Steering complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 7 | 27% | 2,000 miles |
| 2018 | 3 | 18% | 15,000 miles |
| 2017 | 3 | 4% | 70,000 miles |
| 2016 | 7 | 19% | 50,000 miles |
| 2015 | 7 | 9% | 3,000 miles |
| 2014 | 7 | 6% | 51,000 miles |
| 2013 | 5 | 11% | 33,000 miles |
| 2012 | 7 | 18% | 36,000 miles |
| 2011 | 1 | 1% | 54,000 miles |
| 2009 | 2 | 5% | 63,000 miles |
| 2008 | 2 | 2% | 78,000 miles |
| 2007 | 3 | 5% | 48,000 miles |
| 2006 | 5 | 9% | 36,000 miles |
| 2005 | 12 | 10% | 30,000 miles |
| 2004 | 15 | 8% | 21,000 miles |
| 2003 | 27 | 13% | 22,000 miles |
| 2002 | 15 | 6% | 40,000 miles |
| 2001 | 10 | 4% | 49,000 miles |
| 2000 | 28 | 6% | 72,000 miles |
| 1999 | 18 | 3% | 46,000 miles |
| 1998 | 15 | 8% | 95,000 miles |
| 1997 | 63 | 26% | 67,000 miles |
| 1996 | 5 | 2% | 62,000 miles |
| 1995 | 8 | 3% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The first issue is a Bluetooth issue. The phone volume goes silent when I get in my vehicle. If I connect to car play, it works. I have missed important calls due to this issue. This started in July of 2019 and its not fixed yet. GM says it Apple. Apple says its GM I do not care just fix it. Second see below images. You know the issue. This happened to me 3 times. It started 12-05-2019. Then again 12-26-19 . Serviced . 1-4-2020 again. 1-18 20 again and to shop until 1-23-2020. This took a lot of my time talking with my dealer. I understand I am one of many, but I didn't spend over $66,000 to buy, lease this vehicle to have to waste my time. This cost me time, money and honestly every time I start the truck I wonder if it will reappear. I received 2 calls fro representatives, gianna and michelle. I called back 3 times, left voicemail and have heard nothing. …
After using app to start the vehicle, I sat in the driver seat depressed the brake and pushed the start button. Immediately a warning popped up saying ESC needed service, service trailer brake, speed limited to 62mph. Additional lights illuminated including brake, traction control, ABS, and CEL. Since the dash indicated that the speed was reduced I thought it would be safe to drive, however at the first turn I realized my brakes were nearly gone and I went through the intersection. The brakes appeared to have lost the boost and were extremely hard to depress making it difficult to stop the vehicle. I limped the truck home and notified the dealer. The next day I tried starting the truck and the brakes returned with no dash messages although the CEL was still illuminated. There is a recall for a similar issue but it looks like my VIN is not apart of it.
On the morning of oct 26, 2020 @ 845 am... I was heading south on 287 in mansfield tx. It was raining hard so I was only going 60 MPH. The car in front of me was going 55 or so. When the rain and wind picked up, the car in front of me abruptly hit its brakes. That's when my truck brakes locked and I began sliding or being pulled to the right. I was in the left lane on the 2 lane highway. Had it not been for god and me, not panicking... I would have crashed! My truck fish tailed twice while I was trying to apply the brakes but... I couldn't stop. I almost put the truck gear in neutral but it was raining so somehow the truck managed to slow down going up a small hill, giving me control back. There were 2 other cars that seen this. I was a nervous wreck! I immediately got off the highway and went to the first gas station I saw and thanked god nothing happened. …
I nearly died when my brakes failed on my 2018 GMC denali this morning. I was only going 60 MPH when another driver cut in front of me, and hit their brakes but when I tried to stop, I could not! I then began swerving from lane to lane because it was raining. Thank god I didn't die and that the person on the right slowed down and moved out the way. The truck seemed to be pulling me to the right. Why I have no idea. But why is GM putting people lives at risk like this? Why are we having to suffer or put our families in jeopardy. This makes no sense. My chest started hurting really bad afterwards, because I was so scared. I was on a 2 lane highway going straight but even that doesn't cause a vehicle not to respond like it did.
When I'm driving at a slow speed turning the truck looses all power and the steering wheel jerks out of my hand, stabilitrak is on the display and it says roll down driver window and roll back up! It also looses all power just driving down the road no matter the speed! I have also been stopped at a stoplight and it lost all power wouldn't come back on so I had to get out pop the hood and bang I. The battery box and cables and it started again! Very scary going 75 MPH and it shuts off leaving you no steering no brakes no lights no nothing! Sometimes it says power steering failure sometimes and sometimes it says stabilitrack problem at something about towing! The brakes were also affected no brakes
The stabilitrak sensor keeps going on and off. I've had this issue when I first got the truck in the end of October in 2017. The dealership could not fix it at first but finally had to fix some wiring. I've seen it go on a few times since then but never stayed on. And for about 2-3 weeks it's been coming on and off but staying more on and not going away now. I feel like this shouldn't happen to a newer truck
While driving my truck, it has had 3 alerts on dash for "service stabilitrak, power steering use caution and trailer brake." vehicle gauges all drop to zero while operating vehicle and go on and off. The vehicle when this occurs also disengages from gear, vehicle is an automatic. Then engine revs up when it slips out of gear and generally goes back in gear as gauges come back on. The power steering seems to also lose some power. When this occurs, if you depress the gas pedal, you do not get any more power. This is technically the 6th occurrence. It has been back to dealer (griffin GMC of monroe, nc) and computer codes were cleared and nothing reported ie...technically found that would cause this issue per the dealership as unable to re-produce the cause. …
The vehicle has excessive steering play. It is dangerous to drive in icy conditions and can be noticed driving the vehicle straight under all driving conditions on dry or icy pavement. I took it to the dealer and they performed service bulletin work at my expense to fix the problem. The service bulletin and rework involved tightening the steering box backlash screw. The problem was not fixed and still exists. This is a known problem, but my vehicle was not included on the recall list to fix the issue. In order to fix the issue, the pitman arm shaft needs to be replaced with an updated version GM pn 84240812 if the steering play cannot be adjusted out. This is the case with my vehicle and the part was not replaced.
Related recalls (6)
Steering › Electric power assist system
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra, and Yukon XL vehicles, equipped with electric power steering (EPS). Due to a problem with the EPS module, the affected vehicles may experience a sudden loss of power steering assist during vehicle operation.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering assist motor kit, free of charge. The recall began on November 17, 2014.
Steering › Linkages › Tie rod assembly
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Silverado vehicles manufactured May 23, 2013, through March 25, 2014, 2014 GMC Sierra vehicles manufactured May 25, 2013, through March 31, 2014, and 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe vehicles manufactured January 29, 2014, through March 27, 2014.
Remedy: GM notified all owners, and dealers will inspect the inner tie rods to make sure that they are correctly tightened, replacing the steering gear, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 14, 2014.
Steering › Linkages
GM is recalling certain model year 2011cadillac escalade, escalade esv; Chevrolet silverado hd, silverado ld, suburban, tahoe; and GMC sierra hd, sierra ld, yukon, and yukon xl vehicles. The intermediate steering shaft attaching bolts May not have been tightened to the proper specification.
Remedy: GM dealers will inspect and ensure that the intermediate steering shaft bolts are tightened to the proper specification. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about July 13, 2011.
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections
Certain passenger vehicles May have been built with a power steering hose that is not to specification. Under extreme steering maneuvers, such as turning the steering wheel fully to the left or right while braking, the hose May fracture and leak fluid.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the power steering hose(s) for two suspect date codes and replace them if required. The recall will begin on October 14, 2005.
Steering › Gear box › Shaft sector
On certain trucks, the bolt that attaches the intermediate steering shaft to the steering gear May not meet specification. The bolt May fracture resulting in the loss of steering.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the intermediate steering shaft bolt free of charge. The recall began on January 24, 2005. Owners May contact GMC at 1-866-996-9463 and Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438.
Show 1 more recall
Steering › Gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Vehicle description: extended cab 4-wheel drive pickup trucks. Some of these vehicles have a lower than specified torque on all three of the steering gear to frame attachment bolts. The bolts can loosen over time allowing the steering gear to move.
Remedy: Dealers will retorque the steering gear to frame bolts to proper specifications.
NHTSA investigations
Steering gear/grame attaching bolts
These vehicles May have lower than specified torque on the three steering gear to frame attachment bolts.these bolts May loosen causing unresponsive steering and eventually the bolts May back out or fracture, resulting in loss of steering control
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Sierra years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1997 (63), 2000 (28), 2003 (27), 1999 (18) and 1998 (15) model years. Steering complaints make up 26% of all complaints for the 1997.
Is there a recall for GMC Sierra steering problems?
Yes — 6 recalls, including 14V-719 (electric power assist system, Nov 10, 2014); 14V-246 (tie rod assembly, May 14, 2014); 11V-339 (linkages, Jun 28, 2011). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do GMC Sierra steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 39,000 miles; 62% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the hydraulic power assist system (33 mentions), followed by the steering wheel/handle bar (23).
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.