This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have a hydraulic rush or flow type noise from the power steering gear. Dealer should communicate to the customer this condition is a normal operating characteristic of their vehicle.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2016 GMC Sierra steering problems
severe 6 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Complaints
6
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
5injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 6 steering complaints filed for the 2016 GMC Sierra, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 6 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering steering on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have a reduced or loss of power steering assist, steering wheel jerks or kicks back when turning, Service Stabilitrak message with warning chime, engine stall, Instrument Panel Cluster going blank or inoperative, radio/Integrated Center Stack going blank, Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning going blank, hood ajar message and/or dome lamps flash when shifting into reverse, alarm sounds when locking doors or door locks cycling, and or wipers continue to run for a short time after turning off and then stop/park in the incorrect location. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes U0073, U0078, U0029
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have hard or unable to rotate ignition key concern. When the concern is present the steering wheel will need to be rotated in either direction to alleviate the pressure between the steering column lock pin and lock plate. Please communicate to the customer this condition is a normal operating characteristic of their vehicle.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This technical bulletin provides a procedure to flush and bleed the power steering system to correct a condition of power steering noise or fluid leak from power steering pump, gear or high pressure hose during extreme low temperature conditions.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
Purchased the 2016 duramax denali with less than 39,000 miles after my previous GMC truck turned out to be a safety hazard and a money pit. Sales rep had me drive the vehicle around the block and the vehicle was what I wanted. After driving the truck at highway speed I started noticing the vehicle drifting all over, I had to turn the lane departure warning system off because you cant keep it in…
Since I've owned this vehicle I have had transmission problems. Once it went from 70 to 20 on the highway.. It kicks or jerks at any speed... Especially going slow.. The shifting is horrible!!! The feeling of it losing power again like it did could cause serious damage to the transmission and unselfish and passengers.. I don't trust it on the highway!!! I keep a monitor connected to my truck at…
1) rear driver side seatbelt would not retract when unbuckled. Seatbelt had to be manually fed back in so that the belt didn't dangle or get shut in the door. Repaired at dealership on june 18, 2020 at roughly 55-56,000 miles. 2) truck is currently shaking when driving and has tendencies to shake violently at times. I'm currently just shy of 59,000 miles on the truck and has been noticeable…
Had steering trouble with your 2016 GMC Sierra?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2016 GMC Sierra?
It's a meaningful issue. 6 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Based on the 6 complaints filed, steering issues most often appear around 52,726 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2016/GMC/Sierra.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.