RoadVitals

2002 GMC Sierra Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Feb 27, 2015
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
5%
of 249 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 GMC Sierra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Steering
Filed Feb 27, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE WHEELS WENT IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION THAN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 216,000. UPDATED 7/14/15*CN THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE PARTS WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 07/30/15*JB

NHTSA ID
10691194
Incident
Feb 27, 2015
Mileage
216,000 mi
Steering
Filed Mar 4, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE VEHICLE SWERVED FROM SIDE TO SIDE TWICE FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE GM MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND STATED THAT HE HAD TO PAY FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND THE CONTACT REFUSED TO DO SO. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

NHTSA ID
10316840
Incident
Mar 7, 2009
Mileage
48,000 mi
SteeringSuspension
Filed Feb 15, 2006

THERE IS RATTLE/VIBRATION IN MY TRUCK'S STEERING COLUMN. ANY TIME I GO OVER AN UNEVEN SURFACE I HEAR AN ANNOYING RATTLE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD IN FRONT THE STEERING WHEEL, AND I FEEL A CONSISTENT VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS RATTLE STARTED WITH ABOUT 35,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, JUST IN TIME FOR THE WARRANTY TO EXPIRE. MY TRUCK NOW HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT WITH THE SAME ANNOYING PROBLEM. MY DEALER KEEPS TELLING ME THERE IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE A RECALL ON IT, SO I DON'T WANT TO PAY TO REPAIR IT (WHATEVER MAY BE WRONG WITH IT). *NM

NHTSA ID
10150348
Incident
Jul 1, 2004
Mileage
35,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jan 11, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES AT THE SAME TIME WITHOUT WARNING. THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH IN SNOWY CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP SOLVED THE PROBLEM.*AK UPDATED 2/7/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ID
10147419
Incident
Jan 6, 2006
Mileage
69,000 mi
Steering
Filed Oct 25, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT WAS REPLACED IN FEBRUARY 2005 AS SUGGESTED BY A TECHNICAL SERVICE RECOMMENDATION. THE NHTSA ITEM NUMBER IS 10005165. THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN SUGGESTED REPAIR HAS AGAIN FAILED. THERE WAS LOOSENESS WITHIN THE STEERING AND A GRINDING FEELING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP THAT COMPLETED THE PREVIOUS REPAIR WORK. THE DEALER SAID THE FAILURE WAS NORMAL, AND NO REAL EXPLANATION WAS OFFERED. THE SECOND REPAIR WAS MADE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10140702
Incident
Sep 1, 2005
Mileage
103,000 mi
BrakesSteering
Filed Sep 20, 2005

DT: 2002 GMC SIERRA. THE CONSUMER STATES THE STEERING SHAFT BOUNCED UP AND DOWN, IT WAS NOT CORRECTLY PUT IN. THIS CAUSED THE FRONT END BOUNCE FROM THE STEERING BOX TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED, BUT THE DEALERSHIP STATED THEY WERE HAVING A LOT OF THESE PROBLEMS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER THOUGHT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. ALSO, THE ROTORS A HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE SHAFT BOUNCING UP AND DOWN. THE RIGHT TIE ROD WAS ALSO REPLACED. THE PROBLEM WAS CONSTANT WITH THE VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10137106
Incident
Jul 7, 2005
Mileage
40,000 mi
Steering
Filed May 21, 2005

HASN'T FAILED YET, BUT THERE IS A RATTLE IN THE STEERING COLUM WHICH DEALER STATES IS NORMAL, SURE DOESN'T FEEL NORMAL TO ME. HAPPENS ANY TIME THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. "WHILE DRIVING"

NHTSA ID
10121790
Incident
May 21, 2005
BrakesSteering
Filed Apr 5, 2005

WHILE MY 17 YEAR OLD SON WAS DRIVING, THE TRUCK SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKE CAPABILITY. MY SON WAS TRAVELING WITH HIS YOUNGER BROTHER AND A FRIEND IN THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10116397
Incident
Mar 31, 2005
Mileage
40,490 mi
SteeringSuspension
Filed Feb 7, 2005

FRONT SUSPENSION/ STEERING 'RATTLES' EXCESSIVELY WHEN IN A TURN AND ROAD ROUGH TO THE POINT I MUST ACCOMMODATE IT IN HOW I DRIVEN TURNS. THE RATTLE ALMOST GOES AWAY AFTER THE FRONT SUSPENSION IS LUBED BUT IS BACK IN ABOUT 500 MILES OF DRIVING. *JB

NHTSA ID
10110057
Incident
Feb 4, 2005
Mileage
25,000 mi
BrakesSteering
Filed Feb 4, 2005
Crash reported

WHILE PULLING VEHICLE INTO THE GARAGE THE STEERING AND BRAKES FAILED . AS A RESULT, VEHICLE COLLIDED INTO THE SIDE OF THE GARAGE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10110832
Incident
Jan 25, 2005
Mileage
27,000 mi
Steering
Filed Apr 9, 2004
Crash reported

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN CONSUMER LOST STEERING CONTROL. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HIT A WALL. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10066906
Incident
Apr 4, 2004
Mileage
5,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jan 15, 2004

FRONT STEERING TIE RODS FOLDED IN HALF ON TWO OCCASSIONS WHILE CLIMBING A HILL OFF ROAD. ALL STEERING WAS LOST MID WAY UP THE HILL, WITH NO WAY TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER WARRANTY. I AM AFFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. IT IS IN THE SHOP AS WE SPEAK FOR THE SECOND TIME.

NHTSA ID
10071028
Incident
Oct 15, 2003
Mileage
16,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .