughly about 3 miles before setting super cruise a few minutes after that the interstate takes a turn to the left with an exit on the right. Slightly right as I was just getting into the turn my engine shutoff and or died making my truck uncontrollable causing me to drive off the interstate into some small trees between the exit and the interstate. I was not injured and no other vehicles were involved. My truck is currently at the insurances storage yard and they care claiming it to be totaled. I have contacted GM and filled a claim however they are saying they aren't responsible because the insurance company has my truck. …
The contact owns a 2023 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The "Service Power Steering" message was displayed and ESP warning light was illuminated. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle with a short circuit in the module used to control the rack-and-pinion system, which had blown the fuse. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.
Related recalls (2)
Steering › Electric power assist system
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade vehicles. Electric power steering (EPS) assist may be lost momentarily, followed by a sudden return of EPS assist.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the EPS module software, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at…
Steering › Electric power assist system
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The vehicles may have a temporary loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist, especially during low-speed turning maneuvers.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the EPS module software, free of charge. The recall began on August 10, 2017.
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Sierra 1500 years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2014 (156), 2015 (81), 2019 (42), 2016 (38) and 2020 (37) model years. Steering complaints make up 21% of all complaints for the 2014.
Is there a recall for GMC Sierra 1500 steering problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 18V-586 (electric power assist system, Sep 7, 2018); 17V-414 (electric power assist system, Jun 29, 2017). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do GMC Sierra 1500 steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 52,000 miles; 48% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the column (9 mentions), followed by the hydraulic power assist system (8).
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.