Steering complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2024 | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2023 | 4 | 2% | 39,000 miles |
| 2022 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2021 | 4 | 2% | 0 miles |
| 2020 | 3 | 6% | 107,000 miles |
| 2019 | 4 | 6% | — |
| 2018 | 3 | 5% | 37,000 miles |
| 2017 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2016 | 9 | 4% | 64,000 miles |
| 2015 | 11 | 4% | 75,000 miles |
| 2012 | 1 | 8% | 102,000 miles |
| 2010 | 2 | 7% | 95,000 miles |
| 2009 | 1 | 4% | 20,000 miles |
| 2008 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2007 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2005 | 4 | 10% | 18,000 miles |
| 2004 | 12 | 14% | 26,000 miles |
| 2003 | 9 | 7% | 13,000 miles |
| 2002 | 10 | 8% | 23,000 miles |
| 2001 | 11 | 8% | 70,000 miles |
| 2000 | 4 | 6% | 61,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2023 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated while driving 86 MPH in the middle lane, the vehicle shut off on five occasions. The vehicle was restarted, the steering column was locked, and the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond. The contact stated that the rear axle had disengaged. The suspension leveling system had failed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was an electrical failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 39,000.
My vehicle stalled while driving on a busy highway & I had no option but to pull over, which left me & my family in a very dangerous position. Had to remove my daughter's wheelchair onto a tow truck as the vehicle had no power to use the hoist for her powerchair. Again, on the side of a busy road! Towed the vehicle to a GM dealership, who stated there was catastrophic engine failure & the engine had to be replaced. Had no way to transport my daughter until I got a new engine since her hoist was stuck at the dealership. This was our original vehicle, until the sold me another one with the same defect (2024 Yukon for MORE money!). That vehicle was reported in Complaint 11657786.
Upon vehicle startup, dashboard displayed a warning about a problem with the power steering system. I attempted to drive the vehicle, and it appeared the power steering was not functioning. I did not believe I could safely handle the vehicle without the power steering functioning normally. I tried turning the car off briefly and then back on, which did not correct the problem. However, I then turned the car off for approximately 10 minutes. Upon restarting the car after being off for approximately 10 minutes, the error message was gone and the power steering functioned normally.
While driving on a two lane road, my vehicle put itself into Neutral without me doing anything and the engine stopped. All things powered down. The engine stopped. not propulsion, nothing. I tried to pull over to edge of road. Car would not start - no activity. The vehicle had to be towed to the dealership. My safety was put at risk by my car simply stopping while driving down the road. The dealership has confirmed the engine needs to be replaced. There was no warning of engine problems or ANY indicators.
I was driving down the highway, and my wife and I decided to stop at Costco to get protein bars and gas for the drive home. We also had a [redacted] old, and [redacted] in the car. As we were approaching the end of the exit ramp at approximately 30 miles per hour, the engine jerked the car two or three times then died. When it died, I lost power steering and the car slammed to a stop. The car also displayed an alert about my tow breaking system. I tried to restart it, and smoke began rising from my engine bay. I stopped trying to restart, and got my family onto the hill beside the exit while waiting for a tow. The tech at the GMC dealer stated that the engine had seized on me while driving. The cam shaft can rotate a small amount one way before getting blocked, and likewise the other way. Tech believes that the bearing is responsible, but will not be doing a tear down until September 2.
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that the steering wheel was increasingly wobbly and was pulling 3-4 inches to the right or to the left, and the vehicle was difficult to steer while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion had failed and needed to be replaced. The mechanic contacted an unknown dealer, and the dealer informed the mechanic that the part to repair the vehicle was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.
Multiple times upon starting my Yukon I get a message on the dash that states Power steering disabled drive with care. I have no power steering until the computer has enough time to reset itself, usually about 15 min. This issue has been confirmed at our shop with the code being for the power steering. We have had it into the dealership and they found the same code but were unable to get it to recreate for them. It is not something that happens every day so I would have to leave it with them for a long period of time and that is not an option. This started happening within a couple weeks of buying the vehicle. It started for me in March 2020, with less than 17K miles on the truck.
Last Friday evening, while driving the vehicle on the highway, the power steering suddenly stopped working. I heard a warning chime and saw an indicator "Service Power Steering" message on my display. I managed to steer the vehicle into a parking lot to inspect the engine bay and fuses. When I restarted the engine, the power steering was functioning. The power steering failure has not reoccured since it initially happened. My vehicle is a 2019 year model. I noticed that GM has a recall for 2021 year models for this very same problem. I'm wondering if the recall shouldn't be expanded given my experience.
Related recalls (2)
Steering › Steering control module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. A software issue may cause a loss of power steering assist at startup or while driving.
Remedy: The power steering module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 13, 2021.
Steering › Gear box › Shaft pitman
General motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet express and suburban vehicles, and GMC savana and yukon xl heavy duty vehicles. The steering gear pitman shaft May not have been adequately hardened and could fracture.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering gear and, if necessary, replace the steering gear pitman shaft. This service will be performed free of charge.
Frequently asked questions
Which GMC Yukon XL years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2004 (12), 2001 (11), 2015 (11), 2002 (10) and 2003 (9) model years. Steering complaints make up 14% of all complaints for the 2004.
Is there a recall for GMC Yukon XL steering problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 21V-455 (steering control module, Jun 17, 2021); 12V-112 (shaft pitman, Mar 22, 2012). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do GMC Yukon XL steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 45,000 miles; 56% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the hydraulic power assist › pump (8 mentions), followed by the column (6).
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.