Steering Problems of GMC Sierra 1500 - part 1

Loss of power steering while driving.

See all problems of the 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

This letter serves as a formal notice of concern and demand for accountability regarding the 2009 GMC sierra ld, VIN [xxx] , owned by [xxx] . There are numerous documented complaints and safety investigations concerning premature tie rod failure in 2009 GMC sierra models. While the 2009 model year may not have been subject to a sweeping, industry-wide recall specific to tie rods in the 1500 series, it is undeniably and consistently associated with premature steering component failure — including both inner and outer tie rods. The refusal to proactively address this defect, assign a broader recall, or take ownership of the recurring issue reflects a troubling disregard for consumer safety. Documented and reported issues include: • premature wear: tie rods becoming loose or failing between 50,000–100,000 miles, resulting in steering wander and excessive play in the steering wheel. • clunking/knocking noises: audible front-end knocking at low speeds, a well-known symptom of failing tie rod joints. • severe safety risk: instances where tie rods have separated or become dangerously compromised, directly affecting steering control. • uneven tire wear: excessive inner or outer tire edge wear caused by steering instability. • recall 14v-246000: a related recall acknowledging improper tightening of tie rods where they thread into the steering gear rack — a defect that could cause separation and loss of steering control. The common symptoms — steering vibration, looseness, clunking when turning, and vehicle pulling due to misalignment — are not minor inconveniences. They represent serious safety hazards that endanger drivers, passengers, and the public. It is unacceptable for gmac and general motors to minimize or compartmentalize this issue when patterns clearly demonstrate a systemic steering component weakness in this model year. The presence of recall 14v-246000 further demonstrates that the manufacturer was aware of tie rod-related risks ! information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5.

See all problems of the 2009 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving 5 mph, the vehicle lost proper steering ability, and the steering wheel became loose and spun around in a circle. The air bag message was later displayed on the instrument panel. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered that the bolt connecting the steering shaft was missing. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer, where the cause of the failure was confirmed. The contact was then informed that there were no recalls or warranties on the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified several times about the failure and agreed that the part should never fail. However, the manufacturer then stated that the owner of the vehicle was responsible for the repair. The vehicle remained with the dealer unrepaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

See all problems of the 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

The power steering on the truck would quit working at times. I made an appointment with a local dealership to have it checked out. I was told the steering rack was binding and would need to be replaced. I was also told there was a two to four week backorder on the parts. As I am trying to back out of my garage to take it to the dealer the steering totally locked up. I called a wrecker to take the truck to the dealer the next day. When the wrecker operator started to load the truck, at first the steering wheel wouldn't turn . Then it broke lose and worked fine. Imagine if I were driving when this on again off again power steering would quit working!! I should also say this truck only has fifty-seven thousand miles on it. Since there is a backorder on these parts it tells me that I'm not the only one that is having this problem. In my opinion this is a very dangerous safety problem and should be a national recall. Thank you.

Heated steering wheel reaches temps of 137 - 143 degrees. Should have the ability for the owner to select a lower temperature setting the same as the heated seats.

See all problems of the 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

1. )when driving the vehicle it will randomly shutoff while driving with loss of brakes and steering until it will randomly turn back on. The vehicle experiences intermittent electronic and drivability malfunctions. The issue appears to involve one or more vehicle control modules and/or electronic systems. At times, warning lights and system messages appear, and vehicle performance is affected. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. 2. )these failures create a serious safety risk because they occur without warning while driving. The vehicle may lose normal functionality, display multiple warnings, or behave unpredictably. If this occurs in traffic, at speed, or while maneuvering, it could increase the risk of a crash or leave the vehicle stranded in an unsafe location. Furthermore on 3 separate circumstances I came close to crashing the vehicle putting at risk lives in the vehicle and outside. 3. )the problem is intermittent and has been difficult to reproduce on demand. I have taken the truck to the dealership multiple times. The dealership has stated that because the issue is not actively occurring when they have the vehicle, they have been unable to duplicate the concern and have instructed me to continue driving it until the issue happens again. Despite this, the problem continues to return during normal use. 4. )the vehicle has been inspected by the authorized dealership on multiple occasions. To my knowledge, it has not been inspected directly by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. 5. )intermittent warning lights and system messages appear, including at times a check engine light and other alerts. These warnings may appear suddenly as the truck shuts off and then disappear after the vehicle is turned off and restarted. Another thing to point out is that the audio and turn signal chime cut off randomly. The issue first began while the vehicle was already in normal use and has continued to reoccur since.

See all problems of the 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

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.

Loses power steering when vehicle is low speed or stopped. Same details as safety recall 14743 for 2015 GMC sierra.

See all problems of the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and shut off. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road even though the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact stated that the failure had recurred while driving. The contact stated that the message "service stabili-trak" might have been displayed. The local dealer and another dealer were contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 18v586000 (steering). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,379.

Without any notice, I lost my power steering while driving. The wheel jerked to the side, and when I corrected I realized that I no longer had power steering. I was still able to "steer" my vehicle, but not without brute force. If it were someone of lesser ability (e. G. Elderly) it may have led to a devastating outcome. I have yet to get the issue diagnosed, as it just happened yesterday, but it certainly is concerning! I just wanted to bring this to the attention of the NHTSA, as I've since learned that I'm not the first gm sierra owner to suffer this malfunction.

See all problems of the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

The contact owns a 2014 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25-30 mph, the power steering became inoperable. The check engine warning light was illuminated due to the fuel tank cap being missing. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 14v246000 (steering). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a short in the steering gear. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

See all problems of the 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and coming to a stop, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to make a turn, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 118,000.

See all problems of the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

My power steering completely failed. This is a safety issue and could have caused bodily harm. I have looked on line and I am not the only one with this issue, and as I investigated it shows that this issue was recall situation on earlier models. My truck is currently in the shop and looks like it will cost $5,000 to do the full repair.

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that upon start the vehicle, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The messages “service power steering”, “power steering disabled” were displayed, and esc warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that further diagnostic tests were needed to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.

See all problems of the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

Was driving down the freeway around 65 miles an hour attempted to pass a truck when the steering started wobbling the abs that ems and the breaking system came on with the check engine light almost had no control and barely avoided having an accident the only way it went back to normal was slowing down.

My extended warranty expired. I got my oil changed at valvoline and then 2 days later my power steering stopped working and I’m getting multiple dash messages of other systems malfunctioning. Did GMC cause this to get me to come back to their service center. It seems very suspicious.

The vehicle has suffered repeated systemic electrical failures all while being under 8,000 miles. What component/system failed? power distribution/fuse block, starter, fuel pump control module, horn circuit, body control module, instrument cluster, and charging system. Error codes documented include p0627 (fuel pump control circuit), u0100 (lost comm ecm/pcm), b1325 (control module power low), u0140 (lost comm bcm), and b1000 (ecm fault). All repairs are documented by the dealer, and the truck remains available for inspection. How was safety at risk? the truck lost propulsion at speed, emitted smoke from the engine bay, and became disabled in traffic, placing my family, including my toddler, in immediate danger of collision and fire. Electrical defects also disabled horn and instrument cluster, removing critical warning and signaling functions. These electrical issues have been ongoing for months and gm refuses to replace and can't seem to fix it. Has it been confirmed? yes. Each failure was diagnosed and confirmed by an authorized gm dealer. Components replaced include fuse block, starter, fuel system computer, horn assembly, and cluster. Despite repairs, issues recur. Inspected by others? gm corporate case managers are aware and have acknowledged defects, though they have refused to issue written determinations. Insurance has not yet been involved, but records are available. The dealer has attempted to repaid more than 4 times with no success. Warning lamps/messages? yes. Prior to and during failures, vehicle displayed repeated “service electrical system,” “low voltage,” and communication fault codes. Cluster intermittently blacked out. Smoke in engine bay indicated immediate fire hazard. Cumulative out-of-service days exceeding 20. The failures pose unacceptable risk of fire, sudden propulsion loss, and loss of critical safety functions. I have all calls with gm recorded and transcribed as I am in SC (single party recording state) and can provide those.

2018 GMC sierra slt's electric power steering suddenly stopped working, I almost got killed this issue has been reported by other owners.

See all problems of the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

Power steering failure. Loss of power steering while driving the vehicle made any turns nearly impossible. Dealership identified root cause and a problem with a grounding strap. They reported that in addition to our vehicle, another GMC Sierra 1500 had come in the same day with the same problem. Loss of power steering while driving can lead to collision. This should be a safety recall.

Loose steering and sometimes steering wheel wants to return to center when this happens I loose all electrical - dash goes blank engine dies etc. The hot battery cable is very hot to the touch. I disconnected the ground cable and wait a few minutes and power returns this is going to cause a wreck if it is not corrected local dealer says could be bad battery I had already changed it there is a place to say when this occurred it has happened several times over the last year the last 2 times were within a week.

See all problems of the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

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. The failure mileage was approximately 5,754.

See all problems of the 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 🔎.

At low speeds when applying the brake, whether in a turn or traffic, the vehicle will shut off completely. This has happened multiple times and has almost caused accidents on a few occasions. It has also happened while just driving down the road, the entire truck lost power and then came back, the windshield wipers came on as well.

Truck randomly shuts off and steering wheel locks up going down the road.

While turning steering wheel got hard and cut my turning radius causing almost to go out of the road.

I've had the vehicle service twice for the same incident power steering shut off in the middle of drive vehicle shuts down almost smashed into a freeway wall. This has been to the dealership numerous times to fix it and they have not. We are in the tens of thousands of dollars in repair and still nothing is fixed I've had this vehicle for 5 years it's been in the shop for at least 3 I bought it with 30000 miles it only has 61000 on it right now the last repair lasted 10000 miles this repair only lasted 4000 I almost died and was left is petrified.

My 2019 GMC sierra denali shut off suddenly while I was stopped in traffic. The engine died, the steering wheel locked, and the dashboard displayed warning messages including “esc,” “power,” and another I didn’t catch. The truck would not restart despite attempts. The check engine light is now on. This happened without warning, and I had no prior mechanical issues. The vehicle is well maintained, garage-kept, and recently received a full service including oil change, brake work, and 75k-mile recommended service. I fear this is related to a known issue affecting other GMC engines under investigation for sudden power loss.

Loss of power steering. Loss of engine propulsion at high rates of speed. Engine would not start.

While traveling on the interstate the vehicle lost all propulsion and started to rapidly decelerate. Shortly after propulsion was lost the engine turned off completely affecting the steering and braking of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the GMC dealership that we purchased it from. Repairs have not begun so I assume it would be available for inspection. We were traveling on a three lane interstate up a grade at 80 mph. Had I not been able to safely get the vehicle stopped and out of traffic or had we lost control going down a grade we would not have been able to stop the vehicle and there would've potentially been a catastrophic accident most likely resulting in injury or death. No the dealership has not diagnosed the failure physically. The service writer did suggest that it sounds like the failure reported from the recall not being addressed. I did contact the dealer about the recall on Saturday may6th. At which time I was informed there was not a solution for the vehicle for my vehicle at that time. There were no warning prior to the incident. After the engine stopped operating there was a warning produced on the instrument panel that read "engine oil hot" and the instrument panel no longer registered any oil pressure.

While driving vehicle at normal speeds the steering assist goes out and becomes very hazardous to drive. It is intermittent and does not do it all the time. When connected to dealer diagnostic machine it throws several codes. I have read on several gm sites this problem is widespread and gm is actively saying they haven’t heard of this problem. When the problem occurs it is almost impossible to control the truck to get over to the side of the road.

The contact owns a 2014 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to turn the steering wheel, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the failure had recurred intermittently and had progressively worsened. A message advising of a power steering failure and to drive safely was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

The vehicle consistently shuts off unexpectedly when trying to park or slow down, making it difficult to steer or control. The electric power steering stops working, especially when turning at low speeds.

While driving the power steering goes off intermittently during a low speed turn either right or left. The dash goes dark and then the steering assist warning comes on or the trailer control light comes on. This looks to be the same issue that’s recall was issued for the year 2015.

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started pulling to the left, and the vehicle ended up in the next lane. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken to the dealer six times because of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 17,000.

While attempting to park my 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 at less than 5 mph, the steering wheel suddenly jerked on its own, the stabilitrak warning light turned on, the dashboard flickered, and the entire electrical system briefly shut off. The anti-theft light also came on during this incident. After restarting the vehicle, it temporarily returned to normal, but this kind of malfunction is extremely dangerous — especially if it were to happen while driving. It’s very upsetting that gm has not included the 2016 model year in the recall for this exact issue, even though many owners are clearly experiencing the same symptoms as the 2014 and 2015 trucks that were recalled. This needs to be addressed for safety and fairness.

This is a second report of an issue that first happened in February 2025, the dealer replaced the battery and called it fixed. On Friday 5-2-2025 I started the vehicle and as I was driving the dash lit up with these warnings: service trailer brake system, service esc, brake system failure 62 mph top speed, steering assist reduced drive with care, the vehicle steering got stiff and brake pedal went to the floor board with a little braking available if I stood very hard on the brake pedal. I got off to the side of the road, cycled the truck on and off and was able to drive off. It did this three times before I could get it to the dealer the next day, if my daughter was driving I would have expected that two of the three would have resulted in a wreck as she would not have been strong enough to steer or stop the vehicle. The dealer had it three days and replaced the brake master cylinder and called it fixed, I picked the vehicle up and on the way home I stopped for gas, after the gas station the dash displayed: service brake assist, I turned right around and took it back to the dealer, they checked the code and said the brake assist module was drawing too much current, I picked the vehicle back up three days later, they said they bleed the air out of the brake system and called it fixed. No one wants to ride with me and my daughter is begging me to trade the truck, they call it a death trap waiting to happen. Gm says it is all normal issues.