FaultScore

1999 GMC Sierra steering problems

18 of the 721 complaints about the 1999 GMC Sierra are about the steering — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 46,264 miles.

C

18

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Steering 4 22.2%
Gear BOX (Other Than Rack AND Pinion) 4 22.2%
Steering Wheel/Handle BAR 3 16.7%
Hydraulic Power Assist System 2 11.1%
Rack AND Pinion 2 11.1%
TIE ROD Assembly 2 11.1%
Column 1 5.6%

Steering across every GMC Sierra year

1997 64 31.2%
1998 15 7.3%
1999 18 8.8%
2000 31 15.1%
2001 10 4.9%
2002 12 5.9%
2003 28 13.7%
2004 14 6.8%
2005 13 6.3%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 205,778 miles Hockley, TX

STEERING

TRUCK WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER THE EVENING OF 12/03/2012. THERE WAS A GRINDING TYPE NOISE WHEN TURNS WERE ATTEMPTED. TOOK VEHICLE TO A SHOP FOR A POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACEMENT. THE SHOP CHANGE THE PUMP AND THE SOLID METAL POWER STEERING HOSE. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE HOSE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE REPAIR WENT FINE AND I PICKED UP THE TRUCK AND DROVE IT FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS. IT SEEMS THE REPLACEMENT SOLID METAL POWER STEERING HOSE BROKE IN THE SAME PLACE, WHERE IT SCREWS INTO THE PUMP. IT IS NOW MAY 2013, AND THE SECOND REPLACEMENT POWER STEERING HOSE HAS BROKEN AGAIN. I WILLTAKE IT TO THE SHOP MONDAY, MAY 21, 2013. I AM HOPING THIS HOSE WILL LAST. WHAT COULD BE CAUSING THIS PROBLEM?

NHTSA complaint #10512652 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Findlay, OH

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

UPON RESTARTING THE VEHICLE THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND TURNED OFF PRIOR TO FAILURE. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE PULLEY BREAKING. *AK *SC

NHTSA complaint #10051639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 45,000 miles Dublin, CA

STEERING:COLUMN

RECALL 98V242000 CONCERNING STEERING GEAR/FRAME BOLTS: AT ANY SPEED THE STEERING WHEEL HAS TOO MUCH PLAY IN IT. ALSO, A GRINDING NOISE IS COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.

NHTSA complaint #10048082 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Washington, DC Crash 1 killed

STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

A COLLISION OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF COMPLETE STEERING FAILURE AND VIBRATIONS IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VIBRATIONS OFTEN OCCURRED BETWEEN 55-70 MPH. THEY ORIGINATED IN THE FRONT END AND OFTEN TRANSFERRED INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO JERK ABRUPTLY, IN ONE DIRECTION OR ANOTHER. THE VIBRATIONS WERE SO EXTREME, IT CAUSED ABNORMAL WEAR AND FATIGUE ON THE TIRES, STEERING COMPONETS AND ETC. ONE FATALITY AS A RESULT. (BRENT MCQUEEN, INVESTIGATOR ON BEHALF OF CLIENT). *PH. THE INVESTIGATOR BELIEVED THE INCIDENT WAS RELATED TO RECALL (98V242000) HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10029570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 46,264 miles Battle Creek, MI

STEERING

CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THEIR VEHICLE'S STEERING IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL 98 V 242 000, BUT VEHICLE'S VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10011949 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Leesville, LA

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

ENGINE WILL TURN OVER BUT NEVER START, SECURITY LAMP WILL COME ON-TAKEN TO DEALER THEY SAID IT WAS THE SECURITY SENSOR WAS GOING OUT AND THAT THE TRUCK THOUGHT I WAS STEALING IT, WAIT 10 MINUTES & TRUCK WILL START. THAT WORKS, BUT LEFT STRANDED FOR OVER 40 MINUTES WAITING FOR THE SENSOR TO LET ME START TRUCK. TOOK 4 TRIES AT 10 MINUTES EACH FOR THE TRUCK TO FINALLY START. DEALER KNEW RIGHT OFF WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH OUT HOOKING UP THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #764520 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Walker, LA

STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

98 V 242 000/STEERING GEAR/FRAME BOLTS: INTERMITTENTLY THE STEERING WILL LOCK UP MOMENTARILY WHEN TURNING A CURVE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #8008363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Acworth, GA

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

THE POWER STEERING PUMP DRIVESHAFT BROKE, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING & LOSS OF POWER ASSISTED BRAKES WHILE TOWING A 2 HORSE TRAILER . ON THIS SIZE VEHICLE IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER OR STOP EVEN AT SLOW SPEED.THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE FIRST WAS 09/10/2000, ALSO PULLING A TWO HORSE TRAILER.THE SERVICE MANAGER HAS TOLD ME THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE SEVERAL OF THESE PUMPS BECAUSE OF THE SHAFT BREAKING.THE PUMP ASSEMBLY # IS E9050. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE RESULTS COULD BE CATASTROPHIC.THERE IS NO INDICATION OR WARNING THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED UNTILL YOU TRY TO STEER OR STOP.IN AN EMERGENCY THAT MAY BE TO LATE.

NHTSA complaint #759216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Massena, NY

STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

THIS TRUCK WILL NOT STEER PROPERLY WITH WEIGHT IN IT FOR EXAMPLE 5 PASSENGERS, THE GM SERVICE DEPT. HAS TURNED THIS CASE OVER TO IT'S ENGINEERING DEPT. BUT THEY STILL GAVE THE TRUCK BACK TO ME TO USE AND DRIVE, IS THAT A SAFETY PROBLEM . NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED.

NHTSA complaint #756921 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Denver, CO

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

A BRUSHING FAILURE IN STEERING COLUMN THAT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL AND OUT OF ITS WARRANTY. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.

NHTSA complaint #885261 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Linwood, PA

STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

BOLTS BROKE OFF THE INSIDE OF THE STEERING BOX. NLM

NHTSA complaint #554368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Walhalla, SC

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

STEERING WHEEL PROBLEMS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM ON ALL GMC TRUCK PRODUCTS(GO TO WWW. EDMUNDS.COM -TOWN HALL MEETING FOR HUNDREDS OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS).

NHTSA complaint #716793 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mesa, AZ 1 injured

STEERING:RACK AND PINION

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA complaint #713863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lancaster, OH

STEERING

WHEN MAKING A TURN AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE POWER STEERING CHANGED CAUSING OVER STEERING IN THE TURN WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE GOING OFF OF THE ROAD. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE DTC SENSOR .MJS

NHTSA complaint #848640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Swoyersville, PA

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

HAVE HAD A MODERATE TO SOMETIMES SEVERE STEERING VIBRATION FROM THE DAY I DROVE THE TRUCK OFF THE LOT....VIBRATION IS MOST NOTICEABLE AT SPEEDS OVER 65MPH.........GETS WORSE AS SPEEDS INCREASE.........HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER TWICE IN THE FIRST 1000 MILES ....EACH TIME THE TIRES WERE SPIN BALANCED..NO SATISFACTION....DEALER IS NOW STATING THAT THEY TOOK OTHER TRUCKS FOR TEST RIDES AND THEY HAVE SAME VIBRATION CHARACTERISTICS....IS THIS INHERENT IN THE DESIGN? ...I'VE CHECKED THE COMPLAINTS SECTION OF YOUR SITE AND NOTICED THAT NEARLY 1/2 OF THE COMPLAINTS FOR 1999 GMC/CHEVROLET PICKUPS INVOLVE SOME SORT OF STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION....

NHTSA complaint #709057 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Broken Arrow, OK

STEERING:RACK AND PINION

TRUCK HAS BEEN IN FOR SEVERAL REPAIRS-PROBLEMS STILL EXITS. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED.

NHTSA complaint #708918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Vassar, MI

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

TIE ROD ENDS LOCK NUT. THE LOCKING NUT IS .19 INCH FROM LOCKING POSITION ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND THE LOCK NUT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS .312 FROM LOCKING. DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION WILL IN TIME CAUSE ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS FIRST,AND LEAD TO SEPARATION OF COMPONENTS ,CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING. THIS VEHICLE CAME FROM THE FACTORY IN THIS CONDITION. MILEAGE WAS 40 WHEN LEFT THE DEALER. HAS 49 MILES ON IT NOW. IT IS SCHEDULED TO BE PICKED UP BY THE DEALER ON 4-JUNE-1999, AND REPAIRED. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET.

NHTSA complaint #707196 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Orlando, FL

STEERING

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED STEERING IS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, WHICH MAY CAUSE THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL.

NHTSA complaint #837027 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1999 GMC Sierra problems

← Full 1999 GMC Sierra report