There are 31 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2002 GMC Sierrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WHILE DRIVING OF A CITY STREET, AT A SLOW RATE (10-15MPH) AND TAKING A SLOW, APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREE LEFT TURN, I HEARD A LOUD "POPPING/BREAKING SOUND". WHILE MAKING THE TURN, I INITIALLY HAD TURNING CAPABILITIES UNTIL I HEARD THE "POP" SOUND. UPON HEARING THE SOUND, I NO LONGER HAD THE ABILITY TO TURN THE WHEELS TO EITHER DIRECTION. UPON STOPPING AND TURNING OFF THE TRUCK, I FOUND THE PITMAN ARM(CONNECTED TO STEERING BOX AND STEERING BAR) WAS DETACHED FROM THE STEERING BAR BUT STILL ATTACHED TO STEERING BOX. THE BOLT OF THE PITMAN ARM HAD BROKEN OFF CLEANLY FROM THE STEERING BAR, RENDERING MY STEERING CAPABILITIES INEFFECTUAL. ATTACHED IS A PICTURE OF THE PITMAN ARM SHEERED BOLT. I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT THAT THIS DEFECTIVE PIECE OF MATERIAL COULD HAVE COST DAMAGE TO LIFE, PROPERTY AND POTENTIALLY DEATH OF MYSELF OR OTHERS ON THE ROAD. I WOULD LIKE SOME FORM OF RESTITUTION ON PART OF THE MANUFACTURE. THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR WAS APPROXIMATELY $225 USD. I CAN PROVIDE THE BILL FOR TOWING, MECHANICAL REPAIRS AND COST OF REPLACEMENT PART. *TR
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
I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS SITE AND THIS ACCIDENT HAPPENED IN OCT 2014. I WAS GOING AROUND A CURVE WITH 40 MPH SPEED LIMIT AND I WAS GOING 40 MPH. I STARTED TO BRAKE AS THIS WAS DOWNHILL AND A VERY LARGE TRUCK AND I DID NOT WISH TO INCREASE SPEED AS I FOLLOWED THE CURVE. MY BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND AND SANK TO THE FLOOR WITH NO RESISTANCE. I HAD NO STEERING ABILITY EITHER. I ENDED UP IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH A VERY LARGE TREE AND THE AIRBAGS FAILED. I SPLIT MY HEAD OPEN ON THE STEERING WHEEL DESPITE BLOCKING MY FACE WITH MY FOREARMS CROSSED; A DE-GLOVING 10-12 INCH LACERATION DOWN TO THE SKULL THAT WRAPS FROM MY NOSE BRIDGE AROUND TO MY RIGHT EAR IN THE CIRCULAR SHAPE OF THE STEERING WHEEL. MY RIGHT LEG WAS PINNED INTO THE CENTER DASH AREA AS THE ENGINE BLOCK AND STEERING COLUMN WERE SHOVED INTO THE CAB. I HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM MY VEHICLE WITH THE JAWS OF LIFE BY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAMS. I AM LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. MY QUADRASTEER WAS DECLARED TOTALED BY USAA INSURANCE AND DESTROYED WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE. I CALLED USAA 3 DAYS AFTER THE CRASH AFTER FINDING SO MANY BRAKE FAILURES ON THIS VEHICLE/YEAR MODEL AND WAS TOLD IT WAS ALREADY DESTROYED, SO DOING AN INVESTIGATION WAS NOT POSSIBLE. I HAVE LIVED IN PAIN AND ALSO PARALYZING FEAR OF DRIVING SINCE THEN; 3 YEARS. I AM A DISABLED MILITARY VETERAN WITH PTSD AND PRIOR BRAIN SURGERY AND THIS ACCIDENT CAUSED TO ME ISOLATE SO SEVERELY I COULD NOT EVEN ATTEND MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS DUE TO MY NEW FEARS OF DRIVING & RIDING IN VEHICLES. MY LIFE IS NOW RUINED BY THIS ACCIDENT. DECREASING VA DISABILITY DUE TO INABILITY TO ATTEND APPOINTMENTS CAUSED A $1000.00 PER MONTH LOSS OF BENEFITS. I CAN'T AFFORD MY BILLS AND HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH THE VA TO GAIN ACCESS TO MEDICAL EVALUATIONS SINCE THEY ARE NOW STRIVING TO CUT BENEFITS FROM ANYONE THEY CAN. PLEASE RECALL NOW!!!!! WHO ELSE HAS TO BE HURT OR KILLED?????
VEHICLE IS A 2002 GMC HD 2500 PICKUP TRUCK WITH A DURAMAX DIESEL ENGINE, AND 5 SPEED ALLISON TRANSMISSION WHILE DRIVING ON SURFACE STREETS, THE POWER BRAKES AND STEERING BOTH WENT OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY. STOPPING REQUIRED BOTH FEET ON PEDAL, AND STEERING WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. PROBLEM TRACED TO THE "HYDROBOOST" AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP. BOTH WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE HOSE. EVIDENTLY, THE PUMP FAILED TO YIELD ANY BOOST PRESSURE, WHICH IN TURN RENDERED POWER STEELING AND BRAKES INOPERATIVE. A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE TOW TRUCK THAT RESPONDED INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD MULTIPLE FAILURES OF THE SAME ITEMS (87 OT 8 GMC HD TRUCKS) AND IN BLOGS WITH OTHER GMC/CHEVY DIESEL OWNERS IT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON DEFECT. THERE WERE NO NOISES, OR OTHER INDICATOR OF PENDING PROBLEMS. CONTACT WITH THE DEALER REVEALED THAT " I SHOULD CHANGE THE PS FLUID EVERY 2 YEARS: (NOT IN THE MAINTENANCE SECTION OF OWNER MANUAL). *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS AND PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, FOLLOWED BY AN ACTIVATION OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT EXTREMELY LOW SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO SEVERE CORROSION IN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SENSOR. THERE WAS A PRIOR RECALL REPAIR UNDER NHTSA 07E106000 (WHEELS:CAP/COVER/HUB). HOWEVER, THE REMEDY FAILED TO CORRECT THE SAFETY RELATED DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000. THE STEERING SHAFT WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 02/18/10
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. AFTER COMPLETING THE TURN, SHE WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK THE STEERING COLUMN. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND SHE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE POWER STEERING GEAR BOX REPLACED . THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,596. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,483.
THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. SINCE THAT TIME, ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS, THE TRUCK HAS STALLED IN AN INTERSECTION. AFTER REVIEWING THE RECALL INFORMATION AND CALLING GM AND OUR DEALERSHIP, NO OPEN RECALLS APPLY TO THE TRUCK. THEY WILL OF COURSE BE HAPPY TO CHARGE US AND MINIMUM OF $101.00 AND MORE TO LOOK AT THE TRUCK AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM. IF THIS IS A RECALL, WHY DOES IT NOT APPLY? *TR
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.
I PURCHASED A 2002 GMC SIERRA DENALI IN SEPT 2002 NEW FROM A LOCAL DEALER. I AM THE PRIMARY DRIVER AND DO NOT ABUSE THE VEHICLE. I KEEP ALL THE SERVICE WORK UP ON IT THRU THE SELLING DEALER. THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE IS THAT THE QUDARSTEER CONTROL MODULE WENT OUT AND I CALLED GM FOR A SERVICE REQUEST. GM SET UP AN APPOINTMENT FOR ME WITH THE SELLING DEALER TO CHECK OUT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED OUT MY TRUCK AND TOLD ME THAT THE QUDRASTEER MODULE WAS BAD AND NEEDED REPLACED. THEY GOT ON THEIRE COMPUTER AND TRIED TO LOCATE A STEERING MODULE. BELIVE IT OR NOT THERE ISN'T ONE IN THE UNITED STATES. GM DOSEN'T MAKE THEM ANYMORE THEY HAVE BEEN DISCONTUINED. GM PRODUCED THIS TRUCK UNTILL 2005, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY HAD TO SUPPLY PARTS FOR VEHICLES THAT THEY MADE FOR AT LEAST 10 YR'S I AM NOW STUCK WITH A TRUCK WITH 50,285 MILES ON IT AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER NOT TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE IT WOULD WEAR UOT MY TIRES. THE DEALERSHIP DISABLED THE QUDRASTEER BUT WHEN I DRIVE IT I HAVE TO KEEP THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED TO THE RT ABOUT A QUARTER TURN. IT DRIVES LIKE A VEHICLE WITH A CENTER BOLT BROKEN IN THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT MY RECORSE IS WITH GM. I CANNOT PUT ANOTHER REAR END IN IT FROM ANOTHER TRUCK BECAUSE THE DENALI'S REAR END IS 5 1/2" WIDER THAN A RUGULAR PU. I THINK GM SHOULD BE MADE TO START MAKING THE PARTS THAT THESE TRUCK'S NEED. I KNOW THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS RUN INTO THIS PROBLEM. ALL GM IS DOING FOR ME IS GIVING ME A LIST OF WEB SITES TO LOOK UP AND TRY TO FIND THE PART MYSELF. THERE ARE NONE!!!!!! MSRP ON THE TRUCK WAS $43,000. THE QUDRASTEER OPTION WAS $4,000. I DON'T THINK THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PARK MY TRUCK BECAUSE GM DOSEN'S WANT TO MAKE THE PART ANYMORE!!!!!! THE QUDRASTEER WENT OUT IN NOVENBER 2008, I STOPPED AT THE POST OFFICE TO CHECK MY MAIL AND WHEN I GOT BACK IN MY TRUCK AND STARTED IT THE SERVICE FOUR WHEEL STEERING LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH. INEED THIS PART!!!!!! *TR
STARTED MY VEHICLE SO COULD MOVE IT IN FRONT OF MY GARAGE. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T MOVE AND I HAD VERY LIMITED BRAKING POWER. IT TOOK AN EXCEPTIONAL AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL JUST TO STOP THE VEHICLE AT A VERY LOW SPEED. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS HURT AND NO PROPERTY DAMAGE OCCURRED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 2-5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL STIFFENED WHEN IT WAS TURNED TO THE LEFT. WHEN TURNED TO THE RIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME RESISTANT. THE FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN STRAIGHT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING VALVE AND STEERING BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED BECAUSE THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,499.
TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED ABOUT 2002 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. HE STATED THAT WHILE APPLYING BRAKES, 7 OUT OF 10 TIMES THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATE\D AND PUMPED THE BRAKES. THIS HAPPENED AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY, AND IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS HAPPENED WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT ANY SPEED. THE BRAKES PUSHED BACK AND THERE WAS A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE CONTACT LOOKED UP INFORMATION FROM THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND FOUND THAT A RECALL 05V379000 HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SAID THAT HE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS VEHICLE DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK THE INNER TIE ROD HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY, THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL SEAL WAS LEAKING FROM THE VENT CAP, THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT BULB WAS INOPERATIVE. THE CONSUMER DENIED TO HAVE REPAIRS MADE. UPDATED 01/29/07. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TURNING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY, THERE WAS A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT AND SHAFT PITMAN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTERWARDS, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE LUBRICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED, AND DETERMINED THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT LUBRICATION WAS A PART OF GENERAL MAINTENANCE.
INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT MAKES CLUNKING NOISE. FIRST REPAIRED ON 11-13-03. HAS BEEN REPAIRED FOUR OTHER TIMES. IS CURRENTLY AT DEALERSHIP BEING FIXED AGAIN ON 8-11-06. EACH TIME IT HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIR, THE STEERING SHAFT HAS BEEN LUBRICATED. *NM
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
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
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
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"
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
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
Showing 1–20 of 31 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026